| Oregon's Oregon Trail Country Portland to Kimberly, Oregon This tour traces the Oregon Trail through the famous cities and national forests of Oregon. It begins in the City of Roses, also known as Portland. Visit the International Rose Test Gardens where new rose varieties are tested each year. Built in 1917, this establishment is the oldest official, public rose test garden in the United States. Once you leave Portland, head east to Mount Hood National Forest, part of the Cascade Mountain Range. At 11,239 feet, Mount Hood is Oregon's highest point and is a top-ranked, year-round sports area. Continue to Kimberly and stop by the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument where paleontologists have gathered the most significant collection of prehistoric mammal fossils in the United States. This includes the remains of 50-plus-ton brontosaurs and 50-foot crocodiles and the identification of more than 120 species of mammals, plant life, and rare ferns. Use our route planner to find hotels for your next trip. | BEST OF THE ROAD:
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| International Rose Test Garden 400 SW Kingston Ave Portland, OR 97201 Call (503) 823-3636  |  | These are the oldest rose test gardens, and probably the most scenic, in the U.S. With over 6,800 rose bushes representing more than 550 varieties, the gardens also treat visitors to spectacular views of downtown Portland, majestic Mt. Hood, and volcanic Mt. St. Helens. Blooms tend to be at their height from June through August. The International Rose Test Garden received the Garden of Excellence Award from the World Federation of Rose Societies in 2006. | | |||||||
| World Forestry Center 4033 SW Canyon Rd Portland, OR 97221 Call (503) 228-1367 |  | The center's 20,000-sq-ft museum, located in Washington Park, offers exhibits on the natural processes of trees, types of forests in the world, firefighting, and the logging industry. The Jessup Wood collection has examples of all 505 trees native to North America. Among the center's educational features are dioramas, films, mechanized exhibits, special events, and two working tree farms. | | |||||||
| Oregon Zoo 4001 SW Canyon Rd Portland, OR 97221 Call (503) 226-1561 | | This 64-acre zoo recreates the natural habitats of many of the animals it houses which include those from the Pacific Northwest as well as exotic specimens from around the globe. The historic city park, now well over 100 years old, includes a botanical garden with more than 1,000 exotic plant species. A picnicking area and restaurant are also available. | ||||||||
| Oregon Museum of Science and Industry 1945 SE Water Ave. Portland, OR 97214 Call (503) 797-4000 | | You and your family will need ample time to take in this museum's regular exhibits, astronomy show in the planetarium Sky Theater, movie in the Omnimax Theater, submarine exhibit and laser light shows. Turbine Hall features bridge-building sets and boat-building kits. In the Space section, you can climb into a replica Gemini space capsule. Earth Science Hall lets visitors create their own rivers. Watch staff and volunteers excavate dinosaur fossils in the Paleo Lab. The Science Playground has lots of hands-on activities for younger children. | ||||||||
| Mount Hood National Forest 16400 Champion Way Sandy, OR 97055 Call (503) 668-1700 | | Mount Hood stands at about 11,200 feet, a year-round destination for hiking, downhill and cross-country skiing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and backcountry adventure. There are over 30 trails ranging in length and difficulty level, and 189,200 acres of Wilderness Area dispersed throughout. Campgrounds are available and hunting is permitted in-season. Rivers and streams offer canoeing and windsurfing while whitewaters abound through the 60 miles of Columbia River Gorge. In the Mount Hood Ski Area, you'll find Timberline Lodge high up the mountain. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the lodge was built in 1933. Its log construction and handmade furnishings make a cozy stop-off for skiers. It's also where the U.S. Ski Team trains.Today, intrepid mountaineers still take on the summit's challenge. This extremely dangerous climb requires prior research and experience. When gauging the best time to climb Mount Hood, take into account snow conditions, chance of rockfall, and the state of bergschrund. A bergschrund, a glacier torn away from the rocks above it, posses the potential to cause serious problems for climbers. The best time to climb is usually early June. The forest is open year-round; campgrounds are open only from April 15 to October 15. | ||||||||
| John Day Fossil Beds National Monument 32651 State Hwy 19 Kimberly, OR 97848 Call (541) 987-2333 | | Named for the John Day River in northwest Oregon, the John Day Fossil Beds provide a nearly continuous geologic history dating back six to 54 million years. This takes up most of the Cenozoic Age, when mammals became dominant among other animal life forms. Geologist Thomas Condon discovered the site in the latter half of the 19th century; since then over 320 genera of plant and animal fossils have been identified here. Some of the more exotic-sounding species include three-toed horses and saber-toothed tigers.The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is divided into three units spread out over a large area: Painted Hills, Clarno, and Sheep Rock. In the Painted Hills Unit, hiking trails lead through red claystone hills formed eons ago by volcanic activity. The Clarno Unit formations are the oldest among the three units and contain the eroded palisades, petrified logs, and the Clarno Arch. The Sheep Rock Unit is also served by nature trails and is the location of the National Park Service headquarters and visitor center. | ||||||||
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Oregon's Oregon Trail Country