Tag Archives: eastern oregon

Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site

The Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site

The Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site, pronounced  “ee-weh-TEAM-lye-kin”, is an Oregon State Park adjacent to a Nez Perce National Historical Park, site of Old Chief Joseph Gravesite and Cemetery, all ancestral homes of the Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce.

Short trails with spectacular views of the Wallowa Mountains pass Knight’s Pond, a cool summer oasis and a peaceful respite for hikers. Look for spring and summer wildflowers during your walk. You also may catch glimpses of deer, fox, bear and raptors.

For an historic Oregon experience, consider spending a few days in Joseph, Oregon, and visiting the Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site at different times of day.  In the early morning you’ll probably find wildlife there.  During the day, watch the sun cast varying shadows on the Wallowa Mountains.  In the afternoon, visit Wallowa Lake and the Old Chief Joseph Gravesite.  Come back to Iwetemlaykin in the evening as the coolness descends.

Two Oregon bed and breakfasts welcome you to the Wallowa Valley and this Oregon State Treasure, Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site

  • Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast is located nearby in Joseph.  This 1920s period bungalow is restored in the European Arts & Crafts style.  The inn’s library includes many books on local Oregon history to round out your geotourism experience.
  • Belle Pepper’s Bed and Breakfast is one block from Joseph’s main street,walking distance of galleries, restaurants, and other local businesses.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share Oregon, its environment, culture, and heritage with you.  Get to know our State like a local. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape, a world class city experience, or a new spin on business travel,  you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance when staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

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Ski Oregon and Stay at an Oregon Bed and Breakfast.

Ski Oregon, as it offers unparalleled opportunities for outdoor winter recreation and the snow is piling up across the state.  Whether you are a skier, snowboarder, or looking for back-country trails for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, Oregon has it all. And after your day’s adventure, get pampered at a member inn of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild.

Central and Eastern Oregon Bed and Breakfasts

Mt. Bachelor, one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest ski areas. Only 20 minutes from Bend, Mt. Bachelor offers world class skiing and snowboarding from November through May.

Ferguson Ridge is a community owned ski area located just 9 miles outside Joseph, Oregon.  Operated by the Eagle Cap Ski Club, Ferguson Ridge Ski Patrol, and the Enterprise-Joseph Lions Club, it’s completely run on heart-volunteers who want a community place to gather and play

Willamette Valley Bed and Breakfasts

From the Willamette Valley, the Willamette Pass Resort on Highway 58 offers big mountain skiing to a variety of skill levels. Seven lifts including the state’s only high-speed six passenger lift will take you to 360 degrees of alpine adventure.

Mt Hood Bed and Breakfasts 

Mt. Hood’s ski resorts provide downhill skiing and snowboarding, hiking, and cross country skiing.  Mt Hood Meadows is the largest ski resort on Mt. Hood! Enjoy 2150 acres of terrain with high speed express service with 5 high speed quads. Twelve chairlifts total and Snowcat access the greatest variety of terrain in the state of Oregon. Experts will revel in back-country skiing at Heather Canyon.

Timberline Ski Resort is the only ski area in North America that’s open 12 months of the year with up to 3,590 vertical feet.

Southern Oregon Bed and Breakfasts

From Mt. Ashland’s 7,533-foot summit, skiers and snowboarders ride a drop of 1,150 vertical feet. There is a remarkable terrain park, and the four chairlifts provide access to 23 trails as well as to open bowl skiing.

In Crater Lake National Park cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular. There are nine different skiing trails available, ranging in difficulty.

These are but a few of your Oregon winter sport options.  Many inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are within minutes of world class outdoor adventures.  Begin planning your Winter Ski Trip today with bed and breakfast accommodations at an Oregon Bed and Breakfast.

Thanks to Travel Oregon, who launched the Only Slightly Exaggerated campaign and showed the world that Oregon is unlike any other place in the spring and summer, but our state’s magic extends into the fall and winter, too.

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

The videos of Travel Oregon’s Oregon, Only Slightly Exaggerated reveal whimsical scenes of enchanting forests, vineyards, rivers, mountains and more, and share with you that magical feeling of being in Oregon.

