Oregon – Exploring Oregon

5 Oregon City That Are Worth Visiting

Oregon is a state full of many cities and towns. In this final blog post of ours, we will highlight just a few of the cities you can visit in Oregon and what they have to offer. These cities are Medford, Salem, Portland, Eugene, and of course Ashland. So come on and read this article to learn more about these lovely Oregon cities.

The first city we are going to is Medford, Oregon. Founded in 1883, Medford is perhaps Southern Oregon’s most famous city. Having a population of 85,824 people according to the 2020 census. Medford is known for being a city that is surrounded by nature, there are various parks and trails around the city for you to visit. Downtown, Medford is full of fun things to do such as restaurants to visit, bars to drink at on weekend nights, there are even places like Astral Games where you can play board games and videos at. There is also the Craterian theater, which is one of the largest theaters for plays in Southern Oregon. For those interested in movies instead, there is also Tinseltown, a movie theater owned by Cinemark and is easily the best movie theater in all of Southern Oregon. We also have the rogue valley, a shopping mall that has been around for many years and despite the decline of American shopping malls, the rogue valley mall is still standing strong to this very day. Medford is a fun city that is worth visiting if you are ever in Southern Oregon.

Image of Ashland taken from the Ashland Springs Hotel website.

Our next stop is Ashland, Oregon. Having a population of 21,360 people according to the 2020 census. Ashland is by far, the smallest city we are highlighting today, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad or anything. Ashland, especially compared to Medford which is only a dozen or so miles away, is certainly a small town. But to Ashland’s benefit, there is this nice sense of community that the city has that none of the other cities mentioned in this article have. Ashland’s streets are much cleaner compared to say Medford’s streets and there is noticeably less crime that happens in Ashland compared to Medford. Ashland also has a lot fewer big businesses compared to Medford. While they are there for say grocery shopping with places like Safeway and Bi-Mart and some fast-food restaurants like Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell. Small locally owned businesses are the lifeblood of Ashland, they are the only places you can find in downtown Ashland in fact. There are certainly more bars and restaurants that are locally owned in Ashland compared to Ashland and there are even a couple of locally owned grocery stores like the Ashland food co-op. Then there is the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the biggest theater for plays in all of Oregon. OSF is easily the most attractive destination for tourists coming to Southern Oregon to visit and has been a landmark of Ashland’s for decades.

Image of Eugene Oregon taken from Best Western Zone

Next up is Eugene, Oregon. With a population of 176,654 people according to the 2020 census. Eugene is one of Oregon’s most famous cities, perhaps third only to Salem and Portland for Oregon’s biggest city. Best known for being home to the University of Oregon. Eugene is the definition of a college town. UofO is basically the center of the city and since it’s a college known for its sporting program, the city in turn ended up with lots of sporting events to go to especially for college football. Eugene is also sort of a mix of Ashland and Medford, you have an atmosphere that is kind of similar to Ashland, but you also have a lot of the big city elements compared to Medford. There are various local businesses including arcades which don’t even exist in Medford and Ashland. There are also plenty of big businesses in Eugene including two different shopping malls and even an Imax movie theater inside one of them. Eugene is a great place to just spend a weekend, relax and have fun there.

For the penultimate stop, we have Salem, Oregon. According to the 2020 census, there are 175,535 people living in the city making Oregon’s second-largest city. Salem is the capital of Oregon and intern is perhaps the most important city in all of Oregon. The state’s capital is an area worth visiting, an area filled with artwork where you can sit beside some fountains and admire. You also have museums to visit such as the Hallie ford museum of art, the Deepwood museum, the Gilbert House Children’s Museum, and of course the OSH Art museum. Similar to Eugene and Ashland, Salem is also a university town, with lots of things geared towards students from a lively downtown area on weekend nights to various social scenes for students. For families and children, there are also some fun activities like the Salem Riverfront carousel and the Enchanted Forest Theme Park. Salem, Oregon all in all is a lovely town that is worth stopping by.

