OREGON TRAIL, WINE & SILVER FALLS - "Waterfalls, Wine and Pioneers"
FULL DAY TOUR

Activities: Hiking, wine tasting, waterfall viewing, wildlife viewing, birding, ecological & geological sightseeing with naturalist interpretation

Interests: Forest ecology, gardens, wine, waterfalls, rivers, botany, natural & local history

Inclusions: Hotel pick up and drop off, highly qualified naturalist guide, travel in adventure-outfitted luxury Mercedes Van or Jeep, an “On Safari” picnic lunch, scrumptious morning tea with pastries, wine tasting, refreshments, all entry fees and comprehensive naturalist commentary.

Escape Plan:
We start our adventure with a scenic drive through the eastern Willamette Valley.  Less famous than the west side, the east valley is far less developed, and the landscape is still covered by the pastoral towns, small orchards and berry farms that have been there for over a century. Our first stop is for morning tea at the Oregon Garden - an 80-acre botanical garden in Silverton, Oregon. Opened in 1999, this non-profit attraction includes more than twenty specialty gardens and features a variety of plant species and habitats as well as the only Frank Lloyd Wright home in Oregon.  Additionally, the Garden hosts community events; annual concerts and provides educational outreach programs. In 2002, the water garden won an award from the American Society of Landscape Architects for environmental friendliness.

After our delicious morning tea and a tour of the Garden, we head off to Silver Falls State Park.  At more than 9,000 acres and with 24 miles of walking trails, Silver Falls State Park is the largest state park in Oregon.  Within its boundary, ten spectacular waterfalls plunge from moss carpeted basalt cliffs to the bottom of a narrow gorge. We will start our hike at South Falls - a 177-foot cascade.  Prepare to be engulfed in a cool and refreshing blast of mist while we stand in the natural amphitheater behind the falls created by eons of erosion.  After a short hike in this temperate rainforest, we visit the Silver Falls State Park Concession Building and the Silver Creek Youth Camp, both listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.  Then it’s one more stop for a short hike to North Falls before heading to lunch.

We will enjoy our delicious catered lunch at one of the lovely estate wineries in the Silverton and Mt Angel area.  The area is full of history, with strong ties to Bavaria and Switzerland.  In fact, Mt Angel’s Oktoberfest is legendary!  We will visit two local wineries* after lunch and if time permits we may stop in at the famously beautiful St Mary Parish in Mt Angel. On our short drive back to Portland your guide will take you by several points of interest that are significant to the Oregon Trail, which brought tens of thousands of immigrants to the area in the mid-1800’s.  As always we will be on the look out for additional photo ops and wildlife as well!

*All tasting fees are included in tour price!

Tour Length: 9 hours
Tour Code: EV65
Pick up: Downtown Portland Hotels & Cruise Terminals
Starts: 9:00am
Ends: 6:30pm
Season: Year Round
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Tour Cost: $175 per Escapist
Departs: By private request

Inquire about making this a multi-day escape encompassing Mt Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Bend, The Willamette Wine Country or Oregon Coast into an incredible Northwest Adventure!

Check out Calendar of Escape Routes for Scheduled Departures!

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Northwest with EverGreen Escapes!