Eastern Oregon, OR

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

Riverside might not have many top sights, but Pendleton Center for the Arts and Roy Raley Park are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Riverside
Oxford Suites Hermiston

Oxford Suites Hermiston

3 out of 5
1050 N 1st St Hermiston OR
The price is NT$3,433 per night from Feb 13 to Feb 14
NT$3,433
NT$4,205 total
Feb 13 - Feb 14
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Hermiston. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,000 reviews)
All good!

Reviewed on 2026/1/28

Oxford Suites Hermiston
Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

2 out of 5
266 NE Goodfellow St. Ontario OR
The price is NT$2,251 per night from Feb 8 to Feb 9
NT$2,251
NT$2,523 total
Feb 8 - Feb 9
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Ontario. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our reviews. Popular ...
7.8/10 Good! (1,402 reviews)
Great check-in! Super efficient and nice guy!

Reviewed on 2026/1/26

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario
River Lodge And Grill

River Lodge And Grill

3 out of 5
6 Marine Dr Boardman OR
The price is NT$3,944 per night from Feb 8 to Feb 9
NT$3,944
NT$4,368 total
Feb 8 - Feb 9
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this beach hotel in Boardman. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor pool, and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,000 reviews)
Very pretty nice spot

Reviewed on 2026/1/25

River Lodge And Grill
See all 498 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
Book a stay at this beach aparthotel in Newport. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,515 reviews)
Affordable prices. Clean rooms. Close to the beach. Full kitchen with dishes and silverware.

Reviewed on 2026/1/26

Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort
Rockaway Beach Resort

Rockaway Beach Resort

3.5 out of 5
615 N Pacific St Rockaway Beach OR
Book a stay at this beach condo in Rockaway Beach. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (796 reviews)
Staff are awesome.. Love the view and rooms. We always have a great time here!

Reviewed on 2026/1/29

Rockaway Beach Resort
Sunriver Resort

Sunriver Resort

4 out of 5
17600 Center Drive Bend OR
Book a stay at this spa condo in Bend. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,100 reviews)
The facilities and staff were excellent.

Reviewed on 2026/1/25

Sunriver Resort
See all 18,853 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

5/5(48 reviews)

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

5/5(37 reviews)

Commune with nature and explore the great outdoors at Wallowa Lake State Park during your travels in Joseph. Wander the lakeside or discover the mountain views in this family-friendly area.

Wallowa Lake State Park
View above the lake

Wallowa Lake Tramway

5/5(14 reviews)

Find out about the history of Joseph when you spend time at Wallowa Lake Tramway. Stroll along the lakeside or discover the mountain views in this family-friendly area.

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

Hat Rock State Park

4/5(19 reviews)

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

Hat Rock State Park

Wildhorse Casino

4/5(98 reviews)

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

Wildhorse Casino

Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame

4.5/5(45 reviews)

Catch an event at Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame during your trip to Pendleton. While in this family-friendly area, you can savor the top-notch restaurants.

Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame

Cities near Eastern Oregon

Base of Cabbage Pass near Pendleton, Oregon

Pendleton

Kennewick Washington

Kennewick

Hat Rock State Park in Oregon

Hermiston

Dawn ascent of vibrant balloons over water

Prosser

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