Eastern Oregon Travel Guide

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.
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

Default Image

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 ฿2,231 per night from 15 Jan to 16 Jan
฿2,231
฿2,500 total
15 Jan - 16 Jan
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 ...
7.8/10 Good! (1,380 reviews)
Hot tub was great. Plenty of parking.

Reviewed on 9 Jan 2026

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario
Oxford Suites Hermiston

Oxford Suites Hermiston

3 out of 5
1050 N 1st St Hermiston OR
The price is ฿3,402 per night from 16 Jan to 17 Jan
฿3,402
฿4,167 total
16 Jan - 17 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Hermiston. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,000 reviews)
Johnny was very accommodating to some of our requests with grace and patience. Though the happy hour was not available in the lobby, he gave great recommendations and also gently offered us “closing”signals as we relaxed in the hot tub. Morning breakfast was awesome and staff friendly.

Reviewed on 3 Jan 2026

Oxford Suites Hermiston
Best Western Pendleton Inn

Best Western Pendleton Inn

2.5 out of 5
400 Se Nye Ave Pendleton OR
The price is ฿3,572 per night from 15 Jan to 16 Jan
฿3,572
฿4,036 total
15 Jan - 16 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Pendleton. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,000 reviews)
Friendly staff. Room clean.

Reviewed on 29 Dec 2025

Best Western Pendleton Inn
See all 478 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.
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! (2,042 reviews)
Room was clean but dark. Breakfast is great.

Reviewed on 5 Jan 2026

Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro
Sunriver Resort

Sunriver Resort

4 out of 5
17600 Center Drive Bend OR
Stay at this spa condo in Bend. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,091 reviews)
The room was fantastic! Clean, well supplied. The staff were friendly and courteous.

Reviewed on 5 Jan 2026

Sunriver Resort
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! (1,503 reviews)
We loved our room so much that we could actually see ourselves living there. Had all the amenities and the room was well stocked. Amazing view too. Will stay here again.

Reviewed on 13 Jan 2026

Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort
See all 18,613 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

Great day at the lake.

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

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
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

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

Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame

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 savour the top-notch restaurants.

Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame

Crystal Crane Hot Springs

You can take time to visit Crystal Crane Hot Springs during your travels to Burns. Stroll along the lakeside or discover the sunsets in this trendy area.

Crystal Crane Hot Springs

Things to do

Portland: 2-hour Lunch Cruise on the Willamette River

Portland: 2-hour Lunch Cruise on the Willamette River

฿2,737
per adult
98% of travellers recommend
Portland: 2-hour Lunch Cruise on the Willamette River
Portland: Willamette River 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise

Portland: Willamette River 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise

฿3,995
per adult
96% of travellers recommend
Portland: Willamette River 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise
Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

฿944
per adult
Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl
Picture 11 for Activity Portland: Champagne Brunch Cruise on Willamette River

Portland: Brunch Cruise on Willamette River

฿3,272
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

฿1,007
per adult
88% of travellers recommend
Portland: Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists Ghost Tour
Two Flight Indoor Skydiving Experience

Two Flight Indoor Skydiving Experience

฿2,957
per traveller
100% of travellers recommend
Two Flight Indoor Skydiving Experience
See all activities in Eastern Oregon