Ultimate Oregon Road Trip Guide; 9+ Days
Known for its Icelandic landscapes along the coast, towering waterfalls, rugged mountains, and beautiful greenery – Oregon is one of the most beautiful destinations in the United States. This blog covers how to see the best of Oregon in as little as nine days.
When to visit
This road trip is best between late June and September. This is when mountain passes are clear, Crater Lake National Park is the most accessible, and you’ll have the best weather overall.
Unfortunately, this timeframe does overlap with the Pacific Northwest’s wildfire season. Wildfires in the surrounding states affect Oregon’s air quality anytime between mid-June and September. When and where wildfires occur is unpredictable and changes every year.
Getting to Oregon
This road trip begins and ends in Portland. We suggest flying into Portland (PDX) and renting a car. If you can’t drive the entire route, you could also fly out of Medford (MFR) near Crater Lake National Park.
Is Oregon pet-friendly?
Yes, Oregon is very pet-friendly. You’ll consistently find pet-friendly lodging (highlighted in the attached blogs), restaurants, and outdoor spaces.
How much time will you need?
Plan to spend between nine and 23 days on this road trip covering Oregon’s best sights. There are suggestions on how to extend your stay in each location in the attached blogs.
Your road trip will look like:
2-6 days on the Oregon Coast
2-4 days visiting Redwood National Park (optional California add-on)
2-4 days at Crater Lake National Park
2-5 days in Bend
2+ days on the Columbia River Gorge or 1 day at Silver Falls State Park
1+ day in Portland
9-23+ days total
Road trip route
This route begins and ends in Portland. It covers the Oregon Coast, the Redwood National Park as an optional add-on, Crater Lake National Park, Bend, and the Columbia River Gorge.
Itinerary breakdown:
Oregon Coast
Redwood National Park (optional)
Crater Lake National Park
Bend
Columbia River Gorge or Silver Falls State Park
Portland
Oregon Coast
If you have more time
Mileage: 628 miles
Drive time: 12 hours and 20 minutes
Days needed: 13
Our Oregon Coast itinerary mentions all the best sights and stops along the coastline. We suggest taking six days to drive down the entire coast, although it's a great place to extend your trip if you have the time.
To reach Crater Lake National Park from the Brookings, you’ll pass through Crescent City, California, and the Jedediah Smith State Park – one of the four sections in the Redwood National Park. Spend an extra day here to thoroughly explore the Redwood National Park.
If you have less time
Mileage: 427 miles
Drive time: 8 hours and 45 minutes
Days needed: 9
If you have less time, consider driving directly to Cannon Beach from Portland, spending the night in any town between there and Reedsport. You’ll find great lodging suggestions and descriptions of each town here and find all the best sights along the way here.
From Reedsport, follow this waterfall guide to the North Umpqua Scenic Byway on Highway 138 to Crater Lake. This is our favorite mountain pass in Oregon!
Crater Lake National Park
You can easily see most of Crater Lake in a day, but if you have an extra day or two, you can spend it hiking, on a boat tour, at a nearby hot springs, or white water rafting on the Rogue River. Overall, we’d suggest spending one to four days here staying in the nearby town of Prospect.
Bend
Mileage: 129 miles
Drive time: 2 hours and 15 minutes
From Prospect, you’ll head two hours north to Bend. This is the outdoor capital of Oregon. You’ll find several outdoor activities here, including hiking, biking, climbing, to paddling and surfing.
Check out these blogs on where to stay or camp nearby and this blog on how to spend your time in the area. We’d suggest giving yourself three to five days here.
Option one:
Columbia River Gorge
Mileage: 143 miles
Drive time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
From Bend, you’ll drive north passing by Mount Hood until you reach Hood River, Oregon. Spend at least one day on the Columbia River Gorge to view all the waterfalls alongside the historic highway and more if you’d like to spend time hiking.
Option two:
Silver Falls State Park
Mileage: 117miles
Drive time: 2 hours and 15 minutes
An alternative to visiting the Columbia River Gorge would be to head to Silver Falls State Park just outside of Salem. It’s famous for the Trail of Ten Falls. This is an eight-mile hike featuring ten waterfalls, including multiple falls that you can walk behind. If eight miles in one day is too much for you, you can hike to the first one to three waterfalls and still have a great experience.
There are only a few other things to do in the area, so we’d suggest spending one day hiking here or prioritizing visiting the Columbia River Gorge if you haven’t been there yet.
Portland
You’ll end your trip back in Portland. You’ll find our favorite Portland lodging here, and while you’re in the area, be sure to check out Powell’s Books, Voodoo Donuts, and the seasonal farmer's market.
Hood River to Portland
Mileage: 63 miles
Drive time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Silver Falls State Park to Portland
Mileage: 58 miles
Drive time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
What to pack
You’ll find detailed packing lists in the attached blogs for each area on this route. Overall, we suggest bringing layers, a raincoat, and hiking boots. Oftentimes the coast, Crater Lake, Bend, and the Columbia River Gorge can be chilly or have colder temperatures in the early mornings and evenings.
Leave no trace
Please help keep Oregon beautiful by following leave no trace principles. This means not wandering off hiking trails, cutting switchbacks on trails, or littering.
Where to go next
Redwood National Park
Jedediah Smith State Park (one of the four sections of the Redwood National Park) is 30 minutes south of Brookings, Oregon. It has more old-growth trees per acre than any other park in the Redwoods, with 30 miles of hiking trails, a scenic drive, and a navigable river.
We love that it’s accessible year-round. Plan on spending one to four days here before driving three hours north to Crater Lake National Park.
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is a four-hour drive north of Portland. Visit between July and September for the best weather and accessible trails. Hiking is our favorite activity here.
Search the blog for more adventures! Try searching for topics such as “backpacking”, “waterfalls”, or “national parks”.