Infolific » Oregon Travel

Sumpter Valley Dredge, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 22:39:07 +0000

The dredges that once mined gold out West typically aren't open to the public. So my husband, Larry, and I jumped at a chance to board one of the biggest ever made--the venerable 1,240-ton Sumpter Valley Dredge (above) outside scenic Sumpter, Oregon. Built for $350,000 in 1935, the dredge produced [...]

Spruce Goose at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 04:47:32 +0000

My husband, Bill, is a former military pilot, so we always stop at airplane museums when we travel. On a recent trip to Oregon, we discovered the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville. One of its star attractions is the legendary Spruce Goose, the huge wooden military cargo plane designed and [...]

Toketee Falls, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 02:56:54 +0000

Toketee Falls in southwestern Oregon ranks among the state's most gorgeous waterfalls. Given the sheer number of falls here, that's high praise, indeed! A 1/2-mile hike that includes some 200 steps leads to an observation area, where you can see the North Umpqua River cascade 120 feet into a pretty [...]

Latourell Falls, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 04:41:15 +0000

Many waterfalls grace the spectacular Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in northern Oregon, but few rival little-known Latourell Falls in Guy W. Talbot State Park. I hiked a steep but short trail to see the stunning 250-foot-high falls, formed as Latourell Creek (named for a prominent early settler) plunges [...]

Prospect RV Park Near Pearsony Falls, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:09:36 +0000

The area around Prospect, Oregon is beautiful--it's on the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway, which is often called the "Highway of Waterfalls." When my husband and I camped at Prospect RV Park, we found pretty Pearsony Falls--plus two taller falls, within about a mile of our campground, and more nearby. The park [...]

Gunderson's Cannery Cafe, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:47:57 +0000

As a military family, my husband, John, and I have lived and traveled all over. But we've never eaten anywhere like Gunderson's Cannery Cafe on the waterfront in Astoria, Oregon. Housed in a former fishing cannery built in 1879, the pleasant bistro offers a panoramic view of the Columbia River. [...]

Fort Clatsop, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:39:50 +0000

To mark the bicentennial of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's famed journey west, my husband, Larry, and I visited Fort Clatsop outside Astoria, Oregon to see where the Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805-'06. Fort Clatsop is part of the new Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, spread [...]

Klootchy Creek Giant: Tallest Sitka Spruce, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:32:45 +0000

Nestled in an old-growth forest in the far northwestern corner of Oregon stands the world's tallest Sitka spruce tree--a 216-foot-tall specimen. The giant's trunk is 56 feet in circumference, and its crown spreads 93 feet. Believed to be about 750 years old, the tree is located in 10-acre Klootchy Creek [...]

Tillamook County Fair, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:51:10 +0000

Forget the Indy 500. The wildest auto race on the planet takes place every summer in Tillamook, Oregon, where daring drivers race "stripped" Model T's while hugging live pigs! Pig-N-Ford races have been held for over 40 years and often attract standing-room-only crowds to the Tillamook County Fair grandstand. You [...]

Wallowa Lake, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:03:10 +0000

Wallowa Lake is known as the crown jewel of northeastern Oregon, so naturally, camping at Wallowa Lake State Park is a royal treat. This park is nestled on the southern shore of Wallowa Lake, among the Wallowa Mountains. The area is often called the "Switzerland of Oregon" because it looks [...]

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Oregon

Allyson Haymaker — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:26:18 +0000

If you want to experience the Oregon coast but are pressed for time, head for the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. This picturesque wave- and wind-scoured 100-acre spit of land, or head, offers a variety of attractions, including a lighthouse, tide pools and whale watching. Plus a great sandy beach [...]