Eileen Garvin

I’m walking slowly with my eyes trained on the ground. I’m noting the wildflowers scattered along the path — huckleberry blossoms, bear grass and avalanche lilies. I’m “wandering” through this patch of woods, which is exactly what the Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas project says I should do in my role as citizen scientist. Here in the Mount Hood Wilderness, I scan the woods for furry winged bodies as part of the organization’s tri-state effort to survey the habitat of these important and often unrecognized... More

From the depths of Hells Canyon to the heights of Steens Mountain, Eastern Oregon’s ancient landscapes burst at the seams with rugged beauty and teeming wildlife. And spring just might be the perfect time to visit. More

The Willamette Valley has a wintry secret: When the cool ocean air hits the backbone of the Cascade Range, the west-facing slopes transform into a powdery playground. Mountain peaks tower above the Willamette National Forest, with its hidden caches of snow. The rushing McKenzie River and companion creeks burble along, laced with ice. While most people head to Oregon’s better-known winter destinations, the Willamette Valley lures adventurous travelers to a quiet wonderland with fewer crowds and plenty of stoke. Whether you seek vertical velocity, groomed... More

Oregon’s wine roots run deep. When you stroll through a vineyard in the Willamette Valley, step into a tasting room in Southern Oregon or take in a grape-covered vineyard in the Columbia River Gorge, you have Oregon’s wine pioneers to thank. For Oregon Wine Month, we celebrate the past, present and future of Oregon wine. More

Sweet with your salty? Savory with your sugar? We’re known for pushing the gustatory envelope around here, and Oregon treat makers are no exception. Take Salt & Straw, for example. The ice cream empire now with three Portland locations — plus its whimsical spin-off, a soft-serve scoop shop called Wiz Bang Bar at Pine Street Market,… More

This winter, she came early and with fury: The siren song of snow. While we’ve had great flurries of powder where we live and work, it’s a true winter wonderland at Oregon’s ski areas, with their snowy peaks, loaded cornices and deep powder stashes. Around the corner, there’s a layer of white carpeting the bunny… More

Located less than 4 miles from Oregon’s capital city, the town of Keizer is often thought of together with Salem. But this independent little community has an identity all its own. Originally named for two immigrant farmer brothers, Keizer has become regionally known for its annual iris festival in May — a flower-focused celebration with a… More

Oregon’s southeast corner is an area of remote and rugged beauty. Far from the wet coastline and forested mountains that characterize the state’s western region, this high-desert country is full of volcanic craters, craggy mountain peaks, untraveled back roads and abundant wildlife. Residents in these friendly small towns come from farming and ranching families that… More

Oregon Trail pioneers who first arrived in Lebanon were drawn to the fertile farmlands here between the Cascade Mountains and the Coast Range. The historic Santiam Wagon Road operated from the 1860s until the 1930s — a historically important freight route between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon. Now a town of nearly 16,000 people, this… More

Just south of US-84 and the Columbia River in Eastern Oregon lies land rich in history and agricultural tradition. The off-the-beaten-path towns located here are well worth a side trip for the unexpected discoveries you’ll find. This route through Umatilla, Hermiston, Echo and Heppner opens up a world of wildlife and watermelons, of Oregon Trail… More