Eastern Oregon

Travel Guide

Next Stop on the Eastern Oregon Swing is Leslie Gulch. A 20 mile dirt road leads past fantastic basalt rock formations terminating at the Owyhee River. There is a small but nice primitive campground (no water or electricity) with covered picnic tables and boat ramp access to the Owyhee river.
Next Stop on the Eastern Oregon Swing is Leslie Gulch. A 20 mile dirt road leads past fantastic basalt rock formations terminating at the Owyhee River. There is a small but nice primitive campground (no water or electricity) with covered picnic tables and boat ramp access to the Owyhee river.
You may have to stop for the occasional cattle drive on US Highway 395 in Eastern Oregon. We were one of only two cars waiting patiently as we admired the scenery of this beautiful herd being ushered across by real deal cowboys and their herding dogs. Yep, this may be the life for me.
The mountains of the Oregon Coast Range as seen from the eastern slope of Elk Mountain. None of these mountains tops off at much over 3000 feet (900 meters), but don't be fooled by that. Elk Mountain is one of the toughest short climbs (we're talking "hikes" here), that you'll ever find. And, if you're not a stickler about remaining on your feet the entire trail, you'll have a grand old time.
Here in the Great Northwest, those of us to take to the great outdoors generally have one destination, the Cascade Mountain range that runs pretty much through the center of Oregon and Washington going North/South. There is the Olympic Range to the north and west, the Blue Mountains to the East and Steens Mountain at the edge of the desert near Nevada. In fact, there are mountains all over the place, but those of us who hike and climb have essentially become snobs for the soaring peaks of the high Cascades. So much so that when someone tells us about a place called the “Coastal Range” sitting on the eastern rim of Oregon’s beaches, with its peaks topping out at a mere three thousand feet, we politely smile, and give off a glow of arch and patronizing wisdom. Three thousand feet is like a day in the park; a game of “Shoots and Ladders.” We’d hardly start breathing heavily before the whole thing was over and we were packing up the car. Well, folks, I am here to tell you; that kind of pride serves you well until you find yourself in the unenviable task of having to swallow it. This weekend my hiking partner and I took to the road to make what we thought would a pleasant little jaunt up a version of “Candyland” called Elk Mountain. What we “thought” could not have been further from the truth. Meter for meter and foot for foot, it is one of the hardest climbs we have ever done. Most of the first two miles is on no less than a 40% grade, some of it steeper, and I found myself clambering and clawing that ascension almost as often as hiking it. The next two miles start with a near vertical drop of almost 60 feet (what the hiking books call a scramble), in which I was forced to use a part of my body not generally applied to locomotion just to keep my arrangement with the law of gravity at an even status quo. At a certain point, the trail forks indecipherably, and the two of us found ourselves on the wrong tine of that fork as we watched the path erase almost like magic in front of us. We took our life into our hands (frequently along with handfuls of wild rosebush thorns) by pushing up a seventy-five foot embankment to get enough elevation to see where we had gone wrong. By grace or by fortune, that dropped us right back on the trail, at which point, the mountain seemed to believe that we had been taught our lesson. There were more deep vertical scrambles (always down, why down?) and belly scraping, heart-pounding ascensions, but nothing of the kind we had already seen. The last 4 miles bound and bounce down an old logging road, depositing you back at the place where you started, like Dorothy waking up in her bedroom; sad with newfound wisdom and heart aching with wonder. It was painful, it was dangerous, and I tell you, my friends, I had a blast. Beyond the sheer physical exertion, there are simply things to see that will make you marvel and gasp and keep you in a state where you feel as if you have permanently dropped your jaw. And if this hyperbolic rant didn’t convince you to try it for yourself, maybe some of discoveries I post in the near future will. If you’re up to the challenge, and don’t mind a little dirt, I highly recommend it.

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Where to stay in Eastern Oregon

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Riverside

While there might not be top attractions in Riverside, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Pendleton Woolen Mills and Pendleton Center for the Arts.

Riverside
Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

2 out of 5
266 NE Goodfellow St. Ontario OR
The price is S$99 per night from 24 Feb to 25 Feb
S$99
24 Feb - 25 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Ontario. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their reviews. Popular ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,434 reviews)
Great place. Has it all. Staff are amazing.

