Oregon is high on my list of “need to visit”…”must see”…”can’t wait to go”…states. Why?…In a few words…Cannon Beach, Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake National Park, Mount Hood, The Oregon Coast, and Steens Mountain & Malheur National Wildlife Refuge!
Ok so I need to slow down.
Lets start with one of the most well known and photographed locations in Oregon, Crater Lake.
Crater Lake is widely known for its intense blue color and spectacular views. During summer, visitors may navigate the Rim Drive around the lake, enjoy boat tours on the lake surface, stay in the historic Crater Lake Lodge, camp at Mazama Village, or hike some of the park’s various trails including Mt. Scott at 8,929 ft. .
Next the Columbia River Gorge.
Vertical basalt walls along the Gorge are graced with the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America, especially on the Oregon side of the Gorge.
Cannon Beach…with the distinctive Haystack Rock and Needles marking its shoreline, Cannon Beach is one of Oregon’s quaintest and most picturesque destinations.
Nine miles of beach make a perfect setting for strolling along the seaside, watching diverse wildlife in its natural habitat and building a sand castle in the annual sand castle competition.
Mount Hood….I love Native American legends and the one surrounding Mount Hood and Mount St, Helens is a perfect one.
The Multnomah name for Mount Hood is Wy’east. In one version of the legend the two sons of the Great Spirit Sahale fell in love with the beautiful maiden Loowit who could not decide which to choose. The two braves, Wy’east and Klickitat, burned forests and villages in their battle over her. Sahale became enraged and smote the three lovers. Seeing what he had done he erected three mountain peaks to mark where each fell. He made beautiful Mount St. Helens for Loowit, proud and erect Mount Hood for Wy’east, and the somber Mount Adams for the mourning Klickitat.
Mount Hood is often in the news because of the many climbing accidents each year and of course Mount St. Helens became a household name May 18, 1980 when it blew it’s top (I mean side)becoming the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States.
Fifty-seven people were killed; 250 homes, 47bridges, 15 miles (24 km) of railways, and 185 miles (298 km) of highway were destroyed.
There is a scenic train ride to Mount Hood that may figure in my eventual travel plans. Something to think about.
Oregon Coast…Scenic , breathtaking, awesome are some of the adjectives used to describe the Oregon Coast. There’s another scenic train ride or you can drive highway 101 and take your time with the sights. I’m running out of space so any more details will need to wait for another post but I think you get the idea. Maybe my next one will be chronicling my own visit! That would be nice.
So Oregon may be on a must see list but it hasn’t been visited yet. So my tally still stands at 12 visited but is up to 25 still waiting for me.