When to Go

Though skiers and snowboarders flock to the Blues and the Wallowas in winter, summer is eastern Oregon's primary travel season. It comes late in the state's northeast corner, where snow can remain on the mountains until July, and May flurries aren't uncommon at lower elevations. July and August are the best months for wildflowers in the high northeast, and they're also the only months when many remote-but-scenic Forest Service roads are guaranteed to be open. For visitors in the southeast, though, midsummer is often uncomfortably hot and dry, and avian action along the Pacific Flyway tends to peak around April and September.

Summer temps in northeast Oregon generally level out in the 80s around July and August. In midwinter, 20-degree days are the norm. The deserts of southeastern Oregon are a bit warmer. Midsummer sees highs in the upper 90s, while January and February can remain in the 40s in the low country. Bear in mind: Elevation varies greatly in eastern Oregon, and this can render seasonal averages pretty meaningless. It's not uncommon to gain or lose several thousand feet during the course of an hour's drive, and for much of the year this can mean the difference between flip-flops and snow boots.