Reviewed on 21 Feb, 2026

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario
Red Lion Hotel Pendleton

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton

3 out of 5
304 Se Nye Ave Pendleton OR
The price is S$136 per night from 8 Mar to 9 Mar
S$136
8 Mar - 9 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Pendleton. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
7.2/10 Good! (1,005 reviews)
To begin with, this is a very dated property that has seen better days. That said, the property is well maintained, clean and friendly staff. We were surprised that there wasn't a coffee maker in the room so we made do with the microwave and instant coffee (we always bring). It is right off the highway ...

Reviewed on 21 Feb, 2026

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton
River Lodge And Grill

River Lodge And Grill

3 out of 5
6 Marine Dr Boardman OR
The price is S$159 per night from 27 Feb to 28 Feb
S$159
27 Feb - 28 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this beach hotel in Boardman. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor pool and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,000 reviews)
Clean Rooms and very quiet

Reviewed on 17 Feb, 2026

River Lodge And Grill
See all 516 properties in Eastern Oregon
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort

Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort

3 out of 5
3641 NW Oceanview Drive Newport OR
Stay at this beach aparthotel in Newport. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,529 reviews)
Absolutely loved the views, room decor, large soaking tub and two balconies! Such an amazing spot to relax and recover.

Reviewed on 20 Feb, 2026

Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort
Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro

Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro

3 out of 5
3133 Ne Shute Rd Hillsboro OR
Stay at this business-friendly aparthotel in Hillsboro. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (2,072 reviews)
Love the spotless room and good breakfast!

Reviewed on 21 Feb, 2026

Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro
Rockaway Beach Resort

Rockaway Beach Resort

3.5 out of 5
615 N Pacific St Rockaway Beach OR
Stay at this beach condo in Rockaway Beach. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (806 reviews)
The room was spotless, and the staff awesome

Reviewed on 19 Feb, 2026

Rockaway Beach Resort
See all 18,838 properties in Oregon
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Wallowa Lake - Joseph Oregon

Wallowa Lake

Commune with nature and explore the great outdoors at Wallowa Lake during your travels in Joseph. Stroll along the lakeside in this family-friendly area or seek out the hiking trails.

Wallowa Lake
Motorcycle camping and touring

Wallowa Lake State Park

You can take time to visit Wallowa Lake State Park during your travels to Joseph. Wander the lakeside or discover the mountain views in this family-friendly area.

Wallowa Lake State Park
Shot from the park. Beautiful I'm winter

Hat Rock State Park

You can take time to visit Hat Rock State Park during your travels to Hermiston. While in this family-friendly area, you can savour the bars and cafes.

Hat Rock State Park
A park bench overlooks the McNary Dam in Umatilla, Oregon, USA

McNary Lock & Dam

McNary Lock & Dam is just one of the places to see in Umatilla, so why not enjoy the other things to explore during your travels? Take in the entertainment choices while you're in the area.

McNary Lock & Dam
Golf course with a lake in the middle

Big River Golf Course

Enjoy a round of golf in Umatilla at Big River Golf Course. While in this family-friendly area, you can enjoy the bars.

Big River Golf Course

Wildhorse Casino

Why not roll the dice with a visit to Wildhorse Casino during your time in Mission? While you're here, you can savour the top-notch restaurants.

Wildhorse Casino

Things to do

Portland: 2-hour Lunch Cruise on the Willamette River

Portland: 2-Hour Lunch Cruise Through Downtown

S$112
per adult
98% of travellers recommend
Portland: 2-Hour Lunch Cruise Through Downtown
Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour

Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour

S$108
per traveller
96% of travellers recommend
Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour
Aerial view of the Oregon Coast

Full-Day Northern Oregon Coast Tour

S$178
per traveller
94% of travellers recommend
Full-Day Northern Oregon Coast Tour
Portland: Willamette River 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise

Portland: Dinner Cruise on the Willamette River

S$164
per adult
96% of travellers recommend
Portland: Dinner Cruise on the Willamette River
Picture 11 for Activity Portland: Champagne Brunch Cruise on Willamette River

Portland: Brunch Cruise on Willamette River

S$132
per adult
92% of travellers recommend
Portland: Brunch Cruise on Willamette River
Portland: Ghosts, Poltergeists, and Psychopaths Walking Tour

Portland: Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists Ghost Tour

S$31
per adult
88% of travellers recommend
Portland: Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists Ghost Tour
See all activities in Eastern Oregon
road in mountains

La Grande

Dawn ascent of vibrant balloons over water

Prosser

An Old Fence By a Field in Halfway, Oregon

Halfway

View of the Wallowa Mountains from the top of Mount Howard in Oregon

Joseph