Eastern Oregon Travel Guide

Name: River Lodge And Grill
Price range: ฿3,604
Rating: 9.2

Tourist 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.

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.

Visit Eastern Oregon

Where to stay

Things to do

Where to stay in Eastern Oregon

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.

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

266 NE Goodfellow St. Ontario OR

Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay

฿2,217

฿2,484 total

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! (1,437 reviews)

Staff seemed good. Room was ok, but the toilet rim had dried urine on it and the mini fridge had someone else’s leftovers in it. I didn’t say anything, I just took care of it myself. I’ve been in a lot worse motels for the price.

Reviewed on 28 Feb 2026

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton

304 Se Nye Ave Pendleton OR

฿2,918

฿3,320 total

14 Mar - 15 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! (1,004 reviews)

Just okay... nothing special

Reviewed on 28 Feb 2026

River Lodge And Grill

6 Marine Dr Boardman OR

฿3,604

฿4,004 total

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

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.

Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort

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! (1,534 reviews)

Absolutely spotless clean room! Very nice upbeat staff, and nice and quiet

Reviewed on 27 Feb 2026

Rockaway Beach Resort

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 ...

Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro

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! (2,076 reviews)

Clean, quiet.

Reviewed on 27 Feb 2026

See all 18,810 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.

Check Eastern Oregon hotel availability

Popular places to visit

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 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.

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.

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.