This review is for one of the Big Sheep Creek trails accessed by the NF-100 road off Wallowa…read moreMountain Road (Loop). First off, Eagle Cap is a fabulous wilderness area. I love it and after this first time experience, we'll be back. That said, our hiking adventure was shorter than we'd planned because the creeks were still too high to allow all the several crossings necessary to do the several miles in that we wanted. We were too early in the season (late May). But we did get 2.6 miles of hiking in and enjoyed every bit of it. Fantastic scenery. The access road wasn't too bad even in a Toyota Corolla, although we were stopped by snow a few hundred yards short of the trailhead, Not that many critters, though. Highly recommended.

Nestled in the far northeast corner of Oregon lies a magical land of awe-inspiring mountain peaks,…read morealpine lakes filled with jumping trout, beautifully vibrant meadows, and miles upon miles of trails. This place doesn't get the love & press of it's northern neighbor, The Enchantments (Washington's Cascadian alpine wonderland), but I would argue this outdoor area is just as good....or dare I say: better? [[[[bracing myself for tomatoes and trash to be thrown at me]]]] OK, I'm only saying it's "better" because it's in more of a remote area (so less traffic), and you don't need to worry about measuring your luck with a permit lottery (it's probably not needed due to less traffic). So this place is definitely more approachable. The Eagle Cap Wilderness is a huge area (almost 600 square miles). It's still new to me, but in 2015, I had the pleasure of spending two trips up here, one in July & the other in Sept. It is an expansive area, but I would say, obviously enough, that Eagle Cap peak is the hub of the area. From Eagle Cap, you have spokes of mountain ranges and river valleys. There are several approaches to get you from lower elevations to the alpine region around Eagle Cap. For my first experience, we went for a less-traveled approach from the south: Eagle Creek Valley. The solitude here is surely something I daydream about, but I would have to say the 4th of July weekend has some brutally hot weather--especially when hiking uphill. We camped one night in this valley and made it over Horton Pass to a camp up in the alpine area for a couple of nights. While at Horton Pass, I took a side trip up to summit Eagle Cap. The views here were life-changing. MOSQUITO HEAVEN: July in Eagle Cap Wilderness was hot and there were mosquitoes up the ying yang! It as pretty unbearable. I slept in a bivy sack, and I cooked in it as the mosquitoes tried stealing my blood as they peered in at me through the face screen. Sleep was tough. But during the day, it was great to have day hikes around the area, jump in clear & cold lakes and to also wet a fly while pursuing trout. Fall is my preference though. In September we did an approach from the north and hiked up the East Lostine River Valley. Once you get above 5000, there is a long glacial valley which is just about the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Hiking this valley was surreal. The peaceful stream, the beautiful color of the vegetation, and Eagle Cap looking over us the whole time: perfect hiking! There's no mosquitoes at all, but the days are short. The weather is a little chilly, so no chance of taking a dip in the Lostine River. But it was pretty nice. The Lostine River approach is also an easier hike, too. You don't have to hike over a mountain pass. And you can pretty much get up to the alpine area after a few hours of hiking.

This place is right in the heart of Cove. My family stayed here instead of at a hotel in town for…read morethe weekend of my sister's wedding last month because it was just across the street from the chapel that the ceremony was going to be at AND above the room where the reception was going to be held. I'm more of an appreciator of the woods than I am of the country side cause I usually associate farmland with that part of the drive up the interstate 5 from Los Angeles to San Francisco where it smells like cow dung so strong that plugging your nose doesn't even help cause you could taste it anyway but y'know? I really liked it out in Cove... I didn't run into too many people from the area but if I did, they'd wave or smile. It was so peaceful and pretty out there. The "backyard" of the building had this perfect little hill of green grass that my son and I raced down by rolling ourselves from the top with our bodies straight and hands at our sides while the sun set with oranges and pinks in the sky off in the distance. At night you can hear all the little bugs cricking and buzzing around in the wheat fields that extended as far as the eye could see. And best of all, the sky was filled with stars. It was nice. I'd do it again.

I stayed here with a middle school girl's basketball team for a tournament. Everything was laid…read moreout beautifully. The facilities were nicer and less expensive than other places we have used in LaGrande.

Think of a rest area, this is probably it. It exists, works, and not too much else. The men's…read morebathroom smells like pee and is out of soap in one of the dispensers. But the hand dryer actually drys your hands, which is a plus. 3 stars for the good, not 4 because of the bad.