Now the captivating artwork is coming to the real world, proudly hand-painted on walls in Oregon where the illustrations represent the destinations.   Let the Oregon Mural Trail inspire you to get outside and experience the wonders of each community.  Take photos of the murals and use the hashtag #OregonIsMagic in social posts to share the love.  And while you’re there, visit the landmarks and businesses that make these towns just so magical.

The featured mural is in Ontario’s Red Apple Mall. At Oregon’s eastern edge and in a different time zone, Ontario is the gateway to desert beauty, stunning river canyons and towering mountain ranges. Any time of year, this little town is a great sunny destination and basecamp to outdoor adventures at the Owyhee Canyonlands, Lake Owyhee, Pillars of Rome and more. Make time for Four Rivers Cultural Center and Museum, which honors the area’s cultural heritage, Native American, Basque, European, Hispanic and Japanese.

There are several Oregon Trail Sites sights from the Idaho border to Baker City,  the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center offers living history demonstrations, interpretive programs, exhibits, multi-media presentations, special events, and more than four miles of interpretive trails.  From the top of Flagstaff Hill you can still see the trail running out across the plains.

Baker City Blue Door will be the first member in of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild as you travel into Oregon.  The historic home of two prominent Oregonians, the Inn is a simple and elegant get-away to rest and relax. Located on a tree-lined residential street, the inn is in the heart of historic downtown Baker City.

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.

Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Races in Oregon

Eagle Cap Extreme the infectious enthusiasm and energy of sled dogs will be seen and heard by young and old spectators alike which starts January 24th, 12pm (noon) at the Ferguson Ridge Ski Area, outside of Joseph Oregon.  The every popular veterinary checks for sled dogs takes place Wednesday, January 23rd, 9am on Main Street in Joseph and 1pm Main Street Enterprise. Meet the mushers and their faithful teams.

Sled Dog Races are a great opportunity for everyone to experience the excitement of competitive sled dog racing.  Mushers come from as far away as Arizona, Michigan and British Columbia to compete.

In Joseph Oregon there are opportunities for the public to spend time with the mushers of the Eagle Cap Extreme:

  • Wednesday, Jan 23rd, 6:30 pm, Joseph Community Center.  Mushers Potluck (you can bring something or pick up some food at the local Mt. Joseph Family Foods grocery).
  • All legs and races start at Ferguson Ridge Ski Area.  Race starts. Colorful excitement of flags, winter gear, and dogs ready to pull sleds.  There will be shuttle buses available leaving from Joseph at 9:45 am.
  • Salt Creek Summit Snow Park: See the racers up close on the trail. Snow shoers and cross country skiers may want to use this as their starting point.  Hike or ski 1/4 mile to see mushers on the loop.
  • Finish at Ferguson Ridge: Watch the teams arrive.  Thursday the 24th through Saturday the 26th
  • Saturday, Jan 26th, 5:30 pm, Joseph Community Center.  “Tales from the Trails” dinner (tickets $20).  Enjoy dinner, see award presentations and hear the tales from the trails.

You can find out more about this annual Joseph Oregon event at the Eagle Cap Extreme website.  And for comfortable lodging while taking in the winter activities consider these two Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member inns:

Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast is delightful, award-winning B&B located in Joseph.  Walking distance to local art galleries, restaurants and unique shops.  Nearby are Wallowa Lake, Hells Canyon Scenic Byway and the Eagle Cap Wilderness.  Snowshoeing, backcountry skiing and snowmobiling are popular winter activities.

Belle Pepper’s Bed and Breakfast is just one block from Joseph’s charming main street, placing you within easy walking distance of galleries, restaurants, and other local businesses.

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.

Oregon Trail

The Historic Oregon Trail turns 175 in 2018.  Time for you to hit the highway, inspire your own pioneer spirit, stand in the actual wagon ruts pioneers left behind, and visit the numerous interpretive sites, monuments and cultural centers along the way.

The Oregon Trail traversed 2,170 miles of what today is Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon.  Travel the Oregon National Historic Trail through Oregon, from Idaho, along the Columbia River and around Mt Hood.