Now our final stop is Portland, Oregon. Portland is the biggest city in all of Oregon containing over half of the population of the state. Portland is a massive city that is full of many things to do including lots of the same things as the city’s above. Visiting just downtown Portland gives you many things to do such as restaurants, bars, arcades, You also have various interesting one-of-a-kind locations to visit such as the Portland Japanese Garden, a park that heavily resembles the ones you would see in Japan. You also have the Lan Su Chinese Garden, which is also an Asia theme garden. Then there is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, something that is fun for kids and very knowledgeable for anyone who wants to learn more about science and technology. Portland is a massive city, that it would certainly take us way too long to go over, but it is a city worth visiting.

Well, these five cities of Oregon all have various things going on. You have the small-town feel and the theater community of Ashland, the big city vibes of Salem and Portland, and the city’s in the middle like Medford and Eugene. Of course, those aren’t the only cities in Oregon, you do have cities like Roseberg, Bend, Oregon City, Beaverton, Springfield, and Corvallis. Oregon is a big place with lots of things to do and we hope you use not only this article but all of ours in order to find something to do here.

Off-Roading 101 in Oregon

Some of the best destinations and adventures in Oregon requires you to venture off the smooth paved roads and hit the rougher side of things. Some trails and vehicle paths are riddled with large rocks, muddy terrain, and deep dips that will definitely test your vehicles durability and capabilities. As well as your driving skills! This guide will give you the run down on what you will need in order to navigate the roughest roads in order to reach some of the most beautiful, hard to reach, places in Oregon!

Some destinations may require you to drive through terrain such as heavy mud!

Lets start with your vehicle. In order to traverse rough terrain your vehicle must be outfitted for the job. Four wheel drive is a MUST! The extra power will provide the necessary push to get over harsh obstacles and prevent you from getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. A high clearance is also required so your car can traverse over large bumps and rocks that would scrape the underside of your vehicle if it were too low! A three inch lift, or more, is the recommended lift kit size in order to get over most terrain and obstacles. You would also pair the higher clearance with large tires to match, providing even more grip as well as more surface area to gain more grip on the terrain. Off-roading specific tires are recommended as well in order to get the grip needed to keep on moving!

This Jeep is outfitted with a lift, four wheel drive, and off road tires that are all doing its job to get it over this level difference in the dirt path!

Now that your vehicle is ready to get going on unpaved and rougher roads we have to talk about if you are ready as well! Some terrain requires navigational and driving skills that have a bit of a learning curve. Just because you have a kitted out vehicle does not mean it has no limitations. You have to judge whether or not your vehicle can get over or through the path ahead of you. Playing on the safer side is always the better option when it comes to off-roading. Choose the path with less of a climb or less of a dip so your lift is not equipped in vain. Some paths will still challenge your build and are still capable of hitting the bottom of your vehicle causing damages or making you get stuck! There are a lot of instructional videos to follow in order to learn essential tips and techniques that will help you out in the boonies. This video covers some tips and techniques that are very crucial to know when heading out on the rougher roads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAzPh_esIi8. Its also helpful to have a spotter! Have someone hop out of the car and guide you from the front in order to make sure your tire placement is all good to get over the terrain ahead!

Trail driving, off-roading, mobbing, whatever you call it is a fun way to get to beautiful hard to reach places. Although it takes quite a few things to get into, the adventure is well worth it! Consult this checklist for other things you might need as well before heading out into remote places via tough terrain and roads: https://www.offroaders.com/recovery-techniques/guide-to-gearing-up-for-offroad/. As always safety is the top priority so if you are unsure about a path don’t risk it! Save your wallet from potential vehicle damages and save yourself from getting hurt! So gear up for a rough adventure, get on out there and explore the tough to reach spots of Oregon!

The best destination can sometimes mean an even rougher journey!

Looking back on a memory of Silver Falls

One of my favorite memories from when I was in high school was a small hike I went on with my friends Anthony and Elizabeth. It was my junior year, and all three of us were in this student government style group specifically for the theatre department at our school. We were all going through a rough time, and so we decided to go on a hike together – keep in mind we had never really hung out outside of school – and do something other than theatre, and while this trip didn’t fix all our problems it certainly helped us approach them with a clear head. The trail that we went on was in Silver Falls State Park. Having never been there, I was curious – and a bit worried – about how hard this trail was going to be.

