We were there in the spring, but ran out of time for a real visit and really just passed through. This time we’d make it our destination. Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge lies in Oregon’s outback. That is to say, it’s not really near a whole lot. Maybe that’s what makes it so nice. We made our way down highway 31, through Paisley and Plush and were able to arrive as the sun was going down. The wildlife were at home on the range.
We escaped town on a Friday afternoon in August and made our way over to the North Umpqua River. We attempted to camp at Susan Creek, a nice campground we discovered last year but we found it full so we moved upriver to Bogus Creek for the night.
In the morning, we moved on to the main purpose of the trip, a visit to the Umpqua Valley Viticultural Area. Also known as a winery tour.
Spring seems slow in coming this year. Maybe the coldest March on record in the past 100 years has something to do with it. Or the refusal of the big pile of snow in the front yard to give in and melt. We started looking around the state for somewhere a bit warmer. Maybe some wildflowers? Even the wildflowers in the Columbia Gorge seem slow to come this year. So we opted for a location we don’t normally frequent, southwest Oregon.
The sun was out and we enjoyed a couple days in the Applegate Valley. Up till now most of the time I’ve spent in the Applegate has been on wildfires. Blazing hot, smoky and steep terrain full of poison oak might be the picture I would paint. But that hot weather also allows for a variety of wine grapes to be grown you don’t find in other parts of Oregon. We visited a few spots for a sample or two.
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