There are several trail sights from the Idaho border to Baker City, the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center offers living history demonstrations, interpretive programs, exhibits, multi-media presentations, special events, and more than four miles of interpretive trails.  From the top of Flagstaff Hill you can still see the trail running out across the plains.  Lodging in Baker City, Oregon: Baker City Blue Door

The cemeteries along the route reveal so many Oregon Trail stories: where the emigrants came from, how they lived, and died, as they headed for Oregon and the awaited promises.

The last hurdle for emigrants on the Oregon Trail was the Cascade Range. Early pioneers either had to barge down the treacherous Columbia River, make their home in The Dalles, or travel the Barlow Road through the Cascades along the south side of Mt Hood.  Lodging option on Mt Hood: Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast 

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum reveals the cataclysmic floods that helped shape the Columbia River Gorge. Here also you’ll experience interactive exhibits of the Lewis and Clark expedition, The Oregon Trail and 10,000 years of Native American life in the Gorge.  Lodging: Hood River Bed and Breakfasts

At the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and Historic Site in Oregon City, visitors can learn about the journey, discover what it was like to be a pioneer and what life was like for those who reached Oregon Territory.  Lodging options: Willamette Valley Bed and Breakfasts

“On such a journey as this, there is much to interest and amuse one who is fond of picturesque scenery, and of wild life.” – Randolph Marcy, 1859

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.

Baker City Blue Door Inn

Baker City Blue Door Inn located on a quiet tree-lined street in the heart of the downtown Historic Baker City

Baker City Blue Door Inn is centrally located in the heart of the downtown historic district of Baker City, Oregon.  Stroll through the beautiful tree-lined neighborhoods or visit one of several museums. Walk to local restaurants, shops and breweries or enjoy a bike ride on the lovely Leo Adler trail which meanders along the beautiful Powder River. However you choose to spend your time while in Baker City we are here to make your stay memorable.

With the Elkhorn Mountain Range to the west and the Eagle Cap Wilderness to the east Baker City has unlimited recreation opportunities including pristine lakes and mountain rivers, miles of hiking trails, as well as shopping and distinctive dining experiences in their historic district.

Baker City Blue Door Inn has four comfortable guests room, two with private baths, and all are comfortably air-conditioned and include robes, luggage racks, fresh filtered water and chocolates upon arrival.  Guests sit down to a hearty buffet breakfast in the formal dining room after a freshly brewed cup of coffee and a morning treat.

We welcome Baker City Blue Door Inn to the list of quality inns 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.

Central and Eastern Oregon Museums

Central and Eastern Oregon Museums Worth making the trip

The Central and Eastern Oregon museums will take you back in time. A glimpse into an ever changing Oregon, it’s indigenous people, hearty immigrants, and hard working cattlemen.

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute where the history, culture and hospitality of the people who have lived on this land for more than 10,000 years comes alive.  More than just a museum, Tamastslikt celebrates the traditions of Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Tribes.

High Desert Museum, in Bend, Oregon, is nationally acclaimed and is dedicated to broadening the understanding of the High Desert’s wildlife, culture, art and natural resources.

At daily shows and demonstrations, wildlife experts will help you learn about the Museum’s more than 100 wildlife creatures — from porcupines, golden eagles and owls, to bats, lizards, snakes and spiders.   In the Birds of Prey Center you will have a rare opportunity to get a close-up look at some of nature’s fiercest predators – owls, hawks and eagles.

Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site in John Day, Oregon, is a must-see for anyone with an interest in Oregon history. This structure was built as a trading post on The Dalles Military Road in the mid-1800’s. Chinese businessman Lung On and herbal doctor Ing Hay worked out of this building. Dr. Hay administered care to the Chinese gold-mine workers, pioneers, and others from the John Day area and beyond by using traditional Chinese remedies. Built to preserve the legacy of the Chinese workforce in Oregon, the museum contains artifacts and displays that share some of the trials of everyday life of these people.

They walked for 2,000 miles…men, women, and children by the tens of thousands. The story of this journey comes alive today through the life-size exhibits at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker City.  The museum offers living history demonstrations, interpretive programs, exhibits, multi-media presentations, special events, and more than four miles of interpretive trails. Let the innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild share their knowledge of these unique museums and many other natural attractions in the beautiful and vast expanse of Eastern Oregon.

