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Oregon road trip — photo gallery and helpful tips

Matthew
A blue SUV is parked on the side of a highway on an Oregon road trip while the South Sister of the Cascade Mountains rises up snow-covered, toward the blue sky.

Oregon road trip — Table of Contents

Oregon road trip — photo gallery of a 1,500-mile drive around the Beaver State

I grew up in Oregon and spent my formative adult years living in Portland. My friends and I took many trips to Central and Eastern Oregon, including Joseph and Bend. I even made day-trips to now defunct Kah-Nee-Ta on the Warm Springs Reservation. In my life working in sales covering the Oregon region for Alaska Airlines, I drove thousands of miles around Southern Oregon. And, of course the Oregon Coast is a love of mine so I’ve traversed the shoreline a lot too.

My most recent Oregon road trip didn’t set out to be epic — I was just going to a friend’s birthday campout at the Deschutes River Recreation Area (near The Dalles, OR). But since the timing was perfect — the greenest time of year the beginning of June — one thing led to another and I ended up on a 10-day, 1,500-mile odyssey that covered over half the counties in the State of Oregon (and, of course, the to/from my home in Seattle). Check the map below for my exact itinerary, which is where these photos were taken.

The following photos were safely taken along the road of this trip — on the portion between Bend and The Dalles by way of Joseph — and highlight the diversity of scenery in Oregon.

Bend, Oregon area — Newberry Volcano and Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway

Paulina Peak, at almost 8,000 feet, is the highest remaining part of the Newberry Volcano.
The Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway opens when the snow melts. In the distance is South Sister and Broken Top.
An up close reminder that the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway weaves through volcanic history, including this “recent” lava flow, which looks like a mound of coal in the distance.

Bend to Burns — lonely highway 20

I looked both ways before standing in the middle of the road. No cars for miles!
Ghost forest. Forest fires are an unfortunate reality in the Pacific Northwest. This photo taken in the Blue Mountains (Malheur National Forest) showcases the random power of fire.

John Day to Joseph

1188 Brewing Company was a pleasant surprise on the Main Street of Highway 26, which passes through John Day, Oregon. The delicious Mac-n-cheese and tangy Caesar salad provided me with energy to push through the 400-mile day.
Near Prairie City, Oregon. The Strawberry Mountains rise up in the background.
Oregon Trail wagon train country. This larger-than-life version houses information on sprawling Grant County, Oregon.

Joseph, Oregon — Summer ancestral home of the Nez Perce

The Wallowa Mountains are sometimes dubbed “The Oregon Alps.”
It’s never advised to trespass in Oregon — but I’m on an official trail that is part of the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve. This trail leading to a viewpoint of Hells Canyon traverses private ranch land.

Joseph to Dufur — river and wind

Dufur, Oregon — under the rain shadow of Mt. Hood

Dufur to The Dalles — gorge-ous final chapter

The historic Columbia River Gorge Highway was built to be dramatic on purpose, and this curvy road lives up to that promise. The Rowena Lookout offers impressive views of the region.
Hiking the McCall Point Trail at the Tom McCall Preserve — wildflowers galore while overlooking the Columbia River Gorge.
The Dalles Bridge crosses the mighty Columbia River bound for Washington State.

Interactive Map of my Oregon road trip

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