Category Archives: Chasing Waterfalls

Steelhead Falls and waterfall wednesday

Steelhead Falls and Waterfall Wednesday in Oregon

Steelhead Falls It’s only about a half mile from the trailhead to Steelhead Falls on the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. But in geologic time, it’s a few million years. Colorful grooves decorate cliffs and show the erosion of time. Wildflowers dot the slopes in the spring and golden eagles soar overhead. Hike down for a picnic, fish in the Deschutes River and explore the rocky shores. A serene spot to let the sound of the falls erase the world around you.

Oregon B&Bs Draw Doodle Map of Must-See State Waterfalls for Socially-Distant Adventures

The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is putting pen to paper to draw a doodle map and encourage you to fill your tanks, hit the road, and seize the summer – one waterfall at a time.

The Oregon Trail of Waterfalls, as it will be called, will be a beautiful, limited edition, double-sided map. The huge piece of art measuring 24-inches across and 18-inch down will be carefully folded and mailed free-of-charge to travelers upon request, while supplies last.

The map will also highlight various bits of information, like the many Oregon food trails and pods, Instagram-worthy drives, popular in-state movie spots, and scenic bikeways.

Watch this space for the map release is coming soon. Or if you’d like to request one hot off the press email us at info@obbg.org to get on our mailing list.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Things are looking up. The CDC has lifted the mask mandate for fully vaccinated individuals and while Oregon is following this guidance, some inns may still be requiring masks to be worn in some situations. Please check with individual B&Bs to inquire about their specific policies. Each Oregon county, depending on its vaccination and case numbers, are also adjusting their regulations accordingly. 

Let’s all be respectful and safe and follow the guidance of our individual counties, inns and businesses. While it’s almost safe enough to climb aboard that travel train it’s still a little scary but we’re ready when you are! Our inns will continue to do everything in our power to keep you safe. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be.

Silver Falls State Park

1 Comment
Silver Falls State Park is the largest state park in Oregon and only 20 miles southeast of Salem in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The 9,000+ acre park offers more than 35 miles of backcountry trails for mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding.

silver-falls-state-park-in-the-central-cascadesThe Trail of Ten Falls is a 7.2-mile loop that passes behind four of Silver Falls State Park’s waterfalls, but the massive recess behind North Falls is especially unique. The undercut cliff extends back from the falls for at least 100 feet, and the ceiling runs anywhere from 20 to perhaps as much as 75 feet above the trail as it passes behind the falls.

According to Northwest Waterfall Survey there are well over 1000 waterfalls in Oregon! We’ve set out to witness the beauty of as many as we can. We’ll share our finds with you, our guests, so you too can set out to Chase Waterfalls.

Chase Oregon Waterfalls with us by following the Pinterest and Facebook pages of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild.

In the Willamette Valley you can spend your entire day doing nothing. Relax on a comfortable front porch at one of 14 bed and breakfasts or in their gardens. Or head out on a day trip Silver Falls State Park, the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system.

Oregon B&Bs Draw Doodle Map of Must-See State Waterfalls for Socially-Distant Adventures

The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is putting pen to paper to draw a doodle map and encourage you to fill your tanks, hit the road, and seize the summer – one waterfall at a time.

The Oregon Trail of Waterfalls, as it will be called, will be a beautiful, limited edition, double-sided map. The huge piece of art measuring 24-inches across and 18-inch down will be carefully folded and mailed free-of-charge to travelers upon request, while supplies last.

The map will also highlight various bits of information, like the many Oregon food trails and pods, Instagram-worthy drives, popular in-state movie spots, and scenic bikeways.

Watch this space for the map release is coming soon. Or if you’d like to request one hot off the press email us at info@obbg.org to get on our mailing list.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Things are looking up. The CDC has lifted the mask mandate and Oregon will be following this guidance, which applies to fully vaccinated individuals. That means Oregonians and our guests who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks or social distance in most public spaces.

Let’s all be respectful and safe. While it’s safe enough to climb aboard that travel train it’s still a little scary but we’re ready when you are! Our inns will continue to do everything in our power to keep you safe. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be.

McKenzie River Valley

4 Comments
Sahalie Falls, is the first and tallest of three waterfalls on the roaring McKenzie River.

‘The falls plunge a sheer 73 feet over an overhanging exposure of basalt into a huge basin which captures the mist ejected from the falls and turns it into a hurricane directed straight at the viewpoints for the falls just downstream’. Sahalie is a Chinook jargon word meaning “high”.