I remember being in awe seeing the waterfalls for the first time. The cool mist hit my face as the falls roared in front of me, drowning out all sounds. I had a few laughs with my friends about bugs we came across. At one point we had a weird joke about a tree that one of my friends was in love with, and I had to stop him from carving “ME + TREE” into the tree. In hindsight I don’t know what was so funny about that, but we all had a laugh.

Many call Silver Falls the “crown jewel” of Oregon State Parks. Citing its wonderful scenery and recreational opportunities. It’s biggest selling point: Having trails where you can walk behind waterfalls! At the south falls of the park, you can see behind a 177 foot tall wall of water! This is a part of the Trail Of Ten Falls, a 7.2 mile loop with plenty of connecting points of other trails if you wish to take a shorter path. Along this trail you will see a series of awe-inspiring waterfalls along a rocky canyon, and eventually make your way to the forest floor. The park also has over 35 miles of back country trails, but be warned of bears and cougars in the remote areas of the park. There are daytime areas where you can barbecue, play on the playground and more! There are also camping areas, where you can tent, park your RV or rent a cabin.

Silver Falls also has a deep history. The people indigenous to the Silver Falls area were called the Kalapuya and the Molalla, who’s ancestors first arrived in the area 14,000 years ago. Sadly, due to American settlement in the area around 1812, many indigenous people died due to disease brought by settlers that they had no immunity to. In 1854 the United States government displaced the indigenous population by permanently relocating the Molalla and Kalapuya to reservations.

After that, the land was used for homesteading until the Great Depression, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the Recreational Demonstration Projects. Which bought private land and employed young Americans to build parks. These projects were one of the many government programs that helped ease the effects of the depression on America. This project acquired over 5000 acres for the park. Today, the park attracts well over a million visitors a year, with the help of park staff and volunteers.

My memory of Silver Falls is one that I look at with admiration. The nature there is truly beautiful, and seeing behind a waterfall is sure exciting. I might just go back one and see it one of these days when I am not bogged down with final projects.

The Marble Halls of Oregon: Oregon’s Caves

In southwest Oregon, just outside the city of Cave Junction. There is the Siskiyou mountains. A part of these mountains contains the Oregon caves often call the marbles halls of Oregon. Officially these caves are called Oregon Caves National Monument. Oregon’s national park services have designated the caves as a national park and the general public is allowed to visit these parks and go on tours.

While the caves have existed for many centuries, they weren’t established as Oregon’s cave national monument until 1909. Before then these were regularly old caves that not even natives used. Before 1909, the first use of these caves was when Walter C. Burch had heard about from family and in a desire to make money viva giving tours to these caves. But Walter was unable to obtain the rights to the land and abandon the idea. in 1903, President Teddy Roosevelt had taken away millions of acres of land from the public domain to create national parks. This area also included the southwest area of Oregon that included the national caves. Three years later, Congress had passed the antiquities act which allowed presidents use unused land to establish national monuments. In 1909, president Taft had officially establish the Oregon Caves National monument at the land.

The Oregon Caves are typically open from March to end of September. But as of right now due to covid the 2021 season for tourist as closed with plans to hopefully get the caves back up and running in March. Though once open you are able to book visits to the park and go on tours.

The park services offer four kinds of tours, that tourist can go on. First one is the discovery cave tour these tours have you explore the dark depths of the caves with a tour guide. Lasting 90 minutes and limited to 15 people you will make various stops during the visit such as an huge room that is 220 feet below the surface.

The candlelight tour lets you explore the caves in the same way that first who set foot exploring the cave did. By going through pitch darkness with candle as you’re only source of light. Held at the end of the day, these tours are 60 minutes and limited to 12 people and children younger then 10 aren’t allowed to explore, as long you stick with the guide you should be safe though.

Off-trail caving touring is perhaps the most interesting one for those looking for a thrill. This three hour experience takes seven people through the more cramp areas of the cave, teaching them to get out off dangerous paths such as having to crawl through tight spaces such as boulders. These caves are considered both emotional and physically draining and need to be 15 or older to be allowed to take the tour. The last kind of tour is one for family’s,

The kids and family Cave Tour is a safe tour through the caves where the caves are suppose to be family friendly and safe to go through. However though children under the age of 13 must be at least 42 inches tall and parents are not allowed to hold their small children, therefore forbidding small kids from entering.