These are but a few of the many historical museum located in Central and Eastern Oregon.  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.

Oregon Outback Scenic Byway

Oregon Outback Scenic Byway ~ A View into Oregon’s Past and Dynamic High Desert Scenery

Oregon Outback Scenic BywayRecently we took a road trip on one of Oregon’s 26 Scenic Byways, Oregon Outback Scenic Byway.  This byway takes you through a slice of the Great Basin, an isolated diverse landscape, where lush green forests of the Oregon Cascades are replaced by sagebrush and stunning rock formations.

See striking evidence of mysterious rock formations left behind by volcanoes at Fort Rock.  The Abert Rim is a 30-mile-long fault escarpment, one of the nation’s longest and most continuous fault escarpment that rises more than 2,000 feet above the Byway.

Take a few minutes to stop at Picture Rock Pass, named for ancient Indian petroglyph-decorated rocks that are within walking distance of the highway.  I discovered these while seeking Geocache GC18MWG ‘Between Basins’.  Yes, I am a cacher and, as everywhere in Oregon,  there are plenty for you to hunt for.  Don’t miss Lakeview Geyser Earthcache GC23CK7, the Old Perpetual Geyser.

Picture Rock Pass offers panoramic views of the lakes and forests. Stunning Winter Rim divides forest and desert and as the Geocache ‘Between Basins’ suggests, ancient lake basins.  The Paisley Caves, discovered in the cliffs above the Great Basin, have revealed fossils and evidence of human habitation as long as 14,000 years ago.

We also took advantage of a soak in the mineral baths of Summer Lake Hot Springs.  You won’t want to miss that.

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.

The Bronze Antler

The Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast in Joseph, Oregon

The Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast is a delightful, award-winning Bed and Breakfast located in Joseph, the premiere art colony town of Eastern Oregon.  Walking distance to local art galleries, restaurants and unique shops.  Nearby are Wallowa Lake, Hells Canyon Scenic Byway and the Eagle Cap Wilderness.  Snowshoeing, backcountry skiing and snowmobiling are popular winter activities.

The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast offers three guestrooms and one upscale, modern suite, all with Wi-Fi, air conditioning and private attached bath and is the only AAA 3-diamond & Select Registry lodging in Joseph, Oregon.  Walk into downtown Joseph, sprinkled with specialty shops and galleries, world class fine art & foundries, local clothing, baked goods, chocolates, wines, and coffees and the majestic Wallowa Mountains as a backdrop.

The Bronze Antler recently added a Tesla and Clipper Creek Electric Vehicle EV Charging Stations on site for your use and included in your stay.

A wholesome, savory breakfast is prepared from many local ingredients along with a variety of juices, a breakfast meat (vegetarian meat substitute available) and fresh fruit.

Madigan, the bed and breakfast cat, will entertain you downstairs or outside but isn’t allowed into the guestrooms.  Kennel services are available nearby for your dog or leave the canine in the car.  As part of her contract, Madigan promises not to taunt dogs.

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.

Belle Peppers

Belle Pepper’s Bed and Breakfast

Belle Pepper’s Bed and Breakfast, in the historic McCully Mansion, is surrounded by an acre of lawns and gardens and bordered by the Wallowa River, making the setting is as lovely as the home. The B&B is just one block from Joseph’s charming main street, placing you within easy walking distance of galleries, restaurants, and other local businesses.  Explore the year-round splendor of the trails and breathtaking Eagle Cap Wilderness, either on your own or with the expert care and leadership of our local wilderness guides.  Hiking, backpacking, winter sports, hunting and fishing, all are available in the area.

Four well appointed rooms await you at Belle Pepper’s B&B as well as a hearty breakfast using only the freshest ingredients.  Walk the grounds and visit the chickens that supply the eggs!

Belle Pepper’s Bed and Breakfast became the first bed and breakfast in Oregon to be recognized, in 2007, as a green lodging by Co-op America, which has since become Green America.  The innkeeper, Pepper, also helped to pioneer the green lodging program for the Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild, where we were among the first crop of green bed and breakfasts throughout Oregon.

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.