Lots of parking, can stay overnight (no charge) if you can find a spot, lots of bathroom stalls,…read moreclean, rest stop bathroom where it actually smelled GOOD! Very nice stop and a gorgeous view of the sunrise.

Alas! I've waited too long to review the Orchard Motel in La Grande, Oregon…read more Over the past five years or so we've stayed at the Orchard Motel three times. The first time was nice. The room had a quaint, old fashioned feel. It was clean and comfortable. I remember chatting with the owner/manager about the joys and disgruntlements of managing a motel. I remember thinking that if I were to ever own or manage a motel, the Orchard would have been the kind of place I'd want. The second time was nice, but its ambiance had eroded from quaint and old fashioned to inexpensive, yet still satisfactory. The hot water took a long time to heat up in the shower, and it didn't last long. The electric heat couldn't keep up with the cold weather outside. The WiFi was slow, with dead spots in our room. This weekend was our third, and we hope, our last time of staying at the Orchard, unfortunately. The hot water situation hadn't changed. Sections of moulding had been removed but not replaced. An old air conditioner vent had been removed, but not adequately covered over...a crack in the wall allowed us to see all the way through to the outside. We found a bar of soap left in the shower from the previous guest. Black, moldy spots were evident in the bathroom. Our television did not work. The single tea bag in the cupboard was of cheap quality and tasted stale. There were some positives. We were warm. The manager responded quickly to our request to fix the TV, and he succeeded in restoring satellite service after about 20 minutes of troubleshooting. He was polite. The beds were comfortable. The coffee maker worked, and the coffee tasted fine. But overall we were not happy with the conditions of our room. It's probably the least expensive motel in La Grande, but the savings have come at a cost to service and comfort.

Simple, clean rooms, at a really affordable price, downtown and away from the Interstate, with…read moresatellite TV and wi-fi included, a very comfy mattress, and a super friendly owner: it's exactly what we wanted for a night staying in La Grande. The carpet could use a good cleaning, but otherwise, it's what we wanted. We really appreciated the owner putting us in the room right next to the office, so that our motorcycles could be parked with an obstructed view from the street. There was a place to get breakfast right next door, and Safeway is also within walking distance. We paid half of what we would have paid had we stayed at a chain motel back at the interstate, plus, the owner has dogs and I got to pet them.

Take in the valley and rest your head at this cozy spot. It's quite the storybook "farm" setting…read more Lyndall (and Ray) are the warmest of hosts. The conversation is delightful and breakfast was fantastic (eggs, sausage, cinnamon roll in toast form and fruit). You'll find the house clean and comfortable. Horses, 2 dogs and 2 cats only add to the charm. Find comic relief in the form of a fanciful feathered rooster! I would definitely like to stay here again the next time I'm in the area.

Lyndall, the owner of Willow Creek Horse Bed & Breakfast is simply wonderful. She cooks up a mean…read morebreakfast, she is positively charming. She knows a lot about the area and even called a nearby tourist attraction to make sure we could get in. She has horses, dogs, cats, chickens. When you stay at Willow Creek Horse Bed & Breakfast you feel like you've got away from the hustle and bustle of normal life. We stayed there while visiting our daughter who attends EOU in La Grande. It was only a 15 minute drive away from the campus. I intend to make Lyndall's place our home away from home while visiting our daughter each time we go to La Grande. My husband says, he wishes we had a horse to bring, so we could have enjoyed some trail riding. One side note, the stairs up to the bedrooms are steep, so if you have bad knees, this may be a challenge. Otherwise, check it out, you'll thoroughly enjoy your stay. www.willowcreekhorsebnb.com

We stopped to explore the old hotel. If one is into old hotels that have "possibilities" then this…read moreis the place to stay. No food on site ever since COVID, which is now 4 years since inception. Not sure that's a good excuse. Hopefully the renovations and upkeep continue on pace so the grand old hotel can live a full life again!

Stay away in the winter. The place was freezing cold. It's historic alright, the mattress felt like…read morewas from the 1921 era, plus there was a total lack of amenities. The final straw was a fly in the coffee that other people bragged about.

It's a great place to work out. Tommy the receptionist was super helpful. Highly recommended!read more

I have enjoyed going to Mountain Valley. I not only joined but got some appointments with an…read moreAthletic Trainer. Cade is great and laid back. I have not used the pool yet but the Sauna has been great.

This is the most beautiful area - my husband and I joke that it's our favorite rest area (heh - who…read morehas one of those?) Bathrooms are usually clean and the scenery is gorgeous!