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 Woolen Mills and Roy Raley Park are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Riverside
Red Lion Hotel Pendleton

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton

3 out of 5
304 Se Nye Ave Pendleton OR
The price is ￥14,831 per night from Mar 22 to Mar 23
￥14,831
￥16,872 total
Mar 22 - Mar 23
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Pendleton. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
7.2/10 Good! (1,012 reviews)
Good

Reviewed on Mar 7, 2026

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton
Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

2 out of 5
266 NE Goodfellow St. Ontario OR
The price is ￥11,265 per night from Mar 22 to Mar 23
￥11,265
￥12,625 total
Mar 22 - Mar 23
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 ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,457 reviews)
Our room was clean. It could use more light in the bathroom sink area. The water in the shower got really hot really fast, temperature of water a little hot. The gentleman who checked us in was super friendly and helpful. The tv remote was missing from our room and he got us one immediately. He was ...

Reviewed on Mar 9, 2026

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 ￥16,488 per night from Mar 27 to Mar 28
￥16,488
￥18,400 total
Mar 27 - Mar 28
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 ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,001 reviews)
Clean Rooms and very quiet

Reviewed on Feb 17, 2026

River Lodge And Grill
See all 518 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.
Unbelievable yurt home. 1300 sq ft. Not your average yurt.

Unbelievable yurt home. 1300 sq ft. Not your average yurt.

Cove OR
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in Cove. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and patios.
10/10 Exceptional! (30 reviews)
This was such an excellent choice! The yurt was amazing! Had everything we needed, was so peaceful, and the view was spectacular! Plenty of room for everyone! Would definitely stay again and recommend this to those reading the reviews!

Reviewed on Feb 26, 2026

Unbelievable yurt home. 1300 sq ft. Not your average yurt.
The Woodshed - charming 3 bdrm/1 bath bungalow in Enterprise

The Woodshed - charming 3 bdrm/1 bath bungalow in Enterprise

Enterprise OR
Stay at this vacation home in Enterprise. Enjoy free WiFi, a garden, and an in-room coffeemaker. Popular attractions Enterprise Public Library and Wallowa River ...
The Woodshed - charming 3 bdrm/1 bath bungalow in Enterprise
Wallowa Lake Wahluna Terrace Retreat

Wallowa Lake Wahluna Terrace Retreat

Joseph OR
Stay at this vacation home in Joseph. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and patios. Popular attractions Wallowa Lake County Park Public Beach and Old Chief ...
10/10 Exceptional! (40 reviews)
Beautiful view!

Reviewed on Aug 6, 2025

Wallowa Lake Wahluna Terrace Retreat
See all 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.

Popular places to visit

Wallowa Lake - Joseph Oregon

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

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.

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 savor the bars and coffeehouses.

Hat Rock State Park
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 venues while you're in the area.

McNary Lock & Dam

Wildhorse Casino

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

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

Bridge over Columbia river at dusk

Kennewick

Aerial View of Baker City, Oregon on a hazy Day

Baker City

Hat Rock State Park in Oregon

Hermiston