Sahalie Falls

Our Chasing Waterfalls and Oregon Waterfall Wednesdays series continues. According to Northwest Waterfall Survey there are well over 1000 waterfalls in Oregon! We’ve set out to witness the beauty of as many as we can. We’ll share our finds with you, our guests, so you too can set out to Chase Waterfalls.

You can Chase Oregon Waterfalls with us by following our Pinterest and Facebook pages.

In the Willamette Valley you can spend your entire day doing nothing. Relax on a comfortable front porch at one of 14 bed and breakfasts or in their gardens. Or head out on a day trip to explore the lush McKenzie River, located among old growth forest, waterfalls, mosses, ferns and brilliant blue pools of water.

Oregon B&Bs Draw Doodle Map of Must-See State Waterfalls for Socially-Distant Adventures

The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is putting pen to paper to draw a doodle map and encourage you to fill your tanks, hit the road, and seize the summer – one waterfall at a time.

The Oregon Trail of Waterfalls, as it will be called, will be a beautiful, limited edition, double-sided map. The huge piece of art measuring 24-inches across and 18-inch down will be carefully folded and mailed free-of-charge to travelers upon request, while supplies last.

The map will also highlight various bits of information, like the many Oregon food trails and pods, Instagram-worthy drives, popular in-state movie spots, and scenic bikeways.

Watch this space for the map release is coming soon. Or if you’d like to request one hot off the press email us at info@obbg.org to get on our mailing list.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Things are looking up. The CDC has lifted the mask mandate and Oregon will be following this guidance, which applies to fully vaccinated individuals. That means Oregonians and our guests who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks or social distance in most public spaces.

Let’s all be respectful and safe. While it’s almost safe enough to climb aboard that travel train it’s still a little scary but we’re ready when you are! Our inns will continue to do everything in our power to keep you safe. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be.

Little Multnomah Falls

Little Multnomah Falls is just upstream from its bigger, and slightly more famous sibling Multnomah Falls but stunning in its simple beauty.

Multnomah Creek traverses a flat shelf to create 15 foot Little Multnomah Falls, seen from the viewing platform above Multnomah Falls, before leveling off and plunging over the basalt edge into the Columbia River Gorge. Travel upstream and chase 3 more waterfalls. Make the 6 mile loop and discover 7 waterfalls total. Check trail status before you go.

And thus start a series of blog posts, Chasing Waterfalls and Oregon Waterfall Wednesdays. According to Northwest Waterfall Survey there are well over 1000 waterfalls in Oregon! We’ve set out to witness the beauty of as many as we can. We’ll share our finds with you, our guests, so you too can set out to Chase Waterfalls.

You can Chase Oregon Waterfalls with us by following our Pinterest and Facebook pages. The heart of the Columbia River Gorge is located just a 30-minute drive from Portland or Hood River and bed and breakfast of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: We all may be a little rusty, and a little leery, on planning trips just yet. And while it’s almost safe enough to climb aboard that travel train, we’re ready when you are! Our inns have been proactively doing everything in our power to keep you safe and welcome you back. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be.

Rogue Umpqua Scenic Byway ~ Take Two

We explored the Rogue Umpqua Scenic Byway in two trips. First one, after attending a conference in Ashland, Oregon, we choose to head home via the Rogue River section of the Rogue Umpqua Scenic Byway. Due to a very snowy winter we were unable to explore as much as we’d like. Another trip we explored the Umpqua River leg of this incredibly scenic byway through the Oregon Cascades. Read about that in a previous post.

From Ashland: We caught Hwy 62 at Medford, Oregon, and headed east toward Prospect and the Historic Hotel and Dinner House where we planned to stay the night. The route ascends into the Rogue River canyon, into old-growth firs and lava flows. First stop, Butte Falls and then we traveled Butte Falls – Prospect Road to Prospect. Spent the night in The Prospect Hotel’s motel units as we were traveling with our dog. Next morning we explored the beauty surrounding the Prospect Hotel, a few waterfalls, geocaches, roaring rivers and creeks.

Said goodbye to Fred and Karen and continued travel on Hwy 62 toward Chiloquin. Stopped at the observation platform overlooking the Rogue Gorge, a collapsed lava tube where the river now courses through a 25-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep chasm or the Natural Bridge interpretive site that explains how the river disappears through an underground lava tube, forming a land bridge. Had a nice lunch at Becky’s Cafe in Union Creek. Unfortunately, there were a few more waterfalls we just couldn’t get into with the feet of snow. We’ll be back.

