Family Getaway to Timberline Lodge
Family vacations. There’s the Clark Griswold route: “Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes… or perhaps you don’t want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away?” And then there’s the Oregon way, namely Timberline Lodge.
Declared a National Historic Landmark, the lodge was built during the Great Depression (by hand, no less) as part of the Federal Works Progress Administration. History buffs in the family can join a U.S. Forest Ranger for a free tour of the remarkable structure. Or perhaps a family member’s interest lies more in cinematic history? Watch Stanley Kubrick’s 1980s flick, “The Shining,” and then explore the exterior of the lodge, which was used in the opening scene. Visitors can also see a piece of Room 237’s door and the axe immortalized by Jack Nicholson in the movie.
Perched at the foot of Oregon’s tallest peak—Mt. Hood—Timberline Lodge is a mecca for any adventure-seeker or sightseer, no matter the time of year. Open all 12 months of the year, the slopes boast 41 trails, ranging in ability to accommodate any level. Ski or snowboard the slopes, and if you’re just learning or want to get better, connect with the Lodge’s many instructors. If you’re looking for a back country experience, Timberline has endless trails for snowshoeing and Nordic skiing in the winter or hiking amid wildflowers and stunning views in the summer. And if you want to climb a mountain, Mt. Hood is ideal. It’s the second most-climbed mountain in the world (behind Japan’s Mt. Fuji) and the most popular route begins at Timberline Lodge.
Whether it’s a day filled with historic tours and scary movies or trekking around the mountain, you’ll surely have built an appetite come sundown. Good thing Timberline has five restaurants to chose from. Whether it’s a huckleberry-glazed chicken at the award-winning Cascade Dining Room, a beer and burger at the Blue Ox Bar, hot chocolate at the Ram’s Head Bar or an après ski at Wy’East Day Lodge, there’s a plethora of places to go with the whole family or for a romantic meal for two.
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