Areas outside of the caves are allowed for visitors to camp the night there. For 10 dollars a night, you will be able to camp in a forest besides Cave Creek which is just four miles away from the Cave’s entrance. There are 17 sites for camping within the campsite and its a first come first serve bases. There is also a lodge for visitors to stay the night if they prefer a more indoor environment. Having 23 bedrooms in the lodge, its a big place for those looking for a more comfy option to staying the night. There is a dining room located within the lodge that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to those that are staying. However, the lodge is currently being remodeled and is closed for the time being with an reopen date unknown. There is also a coffee shop called The Caves Cafe and a restaurant called Chateau Dining Room, but much like the lodge both of them are ongoing remodeling and its suggested you bring you’re own food for a picnic.

As for the wildlife, the place is full of birds, mammals, and amphibians. There are various birds that can be found outside of the caves such as owls, ravens, stellar jay’s, and sooty grouses. For amphibians, there are the typical ones you can usual find in places like these such as frogs and lizards. Now as for the mammals, you obviously have dear and squirrels, but there are also both couag’s and black bears. While both of those can be considered to be dangerous its animals, they tend to leave humans alone and its in you’re best interest as a whole to avoid making contact or interacting with either of them.

Oregon’s caves are a fun and interesting place. The park offers a nice variety tours for those looking to go on some kind of adventure. This is also an fun place just to stay the night regardless if its just camping a few miles away from the caves or just spending the night at the lodge. Though due to remodeling and covid, none of those things can be done right now. But once everything has fully reopen, make sure to book you’re trip because they might end up filling up fast.

The Essentials for an Oregon Roadtrip

The key to a fun road trip is that it runs smoothly, and in order to run smoothly, you need to prepare. Proper preparation and packing of these essential items will minimize the number of hiccups you encounter on your trip across the beautiful state of Oregon! Because let’s face it, you can prepare for everything you can think of but you never know what the road has in store for you. With that in mind, this list has got you covered with things to help in almost any situation! So don’t get caught out in the backwoods of Oregon without these items!

A Dependable Jacket

Having a good jacket to fend off the cold in Oregon when travelling in the Winter and Fall as well as sometimes Spring is important to stay comfortable. Many fleece line or down options are popular from the North Face, Columbia, Patagonia, and many other outdoor brands. So finding one you like is fairly easy! So have a good dependable jacket packed in order to catch a good time and not a cold in Oregon!

Rain Coat or Umbrella

Oregon has an average yearly rainfall of around 75 inches of rain according to the Western Regional Climate Center. With the coast having more so with around 200 inches of precipitation as an annual average. So prepare for rain in Oregon. No one likes to travel wet so stay dry out there!

Tire Chains

Many mountain roads and overpasses require you to use snow chains if your vehicle is not equipped with four wheel drive already. There are areas along the highway and roads specifically for you to put chains aon your tire so you wont be sliding off the mountain any time soon! Safety on the roads especially during the colder months of the year in Oregon where the mountains get capped with a beautiful layer of snow is very important. We want you to be able to get to your scenic destinations in one peice so prepare for cold weather road conditions and pack tire chains!

Trail Guides and Road Maps

There are parts of Oregon where you will not have great cell reception and data or any at all in fact. In order to navigate the state through those zones with no connection you will need to download maps or trail guides so you can find your way! This is especially important when you are hiking trails or venturing out in the forest. In order to save yourself from being in a survival show episode we recommend that you download or print proper navigation tools for offline use!

Sun Protection

From hot summer days at one of Oregons many beautiful lakes to bombing hills down a snowy mountain side, sun protection is a must! Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, the sun in Oregon illuminates the state and being protected from harmful rays and bright glare is key to your comfort and health! So prepare the necessary sun protection for your next trip!

Emergency Supplies

Travelling through a new state and exploring the great outdoors of Oregon can be unpredictable. When the worst happens and you run into trouble on your journey having a few emergency supplies in a kit can be a real life saver! You can easily find a list on the internet for what should be included in your emergency travel kit. From first aid to flashlights and backup power, having something that you never know if you’ll need it is important to bring along in case you do. As the saying goes “I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it!”

