From quiet forests to rodeo grounds , hot springs to road onions , we sure saw a lot of Oregon this year.
The Oregonian/OregonLive once again spent the year traveling around the state to capture the people, places and events that make this place so special.
This year’s travel photos range from the far eastern side of the state to the southern coast. They were taken at the top of towering Cascade peaks and inside tiny houses. There are shooting stars and UFO enthusiasts, desert highways and mutton busters.
Here are some of our favorite Oregon travel photos from 2024:
Samantha Swindler
The lounge car of the Coast Starlight train offers scenic views between Washington, Oregon and California.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian
The mutton busting competition at the Harney County Fair & Rodeo, where children ride sheep.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian
A roadkill onion, gleaned from the side of Highway 201 near Ontario, Oregon.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian
Jeff and Jennifer Hunger, visiting from the Chicaco area, dressed appropriately for their stay in the Star Trek room at the Itty Bitty Inn in North Bend.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian
Hundreds of corgis, their owners and their fans visited Seaside on June 29 for the 11th annual Corgi Beach Takeover, a fundraiser benefiting the Oregon Humane Society. The event featured costume contests and corgi races.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian
The kitchen view of the “Short Circuit” house in Astoria, which can be rented overnight. It was a filming location for the 1986 movie and served as the home of Ally Sheedy’s character, Stephanie Speck.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian
Vickie Connor
Whitehorse Falls, located in southern Oregon, can be accessed after a 0.1 mile walk from the parking lot.Vickie Connor/The Oregonian
No Name Lake is one of the highlights on Broken Top Loop trail on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.Vickie Connor/The Oregonian
Jamie Hale
Sunset, seen through heart-shaped sunglasses, at Rockaway Beach on the north Oregon coast.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
People take a dip at Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort on July 18, 2024, the first day the Warm Springs resort is open to the public. Formerly known as Kah-Nee-Ta Village, the newly renovated resort had been closed since 2018.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Stargazers gather at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park for a star party on July 13, 2024, to celebrate the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The event was hosted by OMSI and the Rose City Astronomers. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
A group paddles Wallowa Lake just after sunset in light-up clear kayaks provided by JO Paddle, an outfitter based in Joseph.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Barr Creek Falls is one of several waterfalls on the Rogue River found near the town of Prospect in southern Oregon. The waterfall is seen from a trail in the Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
A tiny house called Savannah is one of several available to book at the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
The stars are out on a clear fall night in the Mt. Hood Village Campground.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
The old Wallowa-Union Railroad tracks run along the scenic Wallowa River in northeast Oregon. The tracks are used by a small excursion train and rail riders, but hikers can also walk the route to get a slower look at the scenery.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
A carving representing the legacy of the Rogue River Trail of Tears stands outside a ceremonial plankhouse in the Grand Ronde Community. The pole was caved by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
James Du Bois is the creator of Oregon Du Drops, art pieces made with recycled lightbulbs filled with collected rainwater. He runs the business with his wife, Cathleen Du Bois. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
A private soaking tub is found inside the new glamping tents at Skamania Lodge on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Wildflowers grow on a cliff above Middle Oneonta Falls, found along a rocky trail through a burn area in the Columbia River Gorge.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Willamette Falls, seen from a viewpoint on the McLoughlin Promenade in Oregon City, has become a flashpoint for conflict.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Mark Graves
The Vista House at Crown Point overlooking the Columbia River Gorge Nov. 7, 2024. Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Indigenous Peoples Day kicked off at Gordon Russell Middle School in Gresham, Oregon, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, featuring Native tacos, Native artists and clothing, social round dances, vendors, singers and a pow wow drum session. The event was free and open to the public. Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, shown on Oct. 9, 2024, is open year-round but many trails are closed October through April so that migrating wildlife is not disturbed. A wildlife photography blind is available by appointment only, and can be reserved by emailing the refuge. Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Solar eclipse seen through the clouds in Southeast Portland, Oregon, April 8, 2024. Mark Graves/The Oregonian
An aerial view of Mt. Adams (forefront) and Mt. Rainier seen from an Alaska Airlines flight above the Columbia River Gorge looking north on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Beth Nakamura
A visit with Santa is a highlight of the ride on the Mt. Hood Railroad Polar Express. Charles Norval, 2 1/2, of Hillsboro, is pictured with Santa. December 5, 2024.Beth Nakamura
Farmland at dusk in rural Ontario, Oregon, on May 28, 2024.Beth Nakamura
Dave Killen
An expanse of blackened shrubs and earth in the Lookout Mountain region in eastern Oregon near Durkee, Oregon, on July 28, 2024. The Thompson wildfire had burned through much of the area in recent days.Dave Killen / The Oregonian
Newly discovered comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is viewed in the dark night sky over Steens Mountain in eastern Oregon on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024.Dave Killen/The Oregonian
Snow blankets the Cascade Mountains in early spring, seen from the Timberline Lodge ski area on Mount Hood.Dave Killen
Sean Meagher
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are seen from Lake Oswego on Friday, May 10, 2024.Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
Thousands descend upon downtown McMinnville, Oregon, for the annual McMenamins UFO Festival on Saturday, May 18, 2024.Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
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