Oregon at the end of May

Moogle Pepper

I am plotting out my adventure into Oregon, I will be there for 2 weeks, May 23- June 5th. If any Oregon grinners want to hang out, feel free to let me know!

Here are some things that I know I want to do:

Check out Portland
Wine tours!!!!!
Check out Cape Disappointment and Cape lookout.

Any suggestions would be lovely!

aquaticvideographer

Welcome to Oregon!

Moogle Pepper wrote:

I am plotting out my adventure into Oregon, I will be there for 2 weeks, May 23- June 5th. If any Oregon grinners want to hang out, feel free to let me know!

Here are some things that I know I want to do:

Check out Portland
Wine tours!!!!!
Check out Cape Disappointment and Cape lookout.

Any suggestions would be lovely!

I think you'll love Oregon. It's an amazing place!

I'm down for some hanging out.

As far as places to shoot, you should hit:

- Cannon Beach and Oswald West State Park (for some awesome coastal nature)
- Portland's Central Eastside Industrial District and the Burnside Skatepark (for some awesome urban action)
- The Columbia River Gorge (for some awesome hiking and views)

Oregon's awesome! I love showing people around Portland, so let me know if you're interested in a tour.

Moogle Pepper

I'd love to hang out!

This is my tentative idea:

• Arrive in Portland roughly in the afternoon in 23rd
• Spend two nights in Portland [ 24 - 25]
• Go to Williamette Valley and spend a night [ 26]
• Do a 2 Day hike/camp/cruise down the Oregon Coast [27 - 28]
• Camp 2 nights in Southern Oregon to check out Crater Lake and other goodies [29 - 30]
• Spend 2 nights in Eastern Oregon [ 31 - 1]
• Spend a night in Mt. Hood [ 2 ]
• Rest and eat back in Portland [3 - 4]
• Reluctantly fly back [ 5 ]

aquaticvideographer

Wow. That's an ambitious schedule. You'll be doing a lot of driving!

Let me know your interests for seeing stuff in Portland, I can arrange a fun trip around town. It'll be a beautiful time of year here. The rain in western Oregon should be just ending, and it will likely be hot and dry in southern and eastern Oregon. Mt. Hood is great-bring sunblock, and don't miss Timberline Lodge.

Moogle Pepper

Definitely! I got your PM, so I'll shoot you an email soon!

Is it really a very ambitious itinerary? I know I will be doing a lot of driving...

The things on my definite list are:

Wine tours!!!!!
Mt. Hood
Crater Lake
the Coast line

Those are on my must hit. Everything else is... alright if I miss.

aquaticvideographer

Other Oregonians can weigh in, but in my opinion, that is pretty ambitious and a lot of driving. It's a big state!

You can do wine tours, the coast (or part of it) and Mt. Hood all from Portland as day trips. Crater Lake is quite far from all of that. Also, the entire coast is pretty ambitious-it's a LOT of driving. (HWY 101 doesn't go very straight.:D)

Moogle Pepper

So the wine tours and Mt. hood are close enough for day trips? hmmmm....

Candid Arts

This sounds like it could be really fun! I've been in Portland for about a year and a half now (little over), but due to work(or lack there of) and school, I usually don't have the time nor money to go exploring. Plus I don't really know anyone in the area to show me good spots. SO, if there is a day in there that I'm not doing anything, I'd be down to get out and do some shooting and meet some fellow dgrinners.

aquaticvideographer

Sounds like we could all three have a good time. I'm always up for showing new Portlanders around, and I love a good excuse (and a pair of fresh eyes) to go shooting!

Moogle Pepper

haha nice!! Good to see what I started! I'd love to hang out, Candid! Just drop me a line!

I just re-edited my itinerary. So I have a decent idea.

Royboy

Moogle Pepper wrote:

I'd love to hang out!

This is my tentative idea:

• Arrive in Portland roughly in the afternoon in 23rd
• Spend two nights in Portland [ 24 - 25]
• Go to Williamette Valley and spend a night [ 26]
• Do a 2 Day hike/camp/cruise down the Oregon Coast [27 - 28]
• Camp 2 nights in Southern Oregon to check out Crater Lake and other goodies [29 - 30]
• Spend 2 nights in Eastern Oregon [ 31 - 1]
• Spend a night in Mt. Hood [ 2 ]
• Rest and eat back in Portland [3 - 4]
• Reluctantly fly back [ 5 ]

You will enjoy your visit to Oregon. Your plans are ambitous. I think you would be better off taking your time driving down the coast. Instead of trying to drive to Eastern Oregon. You will be driving both days you have alloted for that portion of the trip. Another option would be to go from Crater Lake up to Bend then up to Mt Hood. You can hit the John Day Fossil beds and painted hills that way.

Also Crater Lake Rim Drive will not be open till later in June. Lots of snow up there. You can visit the main viewpoint. But you will not be able to drive through the park from the south entrance to the North entrance.

I think you also should take up the offer from the Portland crew to tour Columbia River Gorge especially around Multnomah falls. The old road is full of beautiful falls. Great rain forest type pictures from that area. '

Roy

Moogle Pepper

cRAP! Crater lake is closed till June??

