5 Best Natural Wonders To Visit In Oregon This Year
Nicknamed the Beaver State, this Pacific Northwest (PNW) state converses best through nature. From the mountains to the old-growth forests to the sea, Oregon's natural wonders are as splendid as they are accessible. Nothing is human-made here.
Take the approximately 15 to 17 million-year-old Haystack Rock Touch, or the Columbia River Gorge, which was incepted around the same time—you can touch, relax, or let your spirit for adventure soar in the views. These five natural wonders connect you to the state on a whole other level.
Columbia River Gorge
This 80-mile-long, steep-walled canyon between Oregon and Washington lies within the largest National Scenic Area in the US. Carved initially by the Columbia River through the Cascade Range—a process that began some 17 million years ago—river basalt flows and the massive Missoula Floods between 19,000 and 15,000 years ago consequently shaped the dramatic, up to 4,000-foot-deep river canyon walls. The landscape becomes grander and brighter rolling east. Visit on the fringe of summer for lower crowds, wildflowers, or foliage. Rental and BYO bikes and e-bikes are popular.
Accessible by car, dozens of inspiring waterfalls line the Historic Columbia River Highway, like the mighty Multnomah, Bridal Veil, and Latourell Falls spilling from basalt cliffs. From wildflowers at Rowena Crest to the challenging Angel’s Rest Trail, the unique environment lends itself to farm-fresh dining, estate-grown cider, and world-class vino. Many enjoy the 32-mile Hood River Fruit Loop, with farm fruit stands, wineries, and breweries in the beautiful Hood River Valley. Paddleboarding or kiteboarding lends unique photo ops around Hood River, the windsurfing capital of the world.
Crater Lake
The 1,943-foot-deep nation's deepest, world's clearest "lake" is an unmatched southern Oregon wonder within the state's only national park, the fifth oldest in the US (est. 1902). Its ethereal depth and the iridescent beauty exude a millennia's worth of magic. Named for a huge volcanic crater, or "caldera," Crater Lake was formed some 7,700 years ago when the ancient Mount Mazama collapsed inward, following the largest eruption in North America for over half a million years. The protected wilderness houses an assortment of wildlife, including bears, elk, and bald eagles.
Summertime is ideal for shaded hikes and biking throughout, plus the 33-mile Rim Drive ringing the lake. Best of all, the lake is accessible for fishing, swimming, and even scuba diving, as well as the popular Volcano Boat Tour, which is the only boat permitted on the lake. Hop on for a close-up of Llao Rock, Phantom Ship, and the mystic Wizard Island. The surreal clarity and strikingly blue color are bewitching year-round. In fact, Crater Lake, primarily fed by rainwater and melted snow, is one of the PNW's snowiest, boasting up to 40 feet of annual snow fluff—a dream for winter sports.
Haystack Rock
This world-famous seastack in Cannon Beach, featured in The Goonies, erupts from the ocean floor at the edge of the shoreline. Once connected to the coast but since separated by erosion, Haystack Rock is easily accessible by foot at low tide. The small town welcomes up to 1.5 million travelers each year to gawk at the 235-foot basalt monolith. Its rich intertidal ecosystem hosts colorful starfish and giant green sea anemones. No material can be removed within 300 yards, and climbing the stack above the barnacle line is strictly prohibited.
Formed millions of years ago by ancient lava flows and erosion, which created Oregon's other dramatic capes and headlands, Haystack appears in various media. The state-protected marine environment encompasses an intertidal area, one of Oregon's seven Marine Gardens. In addition to colorful tidepools and diverse sealife, the nesting site for seabirds is the PNW's most accessible viewing site for tufted puffins from early spring to mid-summer. Visit the beach for the weather in the summer or other seasons for lower crowds and moody waves.
Mount Hood
Peaking at an incredible 11,244 feet, this mighty stratovolcano upholds Oregon's heavens as the state's highest point and the fourth-highest peak in the Cascades. Rather than destructive eruptions, it is characterized by gradual building and collapse of lava domes, pyroclastic flows, and lahar (volcanic mudflows). Towering some seventy miles east of Portland, the national forest in northwestern Oregon is an easy day trip and popular for summertime camping. There's more than adventure on the table; geology, history, wildlife, and culture have helped shape the entire PNW.
Incepted between 500,000 and 700,000 years ago, Mount Hood continued forming through further eruptions that gave rise to the mountain, with notable features like Cooper Spur, Illumination Rock, Mississippi Head, and Cathedral Ridge. Topping out at 12,000 feet, followed by ice and erosion reduction, the latest three eruptive periods took place just in the past 2,000 years. A massive eruption around the 1780s resulted in the Crater Rock, a 550-foot-high lava dome on the south side, one of its most recognizable features, and a popular yet challenging mountaineering route.
Thor's Well
Thor's Well is a gaping, seemingly bottomless sinkhole on the edge of the Oregon coast between Florence and Yachats on Cape Perpetua. Due to the ocean pressure, the Well is most spectacular at high tide or during storms since the water washes violently over the rocks and funnels into the hole. Plan to visit one hour before the high tide to observe the buildup to the climax. According to research, it began as an ordinary sea cave dug out by wave action. The roof eventually collapsed, creating top and bottom openings through which the ocean sprays.
Thor’s Well is not bottomless—likely only around 20 feet deep—but produces amazing vistas and can be dangerous, including common sneaker waves. Nicknamed "the drainpipe of the Pacific," it comprises a hole in the rock that only appears to drain water from the ocean, swallowing the unbroken stream of seawater around it. Watch out—Thor’s Well also likes to consume photography gear. Within 50 feet, Cook's Chasm is like an anti-version of Thor's Well. This hissing, spouting horn, an ancient basalt rock, shoots waves through cracks at a 45-degree angle.
Supplement your windsurfing adventures with wineries, relax on the beach in view of the sea stack, or park your RV by the nation's deepest lake, an ancient caldera. A world of wonders awaits the relentless venturers through the Beaver State.
Famous for its versatile scenery, these five statewide wonders take you through old-growth forests, the rocky coastline, and the 9,000-foot granite peaks. Swim in the world's clearest lake or roam feet-deep in snow around it in winter.