Hopefully this list of a couple essential items gives you an idea of what travelling in Oregon might have in store for you and helps you prepare properly for your adventure. Packing the right things can make or break a trip sometimes or just saves you from a couple head aches. There are some other things not included here such as niche items for your specific type of road trip wether you’re coming to Oregon to fish or take photographs. But that is for a nother kind of list. This list is just for the essentials. So hopefully this peice has helped you create the foundation for you build upon when planning and packing for your next Oregon road trip!

Crater Lake: Oregon’s Only Natural Park is a Must Visit

Being one of the 7 wonders of Oregon. Carter Lake is perhaps Southern Oregon’s most famous location as its Oregon’s only national park. Known for its blue-looking and yet very clean water. The park is compromised of 183,224 acres that span mountain, forests, and of course its signature lake.

Crater Lake is known to be the deepest lake in America, and the seventh deepest lake in the world. It is approximately 1,943 feet deep. It consists of getting its water purely from rain and snow because of its no outlet structure. The water sits in a bowl land shape structure that has water level change periodically. The precipitation rate is a lot higher than the evaporation rate which doesn’t help explain where the rest of the water goes when the water level drops. This is what makes Crater Lake very unique, it is one of America’s greatest mysteries and a great place for scientists to be involved in solving this mystery.

Illustration of a cross section of Mount Mazama with present day Crater Lake, Oregon, USA. Mount Mazama’s summit collapsed during an eruption which formed Crater Lake.

Crater Lake was initially formed from the fall of a volcano 7,700 years ago. The volcano was Mount Mazama that was 12,000 feet tall. You can see on the image above, the volcano stood on top of what’s now called Crater Lake. The fall of Mount Mazama was a symbol to the Makalak natives who would explain the origins of it’s fall. It consisted of two spirits getting into a brutal battle which then the destruction of it all signified the end of the battle. The spirits were Chief of the Above World (Skell), spirit of the sky and Chief of the Below World (Llao), spirit of the mountain.

The park is also home to various wildlife most common of which are known mammals such as squirrels, dear, bats, and even bears. There are a total of 41 bears in the park and while there are more female bears than male bears, the male bears are known for traveling outside the park, so try and be safe when adventuring in the area. American Pika also inhabit the park, these little guys are small creatures that can be around rock slopes and in the meadows throughout the summer and fall, but go into hibernation once the snow covers their den. Bat’s also can be found in the park, living in the various caves in the area obviously. Amphibians is another species that can be found in Carter Lake with the most common of which being Frogs and Lizards which are often seen around the lake.

Pika sitting on a boulder — Image of a Pika taken from natural park services website

For activities you can do at the lake there is obviously being able to go out on a hike. There are multiple trails throughout the park that can be walked such as the mount Scott trail, Garfield park trail, Plaikni Falls Trail, and Cleetwood Cove Trail just to name a few of these trails. They range from 2 to 4 miles and are fairly simple to walk. Cycling is another activity that is popular in the lake though bikes are not allowed on the trails, there is a single dirt road you can bring a mountain bike on. As for camping, there are two campsites at Crater Lake. The first campsite is the Mazama campgrounds, open through June to September the site provides 214 rentable sites areas for showering, laundry, and even internet connection as well as a store. The second lake is the Lost Greek Campground which has 16 sites to reserve and operates from June to Mid October. Lost Greek lacks a lot of the features compared to Mazama as it was built for a more traditional tent set up. For those looking to swim in the lake, an area within Greekwood Trail has been made safe for swimming and it opens mid-June and is open throughout the summer, but be warned the water in the lake is known to be very cold.

Crater Lake is a place full of wonder and mystery. As Oregon’s only national park, it has earned its reputation as one of Oregon’s seven wonders due to some of the strange things about the origins of the lake. As a national park, the government has made sure its safe for both visitors and the wildlife that live in the park. For those visiting the park, there are plenty of fun activities that can be done there such as camping, hiking, biking, and swimming. All of this has made Crater Lake perhaps Southern Oregon’s most interesting place to visit.