Prospect Historic Hotel and Dinner House is Crater Lake’s closest full service town and would be a perfect spot to refuel the body and soul while exploring Crater Lake and the Rogue – Umpqua Scenic Byway.  Built in 1888 as a stagecoach stop half-way between the Rogue Valley and Crater Lake, this Nationally Registered Historic Hotel has been restored to all of its glory. After a hearty breakfast set off to enjoy this breathtaking tour through the thickly forested southern Cascades.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Oregon is one of the top states where it looks like social distancing is working. Our inns have been proactively doing everything in our power to keep you safe, welcome you back, when you’re ready to travel again. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be.

C.H. Bailey House

C.H. Bailey House is nestled in Southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley wine country. It’s Brenner Suite is a private luxurious “green” bungalow with a kitchen, queen-sized bed with luxurious linens, bathroom with walk-in shower, living room with gas fireplace, walk-in closet. Complimentary local wine and beer, and breakfast is included in the ADA accessible suite. 

The historic C.H. Bailey House and barn, built in 1909, and the beautifully manicured grounds offer a truly extraordinary romantic setting for your wedding or any other special celebration. You will find lots of idyllic country views, numerous places to sit, read, relax, chat, eat, drink, and be very merry. There are two groomed Italian bocce courts; play with a glass of wine or beer in your hand!

Day trips from C.H. Bailey House takes you to dozens of hiking trails and waterfalls along the famous Umpqua River. Visit award winning wineries and breweries, drive through world-renowned Wildlife Safari, or just relax and rejuvenate.

C.H. Bailey House can be your starting, or ending, place while touring the Rogue – Umpqua Scenic Byway. More commonly known as the ‘highway of waterfalls’, the Rogue – Umpqua Scenic Byway ascends from I-5 into the southern Cascades, tracking two of Oregon’s most storied rivers.’ From Gold Hill on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon or from Roseburg on the Umpqua River 85 miles north you’re only moments from enjoying this spectacular route. Follow the “Wild and Scenic” Umpqua and Rogue rivers through enchanting recreation areas in the heart of the southern Cascades.’

“Absolutely perfect….more than 5 Stars! I seldom write reviews for anything, but our stay at the CHBH is worth writing about. The occasion was our 30th Wedding Anniversary, so everything had to be perfect.” a Tripadvisor contributor.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Oregon is one of the top states where it looks like social distancing is working. Our inns have been proactively doing everything in our power to keep you safe, welcome you back, when you’re ready to travel again. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be.

McKenzie River Koosah Falls

Expedia released, in November, its 2020 Trends in Travel report, an analysis of U.S. traveler data in 2019 that highlighted the rise of natural wonders and college towns as tourism destinations and top-selling experiences and attractions for the year ahead.

2020 Travel Trends waiting for you

Travelers were chasing waterfalls in 2019: According to Wiki are at least 238 accessible waterfalls in Oregon. A search for Oregon waterfalls on Northwest Waterfall survey resulted in 1591! Wouldn’t it be grand to witness the beauty of every one of them?

Silver Falls State Park is the largest state park in Oregon and only 20 miles southeast of Salem, our state capital with 9,000+ acres that includes more than 24 miles of walking trails, 14 miles of horse trails, and a 4-mile bike path. And 18 waterfalls! The 8.7-mile Trail of Ten Falls runs along the banks of Silver Creek and has 4 walk behind falls.

Hidden beaches up and down the Oregon Coast: Make your visit to the Oregon coast memorable and special with a stay in one of our member bed and breakfasts along “The Peoples Coast, one of 7 Wonders of Oregon

Natural wonders? Yep, we have quite a few. We invite you to not just see Oregon’s 7 Wonders, but experience them. And there are so many more than just Seven. They aren’t just for taking pictures. You really need to get out of the car, hike down from the scenic vista and feel them beneath your feet.

Small college towns near outdoor attractions like hiking and biking trails grew in popularity in 2019. The type of places where there’s energy and stimulation, great restaurants, where you can walk around at night and where there are tons of outdoor recreation options. Here are the best college towns in Oregon for 2019 highlighting those that have member inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild:

Activities and attractions are often the top considerations when travelers are choosing where to go and where to stay. Oregon is a beautiful state with stunning natural and architectural wonders. If you are planning a trip anywhere this year, take a few minutes to consider these places to visit in Oregon.

