The Best Places to See Fall Colors in Oregon

"Cradled in the hills of Washington Park, the Portland Japanese Garden is beautiful in every season, but autumn is perhaps the most dramatic. Japanese maples, Enkianthus, and other Asian trees and shrubs wear fiery colors, set off against the subtle shades of the native conifer and big-leaf maple woodland setting. The tranquil atmosphere invites deep breaths and a slow pace, and expansive views to the east showcase the trees changing color across the city."

"Just off I-5, the Northern Clark County Scenic Drive takes you onto twisty two-lane roads through rural Washington. The 70-mile loop skirts past farmland, waterfalls, and historic sites, and during fall offers kaleidoscopic color. Don't miss the water-powered, impossibly scenic Cedar Creek Grist Mill, which was built in 1876 and on the last Saturday of October holds a massive apple cider pressing (we're talking 10,000 pounds of fruit)."

Portland and surrounding areas offer standout autumn destinations. The Portland Japanese Garden, cradled in Washington Park, showcases Japanese maples, Enkianthus, and other Asian trees against native conifers and big-leaf maples, with a tranquil atmosphere and expansive eastward views over the city. The Northern Clark County Scenic Drive is a 70-mile loop off I-5 featuring twisty two-lane roads, farmland, waterfalls, and historic sites, anchored by the water-powered Cedar Creek Grist Mill and its massive apple cider pressing on the last Saturday of October. Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon provides dramatic high-desert fall color, though harsh winds can strip golden aspen leaves; call the Bureau of Land Management for timing.

Read at Portland Monthly