Spring Trip Help

I'm planning on visiting Oregon in April or May next year. I was hoping for a little advice on helping me decide when to come.

I'd like to spend my time on the mid to southern coast and a few days around the Hood River Valley. I know the Fruit Tree Blossom Festival is the 3rd weekend in April. If I come in April I would imagine the valley is very busy at this time. I would plan to do the valley sometime during the week. Would it better to come before the Festival or after? Are the fruit blossom's pretty predictable?

I've read through quite a few threads and it seems May is recommended as the best time to visit. Would there be some flowers blooming around the southern coast in April or May?


Thanks for any help your willing to give.

April or May, hmmm let's see, sunny, warm, rainy, cold, clear skies, cloudy, let's go skiing or Mt biking or windsurfing. The blossoms look really great but then it rains and, well, you should have been here yesterday.

I'd say to make your best bet and go for it, but don't forget to pack a raincoat as well as warm clothes and shorts.

The wildflowers were sort of sparse this year but the Balsamroot and Lupine were both out at the same time, something that doesn't usually happen. The blossoms looked good but were a bit past prime for the Blossom Festival. The Lower Valley blossoms before the Upper Valley so if you miss one you might hit the other.

I didn't get out a whole heck of a lot this year but I'm looking at the dates on a few of my better photos and I have good flower shots taken on May 17th. I was hiking around with Adamus on the 1st and we had good flowers. This year was late though.
In 04 The Dalles HIlls were crazy on the 8th of April. In 06, April 22nd was good as was the 22nd of May. I have a great shot taken on 4/21 on 05.

There ya go, I don't think I've help too much, probably confused you more. If I had to buy a plane ticket, for the Hood River area anyway, I'd plan for the last two weeks of April and the first two of May.

Look me up in Hood River when you get here and I'll line you out with the up to the minute conditions and point you to some good locations.

I'll be living up in the gorge then too Laurie. I usually find the blossoms blowing off the trees around April 15th or so and the flowers peaking around April 20-24 on average. Usually by May the blooms are starting to fade and brown out in the eastern part of the gorge, so that would be a better time to head for the coast of Oregon. Along the coast you'll find wild iris, and a few lupine, along with a host of other wildflowers. Of course you'll find tons of spectacular landscapes to photograph.

David M. Cobb

Thanks for the reply Mark.

[sunny, warm, rainy, cold, clear skies, cloudy]

Sounds like my kind of weather! I've seen many fantastic photos of fruit trees (some with a red barn) with Mt. Hood in the background. Would this area be considered the Lower or Upper Valley? Thanks for the offer to give me an update on conditions and point me to some locations. That's very kind of you.

Thanks David, Very helpful info.

The red barn is in the lower valley. Actually, the lower valley is more scenic. Much larger also.

If you have the time while in Hood River, spend a day at Rowena Crest and Dalles Mountain Road. As noted above the times may vary, but I love that area in ~late April.

Mark, & (Laurie)
Remember last May while I was doing my workshop--It was 102 just east of Hood River( at Rowena Crest and Dalles Mountain Road). A week later it was in the 50's & raining

Best weather advice i can recommend is to ignore the forecasts!
JG

Laurie,

You don't say how long of trip you're planning, but if you've got plenty of time I'd say the last ten days of April are your best bet.

Head first to Hood River Valley for the orchards. In the Gorge, there can be a big difference in flowers from east to west and Oregon side vs Washington.

IMO, late April and early May are the best times for the southern Oregon coast. It's not an area really known for wildflowers but they'll be blooming then and conditions are best for landscapes and seascapes.

Thanks everyone for all the info. It's all been very helpful. My initial plan was to stay 7 days. I've since been doing so much research and finding so many places I'd like to see, that I may have to make it longer. Or since I don't like to spend my whole time driving from place to place I may restructure this trip and make other trips out in the future.

For this trip though I'd have to say it's most important that I catch the spring blossoms on the fruit trees. So looks like I will be coming in April, just not sure on the dates just yet.

I'm already really looking forward to spring!