{"id":4690,"date":"2016-12-09T05:24:57","date_gmt":"2016-12-09T05:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/?p=4690"},"modified":"2022-09-21T19:50:33","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T19:50:33","slug":"oregon-sampler-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/oregon-sampler-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"Oregon: Sampler Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Oregon is a great place to explore during a week-long road trip<\/strong>.\u00a0 It makes a perfect vacation for anyone that needs to get away from work.\u00a0 When compared to other states, Oregon boasts some beautiful and unique scenery including its Cascade Mountains, which are full of ghastly volcanic features, moist and mossy rain forests, scores of waterfalls, dozens of scenic roads and much more.\u00a0 Our tour will give you just an appetizer.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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During the hot summer months, we\u2019re always looking for places to explore that are in cooler regions.\u00a0 With free airline miles that we needed to use before they expired, we opted to visit a cooler region by taking a circular trip (in a clockwise direction) through the State of Oregon to sample its sights and scenery.<\/p>

Portland<\/h3>

Oregon\u2019s biggest city, Portland, can easily be reached using several airlines from most airports.\u00a0 Portland International Airport is both a commercial airport and an Air Force base.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be surprised to see a Southwest 737 jet taxi down the runway next to an F-15 Eagle fighter jet.\u00a0 The airport is one of the last to have its rental car center conveniently located inside the airport.\u00a0 Our trip started and ended here, so we picked up our rental car and headed into town to see what Portland looks like.<\/p>

For a town that has a tagline of \u201cKeep Portland Weird\u201d, expect to see some unusual things that might catch you by surprise.\u00a0 Some local Portlanders adopted the slogan about ten years ago and the concept stuck.\u00a0 If you\u2019re lucky, you might see Darth Vader riding on a 10 foot unicycle or an orchestra playing on fire-breathing bag pipes.<\/p>

Another thing that is a bit weird is Portland\u2019s street network.\u00a0 It meanders in all kinds of directions making it a bit difficult to navigate.\u00a0 Portland does have a good public transit system, including numerous light rail and streetcar lines, making it easy to see more weirdness.\u00a0 If you like cities, you might plan to stay here for one or two days.<\/p>

Columbia Gorge<\/h3>

Just east of Portland is the Columbia Gorge.\u00a0 If you want to sound like a local, then simply refer to it as \u201cthe Gorge\u201d.\u00a0 The Gorge was created by the mighty Columbia River.\u00a0 To put this river that marks the border between Oregon and Washington into perspective, the Colorado River discharges about 22,500 cubic feet per second.\u00a0 The Columbia River discharges 265,000 feet per second.\u00a0 Now that\u2019s a river!<\/p>

We started our trip up the Gorge by exiting the I-84 freeway at the cute town of Troutdale.\u00a0 Guess what they fish here?\u00a0 If you can\u2019t guess, then there are several statues of fish here that might give you a clue.\u00a0 Before continuing, you may wish to spend a few hours enjoying the shops and eateries here.\u00a0 There is also a good visitor center that offers information of what to see in this area.<\/p>

From Troutdale, we found our way onto Historic Route US 30.\u00a0 Just like we are proud of our Route 66 heritage, this area is proud of their old Route 30.\u00a0 It is the route of choice to see the scenic Gorge instead of zooming along with the trucks on I-84.<\/p>

One of the main attractions in the Gorge is all of its waterfalls.\u00a0 The most famous is Multnomah Falls, which is the second highest year-round waterfall in the USA.\u00a0 Driving US 30 will take you to most of the falls, or at least trailheads to get you there.\u00a0 There are also numerous old historic bridges that are a marvel to look at.<\/p>

We spent half a day hiking around and admiring the various waterfalls and viewpoints.\u00a0 Expect to see a lot of tourists at Multnomah Falls.\u00a0 Good luck finding a parking place!\u00a0 Bonneville Dam is a few miles east of the falls.\u00a0 Another hour or two can be spent here touring the dam, locks and fish ladder that is located on this huge river.<\/p>

Mt. Hood<\/h3>

This famous sleeping volcano is a marvel to look at, either from afar or up-close.\u00a0 From the Gorge, our loop through Oregon took us going south from the town of Hood River, to reach the town of Bend.\u00a0 We passed right by Mt. Hood.<\/p>

If you have time, there\u2019s a beautiful little valley between the Gorge and Mt. Hood with many scenic vistas with the pointed volcano in the background.\u00a0 Look for Hwy 281 which meanders through this valley and parallels the main highway between Hood River and Bend.<\/p>

One can\u2019t help notice Mt. Hood\u2019s steep and pointed crest.\u00a0 Many geologists say this is a sign of a sleeping volcano that is ready to wake up.\u00a0 The last major eruption was in 1781, with minor eruptions in 1805 and 1907 \u2013 not too long ago!\u00a0 Mt. Hood hosts 12 glaciers. \u00a0During the last ice age 10-20 thousand years ago, these glaciers helped shape Mt. Hood\u2019s craggily look, which you will see when you are near the mountain.<\/p>

More…<\/p>

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Pictures<\/h3>

Below are some pictures of what you will see along the way.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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