Royboy

Moogle Pepper wrote:

cRAP! Crater lake is closed till June??

Yes, you can check the web site for road status. Or call (541)594-3000. The south entrance will be open and you can get to the Rim Village. But beyond that bring showshoes or cross country skies.

DeeCajun

Moogle Pepper wrote:

haha nice!! Good to see what I started! I'd love to hang out, Candid! Just drop me a line!

I just re-edited my itinerary. So I have a decent idea.

I am located in Southern Oregon and Live at a campground resort in Ashland.. if you are interested you are certainly welcome!

Deacon

Shorten the distance, increase the time
You WILL NOT enjoy trying to cram all the things into your time here let alone trying to take photos (assuming that is why you posted on this site). Knock out the southern portion of the trip. As others have mentioned you will spend a lot of time getting to Crater Lake with a very limited view.

If I was doing the trip I would spend 3-4 days in Portland maybe even make it longer and use it as a hub as there are tons of places and things within 1.5 hours. I would explore the city which is very easy using the street cars which are free downtown. The roses should be out or getting there in Washington Park. The Pearl District is rich with people and places. A great variety of buildings, fountains, statutes etc. Saturday market is an eye full as well. SE Portland is a vibrant neighborhood with funky shops. Hope you like to drink coffee.

I would make a loop east up to Mt. Hood, if affordable stay at Timberline Lodge, a historic WPA project with great interiors and light. On around to Hood River, windsurfing capitol of the world and the Columbia Gorge. Back west on I-84 to Multnomah Falls and the old river highway to Crown Point. OR cross over to Washington, Hgwy 14 to Carson and Mt. St. Helens. Great mountain and scenery shots.

Next is a swing over to the coast. I would travel west on Hgwy 30 along the Columbia to Astoria, lots of photo ops along the way...don't be afraid to leave the highway to explore especially the small fishing communities along the river as you approach Astoria. Head south from there on 101. First stop after Astoria would be Ft. Stevens State Park. Old WWII fort and gun emplacement, beautiful lakes and forest scenes and out to the beach to see the wreck of the Peter Iredale.

Next stop would most likely be Seaside. Lots of rooms but kind of a touristy place. The far southern end of the beach is surfer's paradise if you want to do some actions shots. Heading south again toward Cannon Beach go up into the Ecola State Park. Cliffs, forest, vistas, trails etc. Go warm up walking the town in Cannon Beach. Artist community, lots of good food, glass blowers and Haystack Rock. You could spend a couple days here alone. Good place to spend the night.

Next day would be a run down the coast to Yachats. I could go on for hours but the views never stop and lots of interesting side trips. Yachats is another fun little town with great sunsets, waterfalls and bridges. Spend a night there then head back north just a bit to Toledo and cut back east to Eugene along twisty forested roads. If you have time visit the hippies in Eugene do so or if you run short of time you can blast back up I-5.

Hope that helps and have a great time.

Deacon

dogwood

Deacon wrote:

You WILL NOT enjoy trying to cram all the things into your time here let alone trying to take photos (assuming that is why you posted on this site). Knock out the southern portion of the trip. As others have mentioned you will spend a lot of time getting to Crater Lake with a very limited view.

Deacon

Whoa, Deacon nailed this! I couldn't have given you a better itinerary. Deacon are you with Travel Oregon or the tourist board?

Seriously, it's different out west in terms of traveling-- the distances can be pretty crazy and the roads not always straight or flat. There can still be lots of snow in the mountains, even in late May. I've done my share of snow camping over Memorial Day weekend out of Trout Lake (on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge)

HBOC

I would definitely hit up Multnomah Falls/Columbia River Gorge falls as you head from PDX to Mt. Hood. Hood River is a cool little town. There are a lot of wineries off of either HWY 35 or 281. Also that time of year, there should be a lot of fruit stands.

Timberline is cool. I think there will still be skiing in June, as Hood has gotten like 5-6 feet of snow the last week. You could then follow 97 south to Smith Rock State Park for a nice quick hike and some real scenic shots. Then follow 97 for a few hours to Crater Lake, HOWEVER, the south entrance will be open (who knows if the north entrance will be or not). Sunrise at Crater Lake is amazing, as is sunset (with cloud cover). HWY 138, that runs from Roseburg to Crater Lake, is chalk full of awesome waterfalls.

Eagle Cap is great in eastern oregon, as are the Steen mountains in southeast Oregon. Bandon, on the south coast, has some great beaches. Cannon Beach/Ecola state park is about 70 miles west of Portland. Seaside is about 10 miles north of Cannon Beach. Newport has some great beaches, and don't forget to check out the Rogue Brewery.

Silverfalls state park is east of Salem with 10 waterfalls (there are 13, but those 3 (and most spectacular) are on private land and are hard to locate) is a great place to shoot.

In Portland, lots of places to shoot. Lots of cityscape night shot opportunities abound. Pearl district is cool, and has lots of great places to eat/drink. Widmer opened their restaurant a few years ago. Great Beer. Weinardts has their restaurant in the pearl as well. Japanese Gardens in Washington Park is great, and lots of photo ops in the park as well. Lots of bridges as well.