# Road trips in Oregon

> 18 road trips and 53 hand-picked places in Oregon, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/roadtrips/oregon/

18 road trips and 53 hand-picked places in Oregon, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

## Road trips through Oregon

- [Oregon's waterfalls and volcanoes](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/oregon-volcanoes/): The Columbia River Gorge, high desert around Bend and the deep blue of Crater Lake.
- [Oregon Coast on US-101](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/oregon-coast/): Every mile of Oregon’s coast is public: Haystack Rock, Heceta Head lighthouse, giant dunes and the sea stacks of Bandon.
- [Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/columbia-gorge/): Waterfalls along the Historic Columbia River Highway, Hood River orchards and Timberline Lodge.
- [Wallowa Mountains and Hells Canyon](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-wallowa-hells-canyon/): Through the Grande Ronde Valley to Joseph and Wallowa Lake, then over the mountains to the rim of Hells Canyon and down to the Oregon Trail at Baker City.
- [Oregon Outback: volcanoes and high desert](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-oregon-outback/): From Bend past lava flows and a tuff-ring fortress into the empty basins of southern Oregon, ending in Lakeview.
- [Steens Mountain and the Alvord Desert](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-steens-alvord/): Wildlife marshes, a round barn and a glacier-carved mountain in Oregon’s far southeast, ending on a dry lakebed.
- [Oregon’s capes: Three Capes Route to Cape Perpetua](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-three-capes/): Headlands, lighthouses and blowholes on the central Oregon coast, from Tillamook’s Three Capes Scenic Route south to Newport and Thor’s Well.
- [Southern Oregon coast: Cape Arago to the Boardman corridor](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-south-oregon-coast/): Storm-watching gardens, sea lion reefs, the westernmost lighthouse in Oregon and the arches of the Samuel H. Boardman corridor.
- [McKenzie Pass–Santiam Pass loop from Eugene](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-mckenzie-pass/): A loop from Eugene over the lava fields of McKenzie Pass and back along the McKenzie River past waterfalls and a deep blue spring-fed pool.
- [Smith Rock, the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-painted-hills/): From Bend to the climbing cliffs of Smith Rock and east on US-26 to painted clay hills, fossil beds and a Chinese herbal store in John Day.
- [Willamette Valley: pinot noir hills and Silver Falls](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-willamette-valley/): South from Portland through wine country and pioneer history to a hilltop abbey and the ten waterfalls of Silver Falls State Park.
- [Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway via Crater Lake](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-rogue-umpqua/): Up the North Umpqua past columnar-basalt waterfalls to Diamond Lake and Crater Lake, then down the Rogue River past lava gorges to Medford.
- [Columbia Gorge east: Crown Point to Maryhill](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-gorge-east/): Both sides of the Columbia River Gorge, from Vista House and Beacon Rock to the looping curves at Rowena, rock art and a concrete Stonehenge.
- [The Olympic Peninsula by RV](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/olympic-rv/): Rain forest campgrounds, Pacific sea stacks and chowder at Pike Place.
- [Volcanic Legacy Byway: Mount Shasta to Crater Lake](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-volcanic-legacy/): North from Redding past Shasta Dam and granite crags to Mount Shasta, the McCloud River waterfalls and the lava caves of the Modoc Plateau.
- [Northern redwoods and the Oregon Caves on US-199](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-redwoods-caves/): North from Eureka through the redwood parks to the Smith River and over the Siskiyous to the marble caves of southern Oregon.
- [Rainier and St. Helens volcano loop](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/volcano-loop-wa/): Wildflower meadows at Paradise and the blast zone of Mount St. Helens, between Seattle and Portland.
- [Mount St. Helens south and east: Ape Cave to Windy Ridge](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-st-helens-east/): Walk a lava tube, cross a mudflow gorge and look into the crater from the east side of Mount St. Helens on quiet forest roads.

