Mt. Hood, Oregon Vacation? Suggestions to see?

[mm6mm6]

My nephew is getting married in August at "The Resort at the Mountain" in Mt. Hood, Oregon. Since my wife and daughter and I have to fly there for the wedding, I'm thinking about staying at the resort for a week or 9 days and making it into our summer vacation.

Is anyone familiar with the area? Any suggestions on what we could/should see and do while we're there? We're not skiers (is there snow there in August?), we're right wing, conservative, Republican, gun lovers. Fishing? Hunting? Rafting? Shooting? Sight seeing?

I'd really like some suggestions to make this trip great! Thanks in advance if you have any ideas!

-Steve

 

[m657]

contact me off list & I can give you a ton of ideas.

I lived a few miles from Mt. Hood for 6 years.

 

[Texas Star]

Right wing, conservative people? On this board? Tsk, tsk, will wonders never cease?

Across the board, Oregon is considered a fairly liberal state, I think, but I believe that they have excellent fishing there.

T-Star

 

[m657]

mm6mm6: tried to respond got this: "Sorry! That user has specified that they do not wish to receive emails."

 

[Kanewpadle]

Travel South on Hwy 197 or 97. Stop at Smith Rock State Park just before Redmond. You won't believe how beautiful it is. Then drive south past Bend to The High Desert Museum. About a 140 miles. Makes a good day trip. It will be warm.

 

[K Harris]

Drive to the Tilly Jane campground on Mt Hood and hike up to Cooper Spur. Drive the Columbia River Gorge from Troutdale to The Dalles, or to the mouth of the John Day River if you want to see Desert Bighorns. If you travel the old highway from Corbet to Bridal Veil there are many beautiful waterfalls. You may be able to get in some salmon/steelhead fishing on the Deschutes River on the Oregon side, or Drano Lake on the Washington side. You will want to book with a guide before you come out. There will be snow above Timberline Lodge on the Palmer Ice Field. The US Ski Team may be training there at that time. You should have dinner at Timberline Lodge. Expensive, but superb. You can raft the White Salmon River. There are several good outfitters in Husum/BZ Corners, WA. The list is endless.

Politically speaking, the West side of both Washington and Oregon are about as far down the collectivist path as you can go. However, the East side of these states are quite conservative. The dividing line in this area seem to be between Hood River and The Dalles.

This is a beautiful part of the country. Enjoy your stay.

 

[cowboy117]

Crater Lake,the Pacific Ocean,the Oregon Desert,much to see in our beautiful state.

 

[duckloads]

A fairly easy hike is to the top of Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain. It has an incredible view of Mt. Hood. Google mt hood area hiking trails and you should find plenty of maps.

 

[crofoot629]

Drive to the Tilly Jane campground on Mt Hood and hike up to Cooper Spur. Drive the Columbia River Gorge from Troutdale to The Dalles, or to the mouth of the John Day River if you want to see Desert Bighorns. If you travel the old highway from Corbet to Bridal Veil there are many beautiful waterfalls. You may be able to get in some salmon/steelhead fishing on the Deschutes River on the Oregon side, or Drano Lake on the Washington side. You will want to book with a guide before you come out. There will be snow above Timberline Lodge on the Palmer Ice Field. The US Ski Team may be training there at that time. You should have dinner at Timberline Lodge. Expensive, but superb. You can raft the White Salmon River. There are several good outfitters in Husum/BZ Corners, WA. The list is endless.

Politically speaking, the West side of both Washington and Oregon are about as far down the collectivist path as you can go. However, the East side of these states are quite conservative. The dividing line in this area seem to be between Hood River and The Dalles.

This is a beautiful part of the country. Enjoy your stay.

K. H knows!

Don't miss the Columbia Gorge!

Cooper Spur? Oh yea! If you are so inclined backpack the Timberline trail around Mt. Hood. Approximately 40 miles, good 4 day trip, and not a level step the whole way but worth it. I’ve been to Alaska, Switzerland, New Zealand and points in between for hiking and though different, none are more beautiful than the Timberline trail.

Emory

 

[klondike]

Funny but I live 1/2 hr from your destination and I am stumped. Locals take it for granted.
Day trip to Sisters (avoid Bend) : Smith Rock was mentioned (named after a Trooper Smith who climbed the rock to reconnoiter for Indians, he died on the way down.) Be sure to check out Skull Hollow campground there. In 1845 a wagon train was attacked and over 200 immigrants killed. The head of the Metolius River, a river which comes to the surface at the base of Black Butte. Col Fremont was stunned to see this sight but his men were even happier that their mountain howitzer fell through some ice and was unrecoverable.
Turn east on Highway 26 toward Prinneville. Rich history here. Built because there was so much wagon wreckage from immigrants running into hostile Shoshonis, a blacksmith named Prine set up a shop with saloon. The local war chiefs tolerated Prine because he taught them to play poker and gave them whiskey. The town evolved into one of the deadliest cowtowns in western history. If you wanted civilization you settled in Bend.
A long day takes you through to Dayville and then John Day. I want to spend some more time in Dayville. Fort Watson was a Cavalry post with a full stockade near there, that was abandoned after the Shoshoni learned to shoot from the surrounding hills and make hits. John Day was one of several very rich gold mining areas in the west.
Perhaps that is reaching a bit far for one day- But any drive east of the Cascades is fun.
Hit the Oregon Coast might be an overnight.
As other have said, the Gorge is a treasure. Stop often and make short hikes to see some great waterfalls. Caution you though that there has been a lot of car prowls at these locations.

