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.

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 €66 per night from 2 Mar to 3 Mar
€66
2 Mar - 3 Mar
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)
Clean and comfortable

Reviewed on 24 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 €91 per night from 12 Mar to 13 Mar
€91
12 Mar - 13 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! (1,001 reviews)
Excellent room , staff ok to very good depending on which one

Reviewed on 23 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 €109 per night from 27 Mar to 28 Mar
€109
27 Mar - 28 Mar
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 520 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.
Unbelievable yurt home. 1300 sq ft. Not your average yurt.

Unbelievable yurt home. 1300 sq ft. Not your average yurt.

2 out of 5
Cove OR
Stay at this family-friendly holiday home in Cove. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities and patios.
10/10 Exceptional! (29 reviews)
Our stay was amazing! The yurt is so wonderfully decorated and they have so much more than any other short term rental I have stayed in the past. We will definitely come back and stay again!

Reviewed on 13 Jan 2026

Unbelievable yurt home. 1300 sq ft. Not your average yurt.
Wallowa Lake Wahluna Terrace Retreat

Wallowa Lake Wahluna Terrace Retreat

Joseph OR
Stay at this holiday home in Joseph. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities and patios. Popular attractions Wallowa Lake County Park Public Beach and Old Chief ...
10/10 Exceptional! (40 reviews)
Beautiful view!

Reviewed on 6 Aug 2025

Wallowa Lake Wahluna Terrace Retreat
Mountain Meadow Retreat Private Hot Tub-near lake

Mountain Meadow Retreat Private Hot Tub-near lake

Joseph OR
Stay at this holiday home in Joseph. Enjoy patios, an in-room coffee maker and air conditioning. Popular attractions Eagle Cap Wilderness Pack Station and Wallowa ...
10/10 Exceptional! (6 reviews)
We enjoyed our long Valentine’s Day weekend with family in this home. Hosts were wonderful to work with and the house was clean and had all the amenities needed. Only thing that would have made it better if there was snow for snowshoeing but instead we did some fun hikes! Hope to return soon!

Reviewed on 16 Feb 2026

Mountain Meadow Retreat Private Hot Tub-near lake
See all 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.

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

Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour

Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour

€72
per traveller
96% of travellers recommend
Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour
Portland: Willamette River 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise

Portland: Dinner Cruise on the Willamette River

€109
per adult
96% of travellers recommend
Portland: Dinner Cruise on the Willamette River
Top Portland City Sights Tour

Portland Morning City Tour

€73
per traveller
92% of travellers recommend
Portland Morning City Tour
Picture 11 for Activity Portland: Champagne Brunch Cruise on Willamette River

Portland: Brunch Cruise on Willamette River

€88
per adult
92% of travellers recommend
Portland: Brunch Cruise on Willamette River
Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

€25
per adult
Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl
Portland: Ghosts, Poltergeists, and Psychopaths Walking Tour

Portland: Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists Ghost Tour

€20
per adult
88% of travellers recommend
Portland: Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists Ghost Tour
See all activities in Eastern Oregon
Dawn ascent of vibrant balloons over water

Prosser

Panorama of a Windy Columbia River near Arlington, Oregon, USA Looking West Down-River

Arlington

Panorama of a claystone formation at the Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon, USA

Dayville

Do a jet boat ride! Saw a mother bear and her two cubs. Catch the boat right below Hells Canyon Dam #River Photo Challenge!

Oxbow