7 Natural Wonders of Oregon--2013

Now Oregon is a great state, but how does a person narrow down Oregon's greatness to 7 natural wonders? We share the deepest gorge in North America with Idaho (Hells Canyon); we have the second deepest lake in North America (Crater Lake); we have the world's shortest river (D River); we have the world's smallest harbor (Depot Bay); we have the world's biggest concentration of waterfalls (Columbia River Gorge during Oregon's dry season and Silver Falls State Park during Oregon's wet season); we have a volcano with not one, but two lakes inside its crater (Newberry Crater), we share a massive gorge with Washington made by a river that cuts through the Cascade Range (Columbia River Gorge), we have more sand dunes in one spot than any other west coast state (Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area)

Well, I think there should be some qualifiers, such as:
1. Does it make a person stand in awe of it's greatness? (this excludes places like D River and Depot Bay)
2. Is it still as natural as it can be given the time we live in? (this excludes the Oregon Dunes NRA since ODOT planted many invasive grasses in the mid 1900s to keep the sand dunes from crossing the roads and burying towns)

#7: Oregon Caves National Monument
Deep within southern Oregon's Siskiyou Mountains are the 'Marble Halls of Oregon.' As you would expect from it's nickname, these caves were formed out of marble. With roughly 3 miles of underground tunnels and an expanse of 488 acres, this is Oregon's largest cave system. If you ever find yourself traveling between Roseburg, Oregon and Redwood National Park in California, this makes for a nice side trip.

#6: Columbia River Gorge
This canyon stretches over 80 miles while cutting through the Cascade Range with cliffs up to 4,000 feet high! With so many cliffs, stream runoff is bound to go over these cliffs in the form of waterfalls-most of these are on the Oregon side. Although a major highway and rail line have been built through this area, along with many bridges, dams, and buildings, this region still captivates that mind as it did in the days of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

On April 9, 1806, Lewis  describes the area:
" we passed several beautifull cascades which fell from a great
height over the stupendious rocks" ...
" the hills have now become mountains high on each side are
rocky steep covered generally with fir and white cedar".

#5: Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Containing two lakes within a volcanic crater, vast lava fields, many small cinder cones, and several waterfalls, this 50,000 acre region is a playground for geologists and recreationists alike. The largest feature of this area is Newberry Crater, which contains East Lake, Paulina Lake, Big Obsidian Flow, and Paulina Creek Falls. Other notable features include Lava Cast Forest, which showcases the casts that formed around trees by lava; Lava River Cave, which is Oregon's largest lava tube; Lava Butte, which allows visitors to walk around the rim of a cinder cone (and take in views of the Cascade Mountains); and several waterfalls along the Deschutes River. If you're a person who likes to learn about your surroundings, I would suggests to check out Lava Lands Visitor Center.

#4: Wallowa Mountains
Located in northeastern Oregon, these mountains are nicknamed 'America's Little Switzerland' and the 'Alps of Oregon.' Showcasing many glacial features, including Wallowa Lake-a lake created by the moraines of a glacier, these mountains are paradise for those that love the backcountry. 31 peaks reach over 8,000 feet, including Mount Howard at 8,256 feet high (and has a tram to the top), and Sacajewea Peak-at 9,839 feet high, it is the highest peak in the Wallowa Mountains.

#3: Steens Mountain
At over a mile in height from its top to the desert floor below, this long mountain reaches 9,733 feet into the air in southeastern Oregon. Created by many layers of basalt and a massive fault that uplifted it, the Steens Mountain is the largest fault-block mountain in Oregon's basin and range region. On the western side, a person can see u-shaped valleys that were once carved by glaciers until 14,000 years ago. On the eastern side, at least on a clear day, is a grand view of the desert floor far below from the East Rim Overlook

#2: Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
Shared with Idaho, this roughly 8,000 feet deep canyon was carved by the snake river. Although there are dams along the canyon, due to it's beauty, inaccessibility, and great white water adventures, it is # 2 on the list. The majority of this 653,488-acre area is within the state of Oregon, and offers horseback riding like none other in Oregon.

#1: Crater Lake National Park

 Crater Lake with Wizard Island on the left.

While most people recognize Crater Lake as the lake on the Oregon Quarter, most people would not know about the other features that include a trail up Mount Scott and an area known as The Pinnacles-a region of ash that has eroded into needle-like spires by wind and rain. The tributaries on the west side of this volcano, which might have been taller than Mount Hood before it exploded, feed into the Rogue River. While dormant at the moment, this volcano had been building up again, creating what is known as Wizard Island.