 

[truckemup97]

I like almost everything I've seen in the eastern 2/3 of Oregon. The other 1/3 is nice, too, but that's where most of the fruits and nuts hang out. Every little town I've driven through has made me want to stop and spend some time.

 

[ChuckS1]

I grew up in Statyon. You gotta go to the Santiam Bean Festival!!!! NOT!!!!

Going into Portland for you would be like Frodo going into Mordor...

 

[therevjay]

Don't pass up all the waterfalls on the old highway out of Troutdale. Multnomah is the best known, but the others are just as nice. The lodge at Multnomah falls is like someone said about Timberline lodge, the food is spendy, but good.

By the way although the western part of Oregon is pretty liberal generaly, we arn't all wakos

No out of state carry lic.'s recognized, but otherwise our gun laws are quite liberal. (in the original meaning of the word liberal)

 

[Rockman]

My wife and I spent a night in Portland a few years ago. The next morning she said "What did you say we were going to do today?" I replied, "We're going to Multnoma Falls and then I want to show you the lava flows with the great columnar jointing!"

She said "Can we do that this afternoon rather than this morning?" I replied, "I guess so. What did you have in mind for this morning?"

She said "Portland has the largest ROSE GARDEN in the United States!"

Don't miss it. It is fantastic!

 

[truckemup97]

By the way although the western part of Oregon is pretty liberal generaly, we arn't all wakos

I knew that. Actually, I can't remember anyone in Oregon, west or east, who wasn't nice when I talked with them FTF. Some of them just vote weird.

And I would second the falls east of Troutdale. Spectacular.

 

[John Eilertson]

My kid sis was married at Timberline Lodge. It was a snowy day, though. There is a lot of good fishing not so far from that area. That time of year it will be pretty hot, so if any hiking is done make sure you stay hydrated. Look out for the odd rattler. We have so much to see in every direction here in Oregon that it's hard to specify one particular area. I think that any direction you go from there will hold worthy sights and activities. Fishing is the outdoor sport, cuz hunting won't really begin till September. But there is plenty of bait/lure and fly fishing within reach of Mt. Hood. Enjoy my state!

 

[BearBio]

1) Summer chinook are running right now, in the Columbia. Pinks will start in a couple of months. Clamming? (Don't know dates) Oysters, north of the Columbia.

2) The Life Saving Museum in Astoria. Dedicated to the Coast Guard Life Saving Station and School in Astoria.(Motto: "We have to go out; we don't have to come back").

3) Fort Clatsop, where Lewis and Clark wintered over.

4) Several lighthouses on the coast.

5) +1 on Multnomah Falls and the Gorge. Also, Crown Point.

6) +1 on High Desert Museum in Bend, Go via the Three Sisters.

7) Eat in Portland at Jakes Crawfish=considered by many THE BEST seafood restaurant in the USA. A different menu each day, depending on the catch. Great chowder and steaks, also. Jake's Grill is good but Jake's Crawfish is better.

Also, eat at Kell's Irish Pub (better memorize "The Fields of Athenry", before you go.)

Dessert at Voodoo Donuts.

Go to Powell's. Formerly the world's largest bookstore.(a block from Jakes)

The World Forestry Museum.

Traveling in downtown Portland is all free on the tram/shuttle.

8) Ft Vancouver (across the river).

9) Pick blackberries (Watch for bears-this year's a bad one)

10) If you going to be here this weekend, we are supposed to get the Northern Lights as far south as the Columbia tonight and tomorrow..

 

[armadillo]

I visited Hood River a few days last October. I have a friend who retired and bought a house in the middle of a pear orchard.

He loves to visit the wineries and fish. The Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls are impressive. This summer they are freezing - he called last week and said that they have had 4 days that it got above 80 so far this summer and they are worried about the fruit crop. He was talking about visiting me in Texas to warm up a little.

 

[kraigwy]

If you go to "Sisters" ( nice little tourist town) don't forget to stop by "Brothers", quite a difference.

 

[haggis]

Since no one has mentioned the Oregon Caves near Klamath Falls, I personally think they're prettier than Carlsbad.

Buck