Silver Falls State Park

2 Comments

Silver Falls State Park is the largest state park in Oregon and only 20 miles southeast of Salem, our state capital with 9,000+ acres that includes more than 24 miles of walking trails, 14 miles of horse trails, and a 4-mile bike path. The 8.7-mile Trail of Ten Falls runs along the banks of Silver Creek and has 4 walk behind falls.

North Falls is the third tallest waterfall within Silver Falls State Park. North Silver Creek is channeled through a narrow crack in the basaltic bedrock, from which it thunders 136 feet to the bottom of the canyon.

The Trail of Ten Falls is a 8.7-mile loop that passes behind four of Silver Falls State Park’s waterfalls, but the massive recess behind North Falls is especially unique. The undercut cliff extends back from the falls for at least 100 feet, and the ceiling runs anywhere from 20 to perhaps as much as 75 feet above the trail as it passes behind the falls.

You can Chase Waterfalls with us by subscribing to this blog, follow us on Pinterest, and on our Facebook Page. According to Wiki there are at least 238 waterfalls in Oregon!  I’m guessing even more than that.  Wouldn’t it be grand to witness the beauty of every one of them?  We’ve set out to find them all.  And when we do we’ll share our finds with you, our guests, so you too can set out to Chase Waterfalls.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Salmon Return

Salmon Return to Ancient Spawning Grounds

In September, salmon can be found in many of the tributaries of the major Oregon Rivers: The Columbia: The Rogue: The Umpqua and others. We here in northern Oregon witness the return in many of the tributaries of the mighty Columbia River and there’s nothing as spectacular as seeing the huge fish leaping up Klickitat Falls on Washington state’s Klickitat River.  The Klickitat River Salmon can be seen hurling themselves up the 8 foot Klickitat Falls as they make their way to their ancient spawning grounds. Most use the Klickitat fish ladder that the Yakima tribe has created but many attempt the journey upstream to their spawning grounds by themselves.

The Klickitat River roars through a narrow basalt canyon just a couple miles upstream from the Columbia River.  At the head of this canyon is the falls and the fish ladder.  Just down from the falls, in the narrows of the canyon, is a busy Native American dip-netting site, a fishing method used for centuries.  During the week, daily except Sundays and Mondays, you may respectfully sit and watch as the huge fish are caught with dip nets. And sometimes purchase a fresh caught fish.  The fish get spooked on fishing days so you will want to visit on Sundays or Mondays to witness the uninhibited spectacle at the falls.

From the Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast enjoy a scenic 80 mile loop, crossing the Columbia River into Washington, to the Klickitat River and back to the Inn, an adventure into the Eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

McKenzie River Valley

Imagine Festivities in the McKenzie River Valley

The McKenzie River Valley and the nearby member inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild invite you to visit the McKenzie River this summer for festivals, events and outdoor adventure.

McKenzie River Lavender Farm invites you to their Lavender Farm Open House and Festival July 8-10.  This event is a small piece of The Oregon Lavender Farm Tour presented by the Oregon Lavender Association, featuring statewide lavender events held the second weekend July. There’ll be arts & crafts, music, food, kids fun, and blooming lavender ready for u-cut lavender, lavender plants, and lavender lemonade and treats. Local artisans will be selling handcrafted skin care products, unique jewelry, soft woven scarves and more.

McKenzie Valley Art Festival being held at the McKenzie Community Track and Field venue in Blue River, August 6-7 and will have arts & crafts, chainsaw art, food, family activities, and a health fair.

Imagine yourself enjoying the many summer activities along the Wild and Scenic McKenzie River and nearby Willamette National Forest. Wake up to a sumptuous breakfast at one of our inns before heading out to explore the McKenzie River Valley:

The Innkeepers along the McKenzie River at the McKenzie River Round House will be glad to suggest day trips and adventures while visiting this stunning piece of Oregon.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share with you their version of Oregon Culinary Tourism and Geotourism.  Get to know our State like a local; stay with one of our nearly 100 hosts in any one of our many regions. Experience romantic getaways, historic treasures, and tucked away rustic retreats.  Whether your trip is for a quiet escape to a quaint rural or coastal town, taking in Oregon Geotourism, for a World Class City experience, or for a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance by staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.