Explore Oregon

Oregon Postcard: Melissa Whitney

This photo was taken somewhere between Troy and Flora, Oregon this past October on a road trip with my friend Paul.

Eugene in the Fall

Looking for fall splendor when the leaves start to change? Plan your trip to Eugene.

Things to do in Oregon

The eclipse isn’t the only exciting thing happening this month. Here’s our picks of fun and inspiring events from around the state.

woahink lake

Woahink Lake

Woahink Lake’s glassy surface and murky water hide a secret. The lake doubles as an obstacle course for recreational scuba divers and is home to several mock shipwrecks, a yellow submarine, and an 18-foot plastic shark, Mary 18, named for the dispatch call sign of fallen Eugene Police officer Chris Kilcullen.

Oregon Adventure: Slay Bass to Save Salmon

With warmer waters and lower stream flows, both of which favor the sedentary smallmouth, they’ve made it into the salmonoid spawning beds high up in the north and middle forks of the John Day. There, they benefit from “prey naiveté,” meaning salmonoids have no instinctual fear of the non-native bass. So anglers who want to have the most impact should concentrate their efforts in the upper reaches of the north and middle forks of the John Day.

Hike It Baby!

With its mission to raise a generation of nature lovers, this nonprofit started in July 2013 in Portland. Founder Shanti Hodges began with a few families—today there are more than 300 branches around the country encouraging families to get outside.

eclipse

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Solar eclipse fever began hitting Oregon last summer and as early as July 2016, hotels across the eclipse path began to announce they were already filling up. The excitement hasn’t slowed down and pickings for eclipse lodging are now extremely slim. But a smattering of overnight lodging remains and there are still plenty of options for viewing the Monday, August 21 phenomena, which will be the first coast-to-coast full solar eclipse in the United States since 1918.