greymule Loc: Colorado

Gracias.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I "did" Oregon a few years ago just because I had never been there. Ended up in the lake district sort of in the middle. It's beautiful, and I took lots of pictures. Followed the Gorge a ways, seeing all the waterfalls, then decided to follow the old Oregon Trail. You can stop at several places. Pretty neat. I came back through Idaho. Lots of beautiful farming country that I really liked. I then did the coast on a separate trip. It's a "don't miss," but I don't know if you would have time to do both the coast and the interior in one trip. Depends on how long you'll be gone.

oregon don

You didn't say what your time schedule is.

Going east to where?

stay off of I-5 and I -84. What I do ever few years is take a north south highway at the Columbia river and go to the Ca border turn east to the next N-S highway and go north to the river again. Do this across the state.

If going to WY or MT when you get to the NE corner of the state take the Highway along the Clear water river to MT and you can drop down to WY from there.

If it is early spring do not do this last one as you will driving in a canyon of snow about 20 ft high. trust me I know from experience.

Of coarse from what others have said you can drive west on US 30 out of Portland to the coast and drive down the coast and pull out at every parking spot offered, you will not be disappointed .

I have lived in OR for 43 years and my first summer here my co workers told me I had seen more of this state than they have and they were born here.

Hope this helps and send us all photos

DON

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

The lava flow in S. E. Idaho is very large. From Yellowstone the epia=center to Nevada. On the I-5 corridor passed Blackfoot on either side you will find a rest stop. This area many call the HHA. I am particularly fond of the side going to Idaho Falls from Blackfoot. The Lavas can be unforgiving. In my youth I was stranded in winter way deep in the flow. Easy to get turned around.

Lots to see When I did shoot this last summer it was around the Parks from West Yellowstone to Teton Valley. Because of health issues I shot only if I was with someone and close enough to get to a Med facility quickly. I hope after surgeries I can be able to go deeper into my pleasure.

J. R.

dhtraveler

My family lives in Idaho, Portland, and the West Coast! There is so much to see depending on which direction you go. One trip will never give you all you want. If you like to hike there are is a lot to see near Portland.
Favorite spots from Portland:
Coast line from Cannon beach (haystack Rock) down the coast (south)
Bend Oregon
South to Eugene
Mt Baker
Columbia River Gorge (both sides)
Hood River
Silver Falls (10 waterfalls in one hike)
Multnomah falls
Bridal Veil Falls

Get ahold of Parks and Rec for maps and hikes:

North to Seattle area is a must see if you've never been there.

Heading East to Spokane from Seattle:
Yakima Valley
Spokane River
Coeur da Lane Lake area
Pend Oreille Lakes (Sandpoint Idaho)

Depending on your time:
From Idaho drop into Montana (Missoula) then into Yellowstone.

Directly East from Portland is a long stretch of nothing after the gorge on 89. Boise is the only real highlight with long stretches of low plains.

Crater lake isn't that far from Portland but thats another direction.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

Check out a website called roadtrippers.com. You may enter a starting point and an ending point then find interesting places to travel in between. If you do not already have one, and you are at least 62 years of age, get a lifetime senior Federal Parks pass. It is $10.00 and will be good for you and anyone traveling with you for the rest of your life.

Bobsan Loc: Elgin,I'll.

My daughter and her husband live in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. it is between Spokane and Glacier National park. Here is a photo of Lake CDA from her house. Plenty of snow on ground now.

PhotoCadet2016

The views are so great it gave meaning to the term "Gods Country".

Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains

There are many beautiful places to photograph in Idaho but if I could only pick three they would be, north to south, the Lake Pend Oreille area (town = Sandpoint), the Sawtooth Range (town = Stanley) and the Teton Range, from the towns of Driggs to Ashton. The Teton Range is actually in Wyoming but there are many places to photograph the main peaks from the Idaho side which gets much less attention than the Wyoming side. I prefer the Idaho side but I'm biased because I look at the Tetons from my cabin windows. Autumn, when the Aspens are in fall color, is a great time to shoot in the Idaho mountains. One of the many other beautiful areas is along US Highway 12 which follows three rivers across the panhandle. So much to see, so little time, speaking personally.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Timely topic for me. I just had a NAMI conference in Portland this past Thursday so flew there from Albuquerque. Being retired Air Force, I've been to most states in US but Oregon in one of only a few I had never visited. Because I was not expecting to have much free time, I didn't take my camera gear, but here's a shot from my hotel room (taken in "live" mode) with with iPad. (I plan to return - WITH camera gear)

dhtraveler

The eagles on Coeur da Lane lake in the fall early winter are amazing to see. They come in for the salmon run and fill the sky and trees for fishing the lakes.

hiker60 Loc: Northern Idaho

Am a bit biased as I live in Northern Idaho, but I'd say that we have some fabulous locations to shoot. Bring lots of film (You do shoot film, don't you?). Suggest you wait a few months as the temps are quite low now, lots of snow and traveling is challenging at times. As you enter Idaho from Spokane, stop at the first rest area and grab materials for specific locations. Folks are very helpful. Lots of lakes, streams, mountains and wildlife. You'll have a great time. Folks are actually laid back and friendly here!

Timarron Loc: Southwest

I'm a native Oregonian so have a couple suggestions. While the coast has some amazing photography sites, heading east on I-84 will bring you right next to another great photo op. The waterfalls. On the Oregon side of the Columbia river are dozens and dozens of waterfalls. If you are physically able and have the time, the best ones require a bit of a hike on maintained Forest Service trails. Many are a mile or less and do have some elevation changes. Find my post titled "12 Waterfalls in one pic". Google "Oregon waterfalls on Columbia River" for more info, maps, images, etc.

As you get into eastern Oregon and Idaho, you enter mountain and river terrain. Lots of stuff to shoot. Have fun!

saint mars

Wow. You have voluminous wonderful suprises awaiting you. Here is just one suggestion if you go in spring: Travel east on 84 from Oregon. Take Multnomah Falls exit for a series of waterfalls, including the much photographed Multnomah Falls. Take the Rowena/mosier exit and ascend onto the plateau. At the top McCall Park gives you trails, hills covered with Balsamroot and lupine, as well as gorgeous views of the Columbia River Gorge. Might catch some views of wild turkeys as well. Road then descends back to 84. Crossing the bridge into Washington when you reach either Hood River or the Dalles (forget--lots of bridges) will take you to Columbia Hills state part where besides vistas of more balsamroot and lupine there are also several old farm building and a strategically placed rusty truck for photographing. I am an old native Washingtonian, but do still research my trips. Greg Vaughn has two books available on Amazon, Photographing Oregon and Photographing Washington, which are excellent for trip planning. A good road map. If I go into back country, a good Atlas and perhaps a terrain map. Reach the hiway 97 stop on the river, take a deep breath, and decide whether to continue east, turn north to Goldendale, Yakima, and perhaps a White Pass/Chinook Pass trip to Mt Rainier Park, continue east into Idaho, or south to several ghost towns and eventually to the Painted hills and back. You have a great experience awaiting you. If you use motels, make reservations ahead of time if you travel to the more isolated regions.

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

You did not say how long you plan on exploring these two state - BUT- as a fellow who has spent a lot of time over 60 yrs driving thru Oregon and Idaho on the several routes from Northern CA to Wallace, ID in Northern ID where I lived as a youngster.
I can tell you it could take months to cover the many fantastic areas of both states and each have miles and miles between their more spectacular areas.