Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Photographing Oregon in 10 Days

  1. #1
    Michael Pancier
    Guest

    Default Photographing Oregon in 10 Days

    I'm thinking of heading out mid June. I'll have 10 days. There's so much to see there.

    I'd like to do the coast / lighthouses/ falls; Columbia River Gorge Area; and Crater Lake if possible. Is this doable?

    Any suggestions on reasonable lodging out there?

  2. #2
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    793
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    You don't mention birds....is this all scenic? If so, consider picking up/borrowing copies of The Photographers Guide to the Oregon Coast, and Photographing Oregon. If Waterfalls, "Waterfall Lovers Guide to the Pacific Northwest". If Scenery - you've missed Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens...

    If birds, this time of year, you've missed Malheur and the refuges at Klamath Falls. Most of the Willamette Valley refuges will be dry by this time of year (winter/spring its flooded fields, etc).

    So reasonable lodging? Lots of great camping along the coast and in the cascades -- Oregon state parks have Yurts. warm and dry but you'll need sleeping bags. Reserve in advance!

    For hotel/motel -- Portland, Astoria, Lincoln City, Newport, FLorence Coos Bay are all reasonable (Seaside, Canon Beach tend to be more expensive that the others). Inland - there's not much good lodging right around Crater Lake (although the Lodge there has been remodeled, but you'll better be lucky to get a reservation for June this late).

    Roseberg, Medford, Klamath Falls, Bend, The Dalles all have reasonable accomodations. (Reasonable can vary from Motel6/Super8/all the way up to a 4 star hotel at a resort). On the Columbia River - Highway 14(north side in Washington is great between The Dalles and Cascade Locks (beats the interstate on the south side) but cross back at Cascade Locks to see the waterfalls including Multnomah Falls. Take the side road not the freeway all the way to Troutdale to see all the falls and Vista Point house.

    Good luck - ten days is awful short for this agenda but you could do it averaging 100 miles a day(150 with sidetrips). Running a loop - Portland-Astoria-Coast to Cape Blanco light-across to Roseburg-CraterLake-Bend-TheDalles-Portland is 937 miles. Adding a trip all the way down to Crescent City back through Grants Pass and then CraterLake, etc is 1000.5 miles (but adds the southern coast, redwoods, the light at Crescent City(devestated by the Tsunami from the '64 Alaska Earthquake but the wave went around the light on the island in the harbor...arrive at low tide and you can walk over to the light) and a great trip back up the Smith River to Grants Pass (but not adding the side trip to Oregon Caves! Ask at Gasquet Ranger station to find the cobra lilies) would be my preferred loop.

    And there are two very scenic lights across the Columbia from Astoria -- near Illwaco.

  3. #3
    Michael Pancier
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Don Nelson View Post
    You don't mention birds....is this all scenic? If so, consider picking up/borrowing copies of The Photographers Guide to the Oregon Coast, and Photographing Oregon. If Waterfalls, "Waterfall Lovers Guide to the Pacific Northwest". If Scenery - you've missed Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens...

    If birds, this time of year, you've missed Malheur and the refuges at Klamath Falls. Most of the Willamette Valley refuges will be dry by this time of year (winter/spring its flooded fields, etc).

    So reasonable lodging? Lots of great camping along the coast and in the cascades -- Oregon state parks have Yurts. warm and dry but you'll need sleeping bags. Reserve in advance!

    For hotel/motel -- Portland, Astoria, Lincoln City, Newport, FLorence Coos Bay are all reasonable (Seaside, Canon Beach tend to be more expensive that the others). Inland - there's not much good lodging right around Crater Lake (although the Lodge there has been remodeled, but you'll better be lucky to get a reservation for June this late).

    Roseberg, Medford, Klamath Falls, Bend, The Dalles all have reasonable accomodations. (Reasonable can vary from Motel6/Super8/all the way up to a 4 star hotel at a resort). On the Columbia River - Highway 14(north side in Washington is great between The Dalles and Cascade Locks (beats the interstate on the south side) but cross back at Cascade Locks to see the waterfalls including Multnomah Falls. Take the side road not the freeway all the way to Troutdale to see all the falls and Vista Point house.

    Good luck - ten days is awful short for this agenda but you could do it averaging 100 miles a day(150 with sidetrips). Running a loop - Portland-Astoria-Coast to Cape Blanco light-across to Roseburg-CraterLake-Bend-TheDalles-Portland is 937 miles. Adding a trip all the way down to Crescent City back through Grants Pass and then CraterLake, etc is 1000.5 miles (but adds the southern coast, redwoods, the light at Crescent City(devestated by the Tsunami from the '64 Alaska Earthquake but the wave went around the light on the island in the harbor...arrive at low tide and you can walk over to the light) and a great trip back up the Smith River to Grants Pass (but not adding the side trip to Oregon Caves! Ask at Gasquet Ranger station to find the cobra lilies) would be my preferred loop.

    And there are two very scenic lights across the Columbia from Astoria -- near Illwaco.
    Thanks Don. I always take the t/c to bring my 70-200 to 400 in case of wildlife. but mainly looking to shoot scenics and wildflowers. I have the Oregon book which divides the state into 6 zones; Just seems like so much to see. hence why I do want to stay along the coast and columbia river gorge area; and hope to get waterfalls along the way. I'd love to see the cascades too; just don't know if in the time I have, it's feasible. I'd like to concentrate on 3 homebase locations since I am traveling with the whole family where I can use as a hub to check out different areas along the way. I reckon north central and south along the coast. I appreciate the tips. Now gotta see how I plan this.

  4. #4
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    793
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks, Michael

    By the way, if you like waterfalls, I strongly recommend highway 138 from Roseburg to the north entrance of Crater Lake. eleven along this route. http://www.glide-oregon.com/north-um...aterfalls.html

    Also, just east of Salem is Silver Falls state park -- you'll find ten waterfalls in a relatively short loop hike
    http://www.oregonstateparks.org/imag...s_trailmap.pdf

  5. #5
    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    8,833
    Threads
    1,358
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I would recommend Smith Rock near Redmond and Silver Falls state park east of Salem.
    The southern coast south of Newport is more scenic than the North coast I think.
    The upper McKenzie river is the most scenic area in Oregon, Big waterfalls, lava fields and Old Growth forest.

  6. #6
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    26
    Threads
    7
    Thank You Posts

    Default Not to Miss

    I've lived here for 35 years (I'm a birder, but appreciate everything). You definitely want to do 2 things besides the coast and mountains: 1) Go east to see the Painted Hills and 2) go through the waterfalls of the gorge area (I-84 on the Oregon side of the water or 14 on the Washington side) and end up in Hood River. Hood River has a road sign guided tour of 45 minutes through the orchards and wineries of the area. Then return to Hood River for a nice meal and a very close view of thousands of wind surfers and paragliders. Hood River is the wind surfing capital of the west coast.

    Chuck

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics