Camping Gems - Oregon
Waldo Lake
With its pure-blue waters, Waldo Lake is a popular spot for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and sailing. There are three public boat ramps and many sandy beaches for secluded swimming or wading from the shore. Mountain bikers can follow the 21-mile loop around Waldo Lake, stopping at isolated beaches and coves. For hikers there are over 150 miles of trail to explore.
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Kimberly
A visit to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is like taking a journey into ancient Oregon. Whether you tour the museum at Sheep Rock, hike a trail at the Painted Hills, or picnic at Clarno, Oregon's exciting past will be revealed.
Sisters
The outdoors take center stage in the mountain town of Sisters, and for good reason. With plenty of surrounding wilderness that's filled with gleaming lakes, ponderosa pine forests, and the snowy Three Sisters Mountains, this is a phenomenal place to play in the great outdoors. In addition to its rivers and hiking trails, Sisters offers antique shops, art galleries, attractions, and excellent restaurants.
Newport
Set at the junction of Highway 101 (the coast highway) and Highway 20 to Corvallis, the seaside town of Newport just calls out to be explored. You'll find miles of hiking trails at Yaquina Head and Mike Miller Park, sandy beaches filled with tide pools, and the fun of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, home of Keiko the orca whale.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
As the administrative center and principal supply depot of the British Hudson’s Bay Company’s vast "Columbia Department," Fort Vancouver served as the hub of an extensive fur trading network utilizing two dozen posts, six ships, and about 600 employees during peak seasons, with an extensive geographic range of 700,000 square miles stretching from Russian Alaska to Mexican California.
Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport
You can walk through the underwater Passages of the Deep exhibit, watching sea creatures swim all around and above you, then head for the new Claws exhibit to see the crab, lobsters, shrimp, and other isopods. Watch the sea otters playing, eating, and washing their faces, or head to the seabird aviary for the colorful puffins, auklets, pigeon guillemots, murres, and oystercatchers. You'll even see a suspended skeleton of a 20-foot-long Beak Whale!
Wildlife Safari, Winston
Exotic animals like giraffes, zebras, elephants, and monkeys roam free over the 600 acres of open space. Visitors can tour the park in their own vehicle or aboard the park train. You can also watch special activities like the elephant trek, the lion feeding, the cheetah walk, and the giraffe feeding. The park is open every day except Christmas, with reduced hours during the winter months.
Douglas County Museum of History and Natural History
The land of the Umpqua River Valley and Cascade Mountains is rich with history and culture. Head to this award-winning facility to learn about the area's Native American traditions, pioneers, the history of the Oregon Trail, and the early days of the railroad. You can tour the natural history exhibit to learn about native birds, plants, and animals, then see the collection of 19th-century quilts and children's clothing from the 1940s.
Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Bend
A visit here will give you a chance to see unbelievable view of the Cascades, a slide show of the area's history, and to wander interpretive trails around the crater, over the lava flow, and through the pine forest. If you are a sucker for water falls and don't mind a little walking, drive 4 miles past the Visitor Center to the picnic area and follow the trail downstream to Benham Falls.
Osprey Observation Point Area
Located at the at Crane Prairie Reservoir, this artificial lake is a fabulous place to go fishing or to watch for ospreys, some of nature's finest fishers. Started in 1969, this is one of the best places in the country to see osprey nesting areas, with the most frequent sightings taking place during the summer months. |
