Visiting Southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley? You’re in for a treat — well, many treats. Along with Wild and Scenic rivers and more than a dozen waterfalls, this area is home to the Great Umpqua Food Trail featuring 70 delicious stops that focus on local ingredients. Here’s the itinerary I took for a fun and tasty road trip.
- Gathering Grounds Coffee in Roseburg
- Susan Creek Falls off Highway 138
- River Ranch Olive Oil Farm in Glide
- Colliding Rivers Viewpoint off Highway 138
- Brix Grill in Roseburg
- Backside Brewing in Roseburg
- Abacela Winery of the Umpqua Valley AVA
- Reustle Prayer Rock Winery of the Umpqua Valley AVA
- True Kitchen + Bar in Roseburg
- The Parrot House in Roseburg
- Cooper Ridge Vineyard and Guest House of the Umpqua Valley AVA
Gathering Grounds Coffee House
Start the day at Gathering Grounds Coffee, a cozy coffee shop in downtown Roseburg. The lavender dream latte and fresh baked scones are a great way to fuel up before adventures.
Umpqua River
Venture to the picturesque Umpqua River along Highway 138, known as the Highway of Waterfalls and part of the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway. Watch for highway signs for many parks and hiking trails along the way.
Highway of Waterfalls
The waterfall at Susan Creek Falls is less than a mile hike from the trailhead, and is a beautiful and easy hike for all ages.
Susan Creek Falls Trail
Need a break? There are lots of benches and bridges along the Susan Creek Falls trail.
River Ranch Olive Oil
On the way back, we stopped at the River Ranch Olive Oil for a tasting of the local oils made from olives planted on the Glide, Oregon, farm. Call ahead to make an appointment for a tasting of the Arbequina and Arbesona olive oils.
Colliding Rivers Viewpoint
On the way back into Roseburg on Highway 138, the Colliding Rivers viewpoint makes for an interesting and scenic quick stop, where we witnessed the convergence of the North Umpqua River and the Little River.
Brix Grill
Next we enjoyed a hearty lunch at Brix Grill. The downtown Roseburg restaurant offers a large menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The 527 burger is a crowd fave.
Backside Brewing
Then we grabbed some of the best pizza and beer in town at Backside Brewing. (Bonus: They’re now experimenting with brewing hard seltzer too.)
Abacela Winery
Abacela Winery, a family-owned winery lead by Earl and Hilda Jones, was the first to plant tempranillo grapes in Oregon in 1995 and continues to produce award-winning wines.
Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards
Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards, another family-owned winery in the Umpqua Valley AVA. It was the first to plant Grüner Veltliner in the United States. The large vineyard property is a mix of whimsy and grandeur in Roseburg. My favorite wines were their grüner veltliner and syrah.
True Kitchen + Bar
We feasted with friends at Roseburg’s True Kitchen + Bar, a downtown upscale dining spot that serves creative comfort food dishes with a modern twist.
The Parrot House
Looking for a romantic or special occasion dinner spot? We opted for The Parrot House, a charming residential house-turned-restaurant that is on the National Historic Registry.
Cooper Ridge Vineyard
Cooper Ridge Vineyard (also a family-owned winery) has some of the best views in town — and some incredible wines. We tasted a tempranillo on the terrace and chatted with owners Lisa and Robin Ray. Winemaker Charlie Kidd was also on the scene to talk about their wines. Then we soaked up the stunning vineyard views at the Cooper Ridge Guest House, which can be reserved for up to four guests. The beautifully designed private house across from the winery was the perfect place to rest up after a blissful journey.