## Places worth the detour in Oregon

- [Crater Lake National Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/crater-lake/): The deepest lake in the US fills a collapsed volcano. Rim Drive is usually fully open from July to October.
- [Heceta Head Lighthouse](https://camping-spirit.com/places/heceta-head/): A white lighthouse on a green headland above the Pacific, with a keeper’s house and sea lions below.
- [Hells Canyon Overlook](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-hells-canyon-overlook/): A viewpoint on the rim of North America’s deepest river gorge, looking across to Idaho’s Seven Devils peaks. It sits on Forest Road 39, which closes in winter.
- [Fort Rock](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-fort-rock/): A ring of volcanic tuff rising from the sagebrush like a ruined fortress. Sandals found in a nearby cave are some 9,000 years old.
- [Kiger Gorge Overlook](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-kiger-gorge/): A perfect U-shaped glacial valley cut into Steens Mountain, seen from the Steens Mountain Loop Road. The road is gravel and usually open only from July to October.
- [Alvord Desert](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-alvord-desert/): A dry lakebed about 12 miles long below the east face of Steens Mountain, flat and silent. Only drive on the playa when it is completely dry.
- [Cape Kiwanda](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-cape-kiwanda/): A sandstone headland and big dune at Pacific City, where dory boats launch straight off the beach. Climb the dune for views of another Haystack Rock offshore, but stay behind the fences on the eroding cliffs.
- [Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-yaquina-head/): A basalt headland north of Newport with Oregon’s tallest lighthouse, seabird rocks and tide pools at Cobble Beach. There is a per-vehicle entrance fee; lighthouse tours are offered on most days.
- [Thor’s Well](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-thors-well/): A hole in the rock shelf at Cape Perpetua that fills and drains with every wave, best around high tide. Walk down from the Cook’s Chasm lot on US-101, and never go close in big swell.
- [Natural Bridges Viewpoint](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-natural-bridges-or/): A viewpoint over collapsed sea arches in a narrow cove on the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. The main view is a few minutes from the pull-out; the paths beyond the railing are steep and eroded.
- [Dee Wright Observatory](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-dee-wright/): A lava-rock shelter built by the CCC in 1935 at the top of McKenzie Pass, surrounded by a sea of black lava. Window slits frame a dozen Cascade peaks; a paved half-mile trail explores the flow.
- [Tamolitch Blue Pool](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-blue-pool/): A vivid blue pool where the McKenzie River re-emerges after flowing underground through lava. The trail is about two miles each way through forest; the water is near freezing, and the trailhead lot fills early.
- [Smith Rock State Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-smith-rock/): Orange tuff cliffs above a bend of the Crooked River, a famous rock-climbing area. The Misery Ridge trail climbs steeply to views of Monkey Face; there is a day-use fee and parking fills on spring weekends.
- [Painted Hills](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-painted-hills/): Rounded hills banded red, gold and black in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Short trails start from the overlook; colours are strongest after rain and in low light; entry is free.
- [Silver Falls State Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-silver-falls/): Oregon’s largest state park, where the Trail of Ten Falls loop passes behind several waterfalls, including 177-foot South Falls. The full loop is about 7 miles; there is a day-use fee and a large campground.
- [Toketee Falls](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-toketee-falls/): A two-tier waterfall on the North Umpqua pouring through columns of basalt. A 0.4-mile trail with stairs leads to a viewing platform; the access road off OR-138 is narrow and the lot small.
- [Rowena Crest Viewpoint](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-rowena-crest/): A viewpoint above the looping curves of the Historic Columbia River Highway, next to the Tom McCall Preserve. Wildflowers cover the plateau in April and May; the grassy trails are open to walkers only.
- [Haystack Rock](https://camping-spirit.com/places/haystack-rock/): A 235-foot sea stack with tide pools at its base. Puffins nest here in spring and early summer.
- [Multnomah Falls](https://camping-spirit.com/places/multnomah/): Oregon's tallest waterfall, 620 feet in two tiers, just off I-84 in the Columbia River Gorge. Timed permits may apply in summer.
- [Sunset Bay State Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/cg-sunset-bay/): A sheltered cove with sandstone cliffs on the southern Oregon coast. The tide pools are good at low tide.
- [Oregon Dunes](https://camping-spirit.com/places/oregon-dunes/): Forty miles of open sand dunes up to 500 feet high between the forest and the ocean.
- [Face Rock](https://camping-spirit.com/places/face-rock/): Sea stacks and a rock with a sleeping face, best seen at low tide from the beach below the viewpoint.
