Aaron

Aaron

Fossils found at the Wheeler High School fossil beds in Fossil.
Explore Oregon, Travel Spotlight

Digging for Fossils

Fossil, Oregon, lives up to its name written by Joni Kabana Are you an explorer? Would you like to dig for fossils in a place that is relatively unknown? Then head to the tiny town of Fossil in the land where time forgot. Here you can find fossils in a hillside formed some 30 million years ago by volcanic activity. What was once a lush region with lakes and waterways is now a paradise for rock hounds and fossil lovers. Diggers have found more than thirty different species of plants, insects and fish, some designated as being extinct. No excavation experience is necessary—just bring some patience and a rock pick, trowel and chisel. If you don’t happen to have these on hand, you can borrow equipment on site. This fossil bed was discovered during the building of Wheeler High School in 1949 when builders noticed a large amount of fossilized…

The Cedartree Hotel lobby features a large koi pond.
Explore Oregon, Lodging

Cedartree Hotel

written by Kerry Newberryphotography by Cedartree Hotel When you think of Hillsboro, you might not immediately picture a spot for a staycation. But that’s changing with the opening of Cedartree Hotel, a 120-room property launched by a longstanding Kyoto-based hospitality company. While the location was picked for its access to Silicon Forest and the cluster of high-tech companies between Beaverton and Hillsboro, the amenities will appeal to a broader collective. In addition to a sixty-eight-seat restaurant that overlooks Japanese gardens, there’s a sake bar called Kiyomizu with an impressive fifteen-plus glass list and izakaya-style snacks for pairing. A small but airy tatami room is available for tea ceremonies, flower-arranging classes and other cultural events. What sets the lodging apart is a series of traditional water features, including two heated indoor soaking pools—a reminder of how water is a balm. ROOMS The 120-room property offers queen, king and deluxe king stays…

The Crook County Courthouse in downtown Prineville was built in 1909 and still has its original crank system, which is wound once per week.
Explore Oregon, Trip Planners

Prineville and Crook County

Your itinerary for searching for, climbing up and digging into the center of Oregon written by James Sinks In the middle of it all, you can get away from it all. Draw two diagonal lines across a map of Oregon, from corner-to-corner, and the lines will cross on private land near Post, a sneeze-and-you’ll-miss-it hamlet with a general store and not much else, a half-hour’s drive southeast of Prineville. At first blush, there’s little to see, although the store sells pretty good milkshakes. Behind a locked gate, a small metal marker designates the state’s geographic center. Yet it’s out of sight, at 3,383 feet of elevation near two-lane State Highway 380, and across a sea of grass. Ironically enough, there’s no post. And yet, it’s an inspiration. If you feel stressed or askew, meditation gurus suggest balancing your spiritual equilibrium. Find your center, they say. In Prineville and the heart…

Biking through the lower reaches of the stunning Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
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The Country’s Greatest Ride

By road bike or e-bike, Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun is a top American journey through time + elevation written by Kevin Maxphotography by Whitney Whitehouse Some people have heard about the Going-to-the-Sun Road and make plans to cycle it and train for months to be fit enough to gain the sustained vertical feetto the top. Others have listened to their most athletic (and somewhat nauseating) friends recall with laughter the 3,200-foot climb to the top of Logan Pass. “I was pushing 275 watts at the summit, man!” Still others may completely tune out one of Glacier National Park’s most spectacular experiences because it’s simply beyond their physical limit. On a spring morning last year, I joined a group of riders who fit into each one of these profiles on a push for this Glacier experience. Half of us were on bicycles—road bikes—the other half were on e-bikes. Our hybrid crew could not…

Cruising along Riverside Park in downtown Whitefish.
Explore Oregon, Northwest Destination

Spring in Whitefish

Find a world-class experience in a small mountain town written by Kevin Maxphotography by Whitney Whitehouse Whitefish, Montana, may be known as the host for skiers at Whitefish Resort in the winter or as the gateway to Glacier National Park in the summer, but it’s the Whitefish culture of creativity itself that pervades all seasons. No more than 10,000 people live in this small town surrounded by the Salish Mountains to the west and Flathead National Forest to the east, but it nonetheless ticks many boxes for world-class cuisine, hospitality and recreation. In its earliest civilizations, Salish, Kootenai and Pend d’Oreilles tribes inhabited the area, fishing the banks of the Whitefish Lake and Whitefish River as it winds through what is now downtown Whitefish. The outdoors and recreation are still the draw for many Whitefish residents and visitors. For hikers and runners, there are scores of trails in the surrounding…

