Oregon Life

Road trips in Oregon can take you to some of the most scenic wilderness areas in the West.  Hike through remote wilderness backcountry at Opal Creek.  Kayak forested lakes above Eastern Oregon’s high desert.  Hike through rain forest and under waterfalls along the Cascade Mountain Range.  Camp in your tent, RV, trailer, or bivy sack in some of the best state and federal campgrounds in the Pacific Northwest.  Fish pristine lakes.  Explore indigenous history.  Learn about Chinese-American communities in Eastern Oregon.  Live your best Oregon Life.  Explore Oregon Road Trips with the Mod Fam.

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Oregon Life - Road Trips Oregon. Mossy rocks fill Opal Creek, in Oregon's Opal Creek Wilderness. Water cascades over ancient rock in the center of the creek.
Oregon Life - Road Trips Oregon. The Ancient Forest Center at Opal Creek, Oregon, in the Opal Creek Wilderness. Historic cabins at Opal Creek can be reserved and rented. Changing fall leaves in the foreground contrast with the green tin roofs of the cabins, with smoke swirling above them at dusk in the mountains.
An interior poster with Chinese script at John Day, Oregon's Kam Wah Chung & Company, the most significant collection of 19th and 20th Century artifacts documenting Chinese immigrants in the American West. The store, boarding house, doctor's office, and home contains documents and objects from the third-largest Chinese settlement or 'Chinatown' in the United States. The building sat undisturbed for decades before being opened and preserved, first by the city of John Day and later by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
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Interesting Oregon Facts: John Day’s Kam Wah Chung & Company

One of the most significant and interesting historical sites in Oregon sits near John Day, Oregon’s Main Street. Chinese immigrants Ing Hay and Lung On bought Kam Wah Chung & Company in 1880. They turned the dry goods store into a successful, 50-year partnership, providing medical care, dried goods, lodging, entertainment, writing and translation services, and other important services to both the Chinese and non-Chinese communities.

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August 2, 2019 33 Comments
Oregon Life - Road Trips Oregon. The Ancient Forest Center at Opal Creek, Oregon, in the Opal Creek Wilderness. Historic cabins at Opal Creek can be reserved and rented. Changing fall leaves in the foreground contrast with the green tin roofs of the cabins, with smoke swirling above them at dusk in the mountains.
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Oregon Hikes – Opal Creek Hike

Visit Opal Creek, Oregon and the Ancient Forest Center, a private, non-profit educational center in Oregon’s Opal Creek Wilderness. The historic settlement sits along Opal Creek near a Depression-era water wheel and power station in the wilderness area.

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June 15, 2020 6 Comments
A wide-angle view of Oregon's Magone Lake, near John Day, Oregon. Enormous pine trees overshadow the walking path that encircles the lake.
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Best Camping in Oregon: Clyde Holliday State Park

Some of the best camping in Oregon is a long way away from the coast and the I-5 corridor. You may be surprised to find the high desert oasis of Clyde Holliday State Park, a campground and day-use area near John Day, Mt. Vernon, and Magone Lake.

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August 3, 2019 20 Comments
A wide-angle view of Oregon's Magone Lake, near John Day, Oregon. Enormous pine trees overshadow the walking path that encircles the lake.
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Oregon Road Trip: 3 Day Recommended Itinerary

Thinking of planning your own Oregon Road Trip? Our recommended Oregon road trip itinerary includes full-day activities for each of the three days. Click on any of the days in our itinerary contents list below to jump to that part of the itinerary.

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August 1, 2019 No Comments
Best Place to Kayak - Magone Lake in Oregon. Several kayaks sit along the shore of Magone Lake, a natural lake created by a landslide in the early 1800s.
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Best Place to Kayak – Magone Lake in Oregon

If you’re looking for the best lake to kayak in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, check out Magone Lake, near Mount Vernon and John Day, Oregon. This roughly 50-acre lake offers calm water, beautiful natural features, and miles of shoreline to explore. Keep reading for kayak access points, directions to Magone Lake, and more.

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September 7, 2020 No Comments
Oregon Life - Road Trips Oregon. Slightly rusted antique wagon and tractor wheels sit in front of the Prairie City Antiques warehouse in Prairie City, Oregon. This image shows one of the antique dealer's two shops in town.

We Know How to Explore Oregon

If you want to know about Oregon, you’ve come to the right place.  We’ve been exploring Oregon most of our lives.  And we’ve put together some of our favorite recommendations so you can get right to the good stuff.  Explore Eastern Oregon’s historic towns and state parks.  Hike ancient forests in wilderness reserves.  Ride a tram to Howard Peak overlooking the Eagle Caps and visit the land of the Nez Perce and Chief Joseph.  Learn about one of the largest Chinese settlements in the West in John Day.  Road Trip Oregon to live the Oregon Life.  Click on any of our Exploring Oregon posts above, or use the menu above to plan your next Oregon Road Trip.

Explore Oregon Life with our helpful resource guides.  We’ve packed our Oregon Guides full of recommendations for the BEST outdoor recreation.  Explore Oregon’s vast wilderness areas.  Experience the state’s thriving urban areas.  Expand your perspective of the Beaver State.  From hiking and backpacking to camping state and federal parks, we’ve filled our guides full of useful, relevant information.  Get all the information you need to plan your next hike, route, or trip.  Explore Oregon with the Mod Fam and come explore Oregon with us!

This is Oregon

Oregon Life - Road Trips Oregon. The Best Stock Photo Sites for Photographers - Kam Wah Chung Artifacts. Posters with Mandarin Chinese lettering adorn a door frame inside John Day, Oregon's Kam Wah Chung & Company, the most significant collection of 19th and 20th Century artifacts documenting Chinese immigrants in the American West. Other packages and items for sale sit nearby in the Company's store.

Oregon Life • Explore Oregon