With sweeping high desert plateaus dotted with bold mountain ranges, the wide open spaces of eastern Oregon are reminiscent of the Old west. Big game such as Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope, Bighorn Sheep, Black Bear and Cougar abound in the rugged Wallowa and Blue Mountains. Excellent fishing is available too. The Grande Ronde River is nationally-renowned for its steelhead, and the John Day River is widely considered the West's premiere smallmouth bass fishery. There's something for all outdoor enthusiasts in this sprawling land. Birders flock to the Great Basin region (east of Klamath Falls) and the Steens Mountain, as the marshes, streams and lakes of these regions compose some of America's great water bird refuges. Whitewater enthusiasts are drawn to the Class V challenges of the Hell's Canyon section of the Snake River, America's deepest canyon at 8,000 feet. OGPA members can help unlock the secrets of this often overlooked region of Oregon, a place where one is more likely to encounter animal life than crowds. |