- [Timberline Lodge](https://camping-spirit.com/places/timberline/): A stone and timber lodge built by the WPA in the 1930s on the slope of Mount Hood.
- [Wallowa Lake](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-wallowa-lake/): A glacial lake held in by moraines at the foot of the Wallowa Mountains. In summer a tramway climbs Mount Howard; trails lead into the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
- [National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-oregon-trail-center/): A museum on Flagstaff Hill with life-size wagon scenes and paths down to real Oregon Trail ruts. Allow a couple of hours.
- [Lava Butte and Lava Lands](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-lava-lands/): A cinder cone in Newberry National Volcanic Monument with a road to the crater rim and short trails across a young lava flow. Summer access to the top is often by shuttle.
- [Crack-in-the-Ground](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-crack-in-the-ground/): A volcanic fissure about two miles long and up to 70 feet deep that you can walk through. It stays cool inside even in summer; the access road is gravel.
- [Summer Lake Wildlife Area](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-summer-lake/): Marshes and a shallow alkali lake below the Winter Ridge escarpment, full of migrating birds in spring and fall. A gravel tour route leaves from the headquarters on OR-31.
- [Malheur National Wildlife Refuge](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-malheur-refuge/): Vast marshes in the high desert, a stopover for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds. The headquarters has a small museum and a visitor center; spring is the peak.
- [Pete French Round Barn](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-round-barn/): A round stone-and-juniper barn from the 1880s, built to break horses through the winter. It stands alone on a gravel road east of OR-205.
- [Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-oregon-caves/): A marble cave in the Siskiyou Mountains, seen on ranger-led tours from spring to autumn. OR-46 climbs 20 winding miles from Cave Junction and is not recommended for trailers; book tours ahead in summer.
- [Cape Meares Lighthouse](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-cape-meares/): The shortest lighthouse on the Oregon coast, on a headland with seabird colonies and the many-trunked Octopus Tree. It is on the Three Capes Scenic Route west of Tillamook; parking is free.
- [Cape Lookout Trail](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-cape-lookout/): A forest trail of about 2.4 miles each way along a narrow cape to a clifftop above the ocean, one of the best whale-watching points in Oregon. The trailhead is on the Three Capes route; expect mud.
- [Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-devils-punchbowl/): A collapsed sea cave where waves churn into a rock bowl, best at high tide and in winter storms. At low tide you can walk into it from the beach below and look at tide pools.
- [Shore Acres State Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-shore-acres/): Former estate gardens on sandstone cliffs where winter storms throw spray high into the air. The formal garden is open all year and lit with lights in December; a day-use parking permit is required.
- [Cape Arago State Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-cape-arago/): The end of the Cape Arago Highway, with tide-pool coves below and sea lions barking on Shell Island and Simpson Reef. Stop at the Simpson Reef Overlook just before the cape with binoculars.
- [Cape Blanco Lighthouse](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-cape-blanco/): The oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon coast, lit in 1870 near the state’s westernmost point. A side road leads five miles out from US-101; tower tours run in the warmer months and the headland is very windy.
- [Arch Rock Viewpoint](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-arch-rock/): A short loop through the Samuel H. Boardman corridor to a rock arch offshore and a picnic area above the surf. It is signed from US-101 about 12 miles north of Brookings; the lot fits larger vehicles.
- [Proxy Falls](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-proxy-falls/): Two waterfalls spilling over mossy cliffs on a 1.5-mile loop across old lava. The trailhead is a roadside pull-out on OR-242, which is closed in winter; a Northwest Forest Pass is required.
- [Clear Lake](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b17-clear-lake/): A spring-fed lake so cold and clear that a forest drowned by lava about 3,000 years ago still stands underwater. A 5.5-mile trail circles the shore, and rowboats can be rented at the north end in summer.

## FAQs

**What are the best road trips in Oregon?**
Popular routes include Oregon's waterfalls and volcanoes, Oregon Coast on US-101, Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood and Wallowa Mountains and Hells Canyon. CampingSpirit has 18 trip guides that pass through Oregon, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

**Which places in Oregon are worth a detour?**
Our editors recommend Crater Lake National Park, Heceta Head Lighthouse, Hells Canyon Overlook, Fort Rock, Kiger Gorge Overlook and Alvord Desert.