Xiao Ye features standout dishes that change with the seasons.
Food+Drink, Live Oregon

Xiao Ye

written by Kerry Newberry Every dish at Xiao Ye is an ode to memories—from the mini masa madeleines that arrive perched on a bluff of whipped butter with a sprinkle of jalapeño powder to the savory seasonal toast (on a recent night the chewy slices of sourdough came topped with roasted acorn and kabocha squash and a tangle of fresh herbs). Even the name is steeped in nostalgia. When chef Louis Lin and his partner, Jolyn Chen, were recounting their most meaningful meals over the years, it wasn’t the fancy dinners that resonated most but the twilight dishes shared with family and friends. “I thought about the meals my dad and I had after a late night at work,” said Chen. In Mandarin, these dining moments are called xiao ye, which translates to midnight snack. “It’s always cozy and comforting, and it’s the kind of experience we want to give…

The majority of Inn the Ground is set in the earth in wine country.
Explore Oregon, Lodging

Inn the Ground

written by Kerry Newberryphotography by Inn the Ground When the setting sun hits Inn the Ground, wine country’s newest retreat, you’ll often see a family of deer frolic through the surrounding native grasses and wildflowers. It’s one of many serene scenes that unfold at this nine-room oasis located just outside of Carlton. Set in the hillside above a working regenerative farm, nature permeates all the spaces here. In the upper-level community rooms, you’ll find floor-to-ceiling windows that bring brightness even on rainy days. Walls are hung with contemporary artwork, often evoking the natural world, along with bookcases stocked with titles that focus on regenerative agriculture and social transformation (think Masanobu Fukuoka, Rebecca Solnit and Masaru Emoto). Designed to foster a deep connection to nature, two-thirds of the building is recessed into the land. As you walk downstairs to the rooms, you’ll gaze across the living roof, lush with seasonal grasses…

Dubbed the Covered Bridge Capital of the West, Cottage Grove is the place for romance and nostalgia.
Explore Oregon, Trip Planners

Cottage Grove

When it’s time for romance, plant a kiss in Cottage Grove written by James Sinks In yesteryear, covered bridges also were known as kissing bridges. Some say it’s because the seclusion offered a seductive smooching opportunity. Or, because horses slowed to a walking gait to pass through, it became much easier to wink and lean into a lip-lock. And for the superstitious, a kiss represented a wish for luck, as covered bridges were known to sometimes house bats and other scary critters. Whatever the reason, or the season, the spans remain a perfect place to practice your pucker. And in Oregon, you’ll find opportunities aplenty surrounding the hamlet of Cottage Grove, dubbed the Covered Bridge Capital of the West. So if you’re hoping for some kissing on Valentine’s Day—or any day, really—the town just might be the mood enhancer you’re looking for. “If you are a city nightlife person, then…

Bull kelp forests thrive in Oregon’s cold, nutrient-rich waters near shore. But rising ocean temperatures, along with overgrazing by purple sea urchins, threaten kelp’s survival and ability to provide essential habitat for fish, marine mammals and birds.
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Protecting Oregon’s Enchanting Kelp Forests

written by Kerry Newberry Emerging from the tiny coastal town of Port Orford, a dedicated crew of marine scientists, commercial urchin divers, conservationists, tribal members, tour guides, drone pilots, SCUBA and free divers, and chefs have rallied together from various perspectives, but with a shared goal: to protect and restore kelp forests along the Oregon Coast. The Oregon Kelp Alliance (ORKA) formed in 2017, when divers and scientists first noticed a decline in bull kelp forests near Orford Reef and Nellies Cove on Oregon’s south coast. “Kelp forests provide critical habitat for a diversity of marine life and absorb large amounts of carbon,” said Tom Calvanese, the station manager for the Port Orford Field Station and director of ORKA. “And in many places, we are losing them.” The rapid decline of kelp forests is a global phenomenon—a result of rising ocean temperatures, along with overgrazing by species like spiny purple…