7 of the Best National Parks in Oregon

There are ten National Park Services in the state of Oregon, although the state has just one National Park, Crater Lake. The rest of the national park services is comprised of two scenic National Historic Trails, two National Historic Parks and a National Geologic Trail. The state is also home to other fascinating parks services, for instance, a National Historic Site, National Monument, and National Monument and Preserve. Ready to explore all that The Beaver State has to offer? Here’s our list of the best national parks in Oregon.

7 of the best national parks in Oregon

1. Crater Lake – National Park

Crater Lake National Park is in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon. Its name comes from the lake caused by the collapse of the volcano Mount Mazama some 7,700 years ago. With a depth of 1,949 feet (594 metres), it is the deepest lake in the United States and the ninth deepest in the world. In the lake are two islands: Wizard Island and Phantom Ship. One of the best ways to view the lake is by driving The Rim Road or by hiking one of the park’s many scenic trails, for instance, the Watchman Peak Trail.

2. California – National Historic Trail

The California National Historic Trail covers 5,665 miles across ten states, making it the longest National Historic Trail in the United States. On this trail, you are following in the footsteps of thousands of emigrants who travelled this route from the Midwest toward the Pacific in search of gold and opportunity in the 1840s and 1850s. This was the greatest mass migration in American history. Along the Oregon section of the trail, you can stop off at many historical sites of interest, for instance, the Douglas County Museum of History and Natural History.

3. Lewis & Clark – National Historic Trail

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail extends for some 4,900 miles (7,900km), making it the third-longest National Historic Trail after The Trail of Tears in North Carolina and the California Trail. It stretches from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. The trail commemorates American explorers and soldiers Lewis and Clark who, from 1804 to 1806, set off to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. Following the Oregon portion of this trail takes you past many scenic and historical landmarks, for instance, Multnomah Falls and Lodge, Oregon’s tallest waterfall (620 ft.).

4. Oregon – National Historic Trail

The Oregon National Historic Trail stretches 2,170 miles. fur traders and trappers laid the route from about 1811 to 1840. The east-west trade route and emigrant trail connects the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon, cutting through six states as it does so. Emigrants tackled the original Oregon Trail on foot, horseback or in wagons to move to Oregon with its lush farmlands and promises of a new beginning. Along the route today, you can visit historic sites that retell the story of these early American settlers. Along the Oregon section, you can visit many places of interest, including McLoughlin House, home of the founder of Oregon City.

5. Ice Age Floods – National Geologic Trail

Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail is the first and only National Geologic Trail in the United States. The trail crosses into parts of Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. As you make your way along the route, you’ll discover the geologic story of the last Ice Age Floods. These occurred about 18,000 to 15,000 years ago. This network of scenic trails connects the sites affected by the flooding of the glacial Lake Missoula. The floods changed the lives and landscape of the Pacific Northwest. This incredibly scenic trail recounts that time in history. The trail in Oregon takes you along the Columbia River and into the Willamette Valley.

6. Nez Perce – National Historic Park

Nez Perce National Historical Park consists of 38 sites. These are places of importance to the history and culture of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) people. For at least 11,500 years, the Nimiipuu have called the valleys, prairies, mountains, and plateaus of the inland northwest home. As you explore the Nez Perce National Historic Park you learn their stories. In Oregon, you can visit the sacred site dedicated to tıwi·teqıs, also known as Old Chief Joseph.

7. Oregon Caves – National Monument and Preserve

Deep within the Siskiyou Mountains are the dark, twisting passages of the Oregon Caves, aka the “Marble Halls of Oregon”. On a tour of the cave system, you explore and discover the mountains, both inside and out. As you do so, the guides tell you about the interesting geology around. Exploring the labyrinth of marble passageways, you’ll pass glistening flowstones, and visit a huge room 220 feet beneath the surface.