As winter arrives in Oregon, the hardest part isn’t deciding whether to embrace the season but rather how to fit it all in. Here, winter experiences range from mineral-rich soaking pools and cozy sips of just-released wines to snowy adventures and whale watching on the Oregon Coast. However you choose to warm up and enjoy the season, here’s some inspiration for well-loved winter experiences in Oregon.
1. National Wildlife Refuges in the Willamette Valley
Grab your binoculars and go watch some of Oregon’s annual visitors. In 1964 the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge was established near Corvallis to provide winter habitat for migrating dusky Canada geese, one of several species of waterfowl that appreciate the Willamette Valley’s mild climate. Today it’s one of three national wildlife refuges — along with Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, west of Salem, and Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, between Salem and Albany — where geese, bald eagles, tundra swans and other waterfowl spend the season. Spy the wide variety of wildlife from access roads and along flat hiking trails.
2. Sno-Parks in Central Oregon
Get into Central Oregon’s snowy backcountry with a visit to one of the region’s sno-parks. More than a dozen parks provide access to snow-covered forests, sweeping buttes and cozy warming shelters throughout the Deschutes National Forest.
Around Bend and Sunriver, go sledding or tubing at the dog-friendly Wanoga Snow Play Area Sno-Park, snowmobiling on the slopes of Newberry Caldera at 10 Mile Sno-Park and cross-country skiing at Meissner Sno-Park — whose Nordic trails are groomed daily between November and April by the Meissner Nordic Ski Club.
3. Art and Culture Experiences in Portland
Portland — already an art-and-culture hub — has enjoyed a number of recent museum openings and expansions perfectly suited to cozy winter days. In November 2025, the Portland Art Museum unveiled its new and expanded gallery space, as well as the airy Mark Rothko Pavilion. Around the same time, the Northwest Museum of Cartoon Arts opened at the edge of the city’s Old Town neighborhood. The museum celebrates its signature art form with tributes to innovative artists, groundbreaking studios and memorable writers.
4. Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast
Every winter more than 20,000 gray whales pass the Oregon Coast on their twice-yearly migrations — largely between mid-December and mid-January, though some stragglers and residents are visible throughout the season. Watch from a day-use area with sweeping views at Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, through large viewing windows at the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay and from an enclosed observation building at Shore Acres State Park near Coos Bay. In late December, the Oregon Whale Watch program places helpful volunteers at popular sites to answer questions and help visitors spy the animals’ spouts.
5. Southern Oregon’s Waterfall Corridor
As Highway 138 heads east from Roseburg and along the North Umpqua River, it transforms into the so-called “Highway of Waterfalls” — so-named because more than a dozen waterfalls can be accessed via short, mostly flat hikes along the road. The highway largely sits at a low elevation, which means trails stay mostly snow-free all winter long, and the falls themselves are most impressive thanks to seasonal rainfall. Highlights include Susan Creek Falls and the multitiered Fall Creek Falls.
6. Snowy Winter Fun in the Wallowas
For fun in the snow at high altitudes, enjoy a wintertime escape to Eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains. Hit the slopes at the community-run, beginner-friendly Ferguson Ridge Ski Area, home to eight runs and nearly 650 feet of vertical drop. Ride up to 175 miles of groomed snowmobile trails at the Salt Creek Summit Sno-Park. At the end of the day, cozy up at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast in Joseph, or book a heated yurt at Wallowa Lake State Park. The state park system’s only wood-sided yurts, these glamping lodgings are designed to withstand Eastern Oregon’s abundant snowfall.
7. Cosmic Tubing on the Slopes of Mt. Hood
By day, five ski resorts welcome skiers and snowboarders with thrilling terrain parks, fast-paced runs and powdery slopes high on Mt. Hood. By night, one of them — Mt. Hood Skibowl — transforms into a boisterous party with upbeat music, laser light shows and more than half a million LED lights. The resort’s Cosmic Tubing, served by dual conveyor lifts, is open weekends and holidays — and invites kids of all ages to speed down roughly a dozen runs in specially designed tubes.
If You Go:
- Use the Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck tool for traffic webcams, weather, road conditions, closure information and other helpful resources.
- Some parking areas and forest roads may not be maintained in winter. Check conditions with your local U.S. Forest Service office before heading out.
- If your winter adventures include the outdoors, always practice Leave No Trace principles.
