12 Things To Do During Winter in Oregon; Experience the Magic

By Mariah Cannon

Top Winter Destinations in Oregon:

Some of the best spots to visit during Winter are in the PNW and a few of my favorites to visit in the off season are Bend, The Oregon Coast, Joseph, Ashland, and the Columbia River Gorge. In this blog post, I’m sharing twelve of my favorite ways to get out when it’s chilly including a couple things that are still on my list!

Friendly reminder to please leave no trace and leave the land better than you found it, so generations to come can continue exploring and enjoying the same as we have!

1. Visit Mt. Hood

Visit Mt. Hood – whether you’re a downhill junkie or prefer a hot toddy at the lodge, Mt. Hood offers a variety of things to do for just about anyone. Something that has been on my list for years, is Cosmic Tubing.

2. Visit the Columbia River Gorge

Check out the Historic Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. While this area stays popular year round, you’ll find a bit more solitude in the cold shoulder seasons, more time to enjoy the super crowded areas! Some of my favorites to check out are; Wahkeena Falls, Wahclella Falls, and Dry Creek Falls.

3. Visit Astoria

Ever seen The Goonies? If you haven’t, go check it out ASAP! That movie was filmed in Astoria and the town holds a lot of history in it’s own. I feel like this is an overlooked town in Oregon, but it is absolutely stunning to visit! From history to hiking to good eats, Astoria has a little slice of something for everyone. A must eat when on the Oregon Coast is Mo’s Chowder.

4. Take a Train Ride

You wouldn’t typically think of Oregon as being a train hub, but there a quite a few scattered across the state that do certain Holidays and Seasons. Some that do Christmas and Winter operations are Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad and Sumpter Valley Railroad (which I personally think is better in the Fall time, but they offer a Christmas ride too)!

5. Sea Life in Newport

Newport is simply one of the best towns to visit all year round, it’s a very family friendly town with plenty of things to do and plenty of places to stay. You’ll want to checkout the Sea Lion Docks and the Oregon Coast Aquarium!

6. Have a Relaxing Stay in Southern Oregon

Southern Oregon is a popular place to visit in the Winter simply for all of the great lodging opportunities and several attractions that stay open all year round. My favorite place to stay and explroe in Southern Oregon is Green Springs Inn and Cabins. Nestled in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument – there’s great food, wood fire places, jacuzzi tubs, and tons of acreage to explore.

7. Snowshoe at Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake’s Southern entrance stays open year round (unless of sever weather/avalanche danger, check before you go on the NPS). From the Rim Village parking lot, you’ll find several trails to parade around and see the massive crater. When the Rim Village Visitor Center is open, you’ll find souvenirs, snacks, warm drinks, and a place to warm up from the cold. My favorite trail to snowshoe is Garfield Peak.

8. Stay in Bend

Bend is an outdoorsy person’s dream – from skiing and snowshoeing to cozying up by the fire in a resort, there’s something for everyone here. You have Mt Bachelor just 35 minutes outside of Bend along with tons of sno-parks dedicated to backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, and fat tire biking. Some places to stay during the Winter are;

9. Do Some Cave Exploring

While near Bend, check out some of the epic caves it has to offer! Be sure to not leave any valuables in your vehicle as some of these are in the middle of nowhere and many choose to call their home the BLM land that surrounds these caves. Please do not carve into the rocks throughout the caves and leave no trace.

10. Dog Sled at Mt. Bachelor

Up until recently, I had no idea Mt. Bachelor offered an experience like this – How. Cool. This is one-hundred percent on my list of things to do. Book Your Sled Dog Rides!

11. Soak in a Hot Springs

I personally am not a hot springs girly, but Oregon sure does have quite a few of them. Sure, a few less than Idaho, but still. Some that I hear about are;

Umpqua Hot Springs
Crane Hot Springs
Alvord Hot Springs
Paulina Lake Hot Springs (Which requires about a three mile round-trip hike to get to)!

12. Explore the Wallowa Mountains

The Wallowa’s, also known as “Little Switzerland” is a magical place no matter what time of year you visit, but especially in the Winter. This is an area that Alex and I could visit every week and never grow tired of it, we spend a lot of our Summer and Fall in this area.

Our favorite place to stay is Joseph, right at the base of the mountain range. We typically camp at Wallowa State Park, but next on our list would be to check out the Wallowa Alpine Huts which just look absolutely incredible.

Pin this guide for your future adventures!

Let’s Get Adventuring!

Mariah

Mariah Adventures