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Back Through Fascinating History. Up Through Incredible Scenery This byway parallels I-84 diagonally across the northeastern corner of Oregon. But it offers even more in the way of historic and scenic wonders, not to mention secluded recreational activities. If you keep your eyes peeled and your binoculars handy, don't be surprised if you spot more wildlife than humans.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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PHOTO CREDIT: Ginger Robinson
There are dozens of campgrounds nestled among Oregon’s most stunning scenery, from high-desert areas spotted with alpine lakes to coastal sand dunes peering over the Pacific Ocean. This spring and summer, we hope you get out to explore at least one. Here are a few ideas to help you start planning.
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Family Fun
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Winding through a variety of high desert habitats, the Diamond Loop Tour Route offers wildlife watching, the historic Round Barn and the fascinating formations of the Diamond Craters. Your route will commence with the Diamond Loop Tour, travel through the town of Diamond, and end with the Diamond Craters.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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This 143-Mile-Tour skirts along the escarpment of Steens Mountain, a topographic wonder. After passing the sagebrush covered Sheepshed Mountains to the east, you come to a series of small lakes that attract a variety of animal life. Sore travelers will find sweet solace at Alvord Hot Springs. The Tour Route ends in the small community of Fields, where the café is rumored to serve some of the best hamburgers and milkshakes in Southeast Oregon.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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Gold is Not All That Glitters in These Parts. This jaunt into the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest may be rather short, but it's packed with history, scenery, recreation and geology (i.e. gold). Examine ghost towns, historic gold mines and miner cabins. Photograph dramatic vistas. Fish, boat and camp on pristine lakes. You may not find a fortune here. But you'll leave a lot richer for the experience.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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A Mile-Deep Gorge and Two-Mile-High Mountains. Oregon's northeast corner has always been wild and untamed. From the unfathomable depths of Hells Canyon to the 10,000-foot peaks of the Wallowas, much of it remains inaccessible. The middle of this incredible drive is usually closed by snow from October through May. And it has just reopened after a damaging mudslide. Wild and untamed as ever.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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The high desert of Harney County is a far cry from the Oregon west of the Cascades. Covered with juniper and sagebrush and dotted with dramatic mountain ranges, this true frontier country is a remnant of the wild west. This byway offers broad panoramas of wide-open spaces seldom encountered today. As a modern day cowboy or pioneer exploring this frontier, plan accordingly as basic services are few and far between.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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Put your car in drive and your sense of time in reverse.This eclectic tour celebrates 50 million years of Oregon history, through an area where fossils lie abundant on the landscape and the Old West happened just yesterday. Follow the tracks of early settlers. See the ghostly remnants of gold rush boom towns. And witness the earth's geological history unfold where volcanic forces shaped the land.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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Experience the rich, artistic cultures of the original Oregonians at nationally acclaimed tribal museums, lively festivals and authentic powwows.
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Native American
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"Dude ranching" was born of the lure of the Wild West, and the desire of many Americans to find some solace from the increasingly congested metropolises of the eastern seaboard. The completion of the transcontinental railroads in the 1880s put the West's rugged mountains in reach of visitors, but upon arrival, they found little in the way of accommodations. Cattle and horse ranchers, bound to an unofficial code of hospitality, opened their doors to these urban folk, who were as taken with the...
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Wild West
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Embark on a fascinating tour of Oregon's most fascinating ghost towns, mining camps, fishing villages, lumber towns, and historic forts!
With 18 officially designated "ghost towns" still on the map, Oregon is reported to more ghost towns than any other state.
Tour these once-thriving communities and relive the optimism of the explorers and settlers who journeyed in pursuit of the American dream.
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Family Fun
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We hit the road in the name of romance and confirmed that Oregon is dripping with charming bed and breakfasts, cozy hotels and romantic spots. Here's a little inspiration to help you book that "sweethearts" vacation today.
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Romantic Getaway
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This 59-mile loop departs from Frenchglen to the top of Steens Mountain, resting in the clouds at nearly 10,000 feet. Ample opportunities will arise to view bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, mule deer and elk. Golden eagles can be seen riding the updrafts in search of prey, and the end of the town will lead you through wild horse country.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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Oregon's abundant wildlife has attracted people for over 200 years -- some for the trapping, some for the hunting, and many just for the watching.
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Outdoor Adventure
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'Grande' is French for 'big'; this term elucidates the mountains, farms, and history that compose this byway's valley. The route sits between the Hells Canyon and Elkhorn byways and can easily be caught when you explore the other two.
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Scenic Drives & Landscapes
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Follow in the footsteps of intrepid pioneers over the final grueling miles of the Oregon Trail. Starting in Ontario, the first wagon ruts you'll see are nearby at Keeney Pass. The Trail parallels I-84 to Baker City, where you can learn all about the epic journey at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Next, continue northwest on I-84 through La Grande and stop at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Park at Blue Mountain Crossing. Stop at the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute Museum...
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Cultural/Historical
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It's an exciting time to follow in the footsteps of the Corps of Discovery along the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The tour begins east of Pendleton at the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. Here the story is told from the Native American perspective of the history of this land and the earliest inhabitants. As you follow the Columbia River Gorge west into The Dalles, you may visit the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center for an overview of...
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Cultural/Historical
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It's an exciting time to follow in the footsteps of the Corps of Discovery along the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The tour begins east of Pendleton at the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. Here the story is told from the Native American perspective of the history of this land and the earliest inhabitants.
Illustration credit: Jeff Foster
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Cultural/Historical
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Take the road less traveled and explore Oregon’s Western heritage, including its rich Native American legacy. Drive on Interstate-84 to Exit 216, just four miles east of Pendleton, to experience life on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Here you can visit one of the top-ranked tribal museums in the nation,
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Cultural/Historical
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Seasoned travelers are flocking to Eastern Oregon. The region's lakes, rivers and marshes are attracting frequent fliers as they head south.
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Birding
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