A Tasty Road Trip from Bend to Baker City to Joseph

Greg Robeson and Cory Carman, Guest Author
April 25, 2012 (Updated March 21, 2014)
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Cory Carman – Fourth generation rancher:

Cory Carman grew up in paradise, albeit not the tropical kind. In the shadow of the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon, she spent her youth riding horses on the family’s 3,500-acre cattle ranch. After college at Stanford, Cory felt the pull of the family farm amid its wide-open spaces and jaw-dropping vistas. She’s now the fourth generation to oversee the ranch, which supplies grass-fed beef to many of Oregon’s top chefs. Here is Cory’s Trail to Feast for her stomping grounds. This trip takes you from Bend to Baker City to Joseph.

Start your day:
Before hitting the road in Bend, grab a Fair Trade Certified coffee and a breakfast burrito at Strictly Organic Coffee.

Grab your camera:
Four miles east of Prairie City on the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway, a big Conestoga wagon commemorates the Oregon Trail and marks a viewpoint into the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.

Unique sleeps:
Revisit the service and style of 1889 without giving up creature comforts at the Geiser Grand Hotel, a National Historic Landmark in Baker City.

Meet the maker:
Stop by Stein Distillery on Main Street in the picture book town of Joseph to sample their excellent handcrafted spirits made onsite with locally grown grains in a magnificent copper still.

A treat worth the drive:
A dark chocolate mocha from Arrowhead Chocolates in Joseph will help fuel your explorations, and don’t forget some salted caramels for the road.

You’ve gotta see this:
Watch 10,000 years of Native American history come to life through exhibits, storytelling and dance at the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute Museum, 10 miles east of Pendleton.

Can’t-miss dinner:
Order the Pit Boss burger made with local grass-fed beef, bacon and barbeque sauce to go with one of the eight rotating handcrafted beers on tap at Pendleton’s best brewery and pub, The Prodigal Son.

Want some inspiration to help create your own tasty trail? Download our Trails To Feast booklet featuring seven culinary paths throughout Oregon.