Rivers and Mountains in Oregon

According to Abbreviationfinder, with population of 4,217,737, Oregon is the 27th largest state among U.S. 50 states, and OR is the two letter abbreviation for Oregon. Here, we provide a list of major rivers and mountains in the state of Oregon.

Rivers and Mountains in Oregon

Rivers in Oregon

Columbia River
The Columbia River is approximately 1,953 km long and is the most water-rich river in the western United States and the largest in the region. Due to the amount of water, the river is dammed up in numerous places and used for energy production and irrigation. However, this has led to the fact that the natural salmon migration is largely restricted. The largest dams are the Grand Coulee Dam, which builds up the Columbia River to Roosevelt Lake, and the Bonneville Dam, which builds up the river to Lake Bonneville. The river is named after the ship Robert Gray, who explored the river in 1792 and traded in skins. The Columbia River originates from Columbia Lake in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Near the city of Astoria in the state of Oregon, the Columbia River flows into the Pacific Ocean. The Columbia River also forms most of the Washington-Oregon border. In the state of Washington, the Columbia River flows through the cities of Grand Coulee, Wenatchee, Pasco and Vancouver, separating Vancouver from Portland in Oregon.

Crooked River

The Crooked River is a tributary of the Deschutes River and has a length of approx. 201 km. The Crooked River is created by the confluence of the two source rivers South Fork and North Fork. From there it flows principally to the northwest. The name of the river comes from its many twists and turns. The Crooked River is mainly used for irrigation, but parts of the river have been under protection since 1988 and have also attracted tourists since then.

Deschutes River
The Deschutes River is a 406 km long tributary of the Columbia River. The Deschutes River originates from Lava Lake and basically flows in a northerly direction. The name of the river comes from the French and means something like “river of the waterfalls”. It is not without reason that he has this name, as he forms numerous waterfalls along its course. The Deschutes River continues to flow through many canyons and forms rapids. Due to the strong current there are many salmon and trout in the Deschutes River and therefore it is a popular fishing area. The confluence of the Deschutes River and the Columbia River takes place at Biggs Junction.

John Day River

The John Day River is a 452 km long tributary of the Columbia River. The river originates in the Malheur National Forest in the Strawberry Mountains in eastern Oregon. The entire length of the John Day River is not dammed once, making it the third longest river of its kind in the United States. This continues to affect the flora and fauna of the region, which is very rich. This makes the John Day River a popular river for anglers. The John Day River joins the Columbia River near Biggs Junction.

Owyhee River
The Owyhee River is a 557 km long tributary of the Snake River and flows in eastern Oregon. The Owyhee River originates in northeastern Nevada and flows northward from there, and since the 1980s there have been several areas of the river that are under protection. The confluence with the Snake River is on the Idaho border near the city of Nampa.

Snake River
The Snake River is also known as the Shoshone River and has a length of approximately 1,674 km. It is a tributary of the Columbia River and flows through the states of Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The source of the river is in Yellowstone National Park and from there the river also flows through the Grand Teton National Park. The Snake River flows into the Columbia River near the city of Pasco in Washington State. The Snake River flows through numerous deep canyons and forms many waterfalls, such as the approx. 70 m high Shoshone Falls in Oregon.

Willamette River
The Willamette River in northwest Oregon has a length of approx. 386 km and is a tributary of the Columbia River. The Willamette River is created by the confluence of several source rivers near the city of Springfield. From there it flows in a northerly direction and flows into the Columbia River in Portland. The Willamette Valley area is known for wine growing.

  • COUNTRYAAH: Alphabetical list of all cities, towns and villages in Oregon, including biggest cities by population and capital city in the state of Oregon.

Mountains in Oregon

Mount Hood
Mount Hood has a height of approx. 3,425 m and is the highest mountain in Oregon. Mount Hood is located in northwest Oregon in the cascade chain and is the fourth highest mountain in the cascade chain. Mount Hood is an active stratovolcano and is included in the nature reserve of the Mount Hood Wilderness Area. The Timberline Lodge is located on the southern flank of the mountain. Here the film Shining with Jack Nicholson was shot. The last eruption of Mount Hood was in 1965. The Mount Hood is covered by 12 glaciers that cover about 80% of it.

Mount Jefferson
Mount Jefferson is located in northwest Oregon and is approximately 3,199 m high. Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano, but is no longer active and is in the cascade chain. It is named after Thomas Jefferson. Mount Jefferson is covered by glaciers and is surrounded by the Mount Jefferson Wilderness Conservation Area, which has over 150 lakes.

Mount McLoughlin
Mount McLoughlin is in the cascade chain in southern Oregon. It is approx. 2,894 m high and is no longer an active stratovolcano. The last eruption occurred about 20,000 years ago.

Lakes and Reservoirs in Oregon

crater lake

Crater Lake
Crater Lake is a crater lake of Mount Mazama. The volcano or lake is located in southwest Oregon. The area is particularly known for the Crater Lake National Park. The water of the lake is deep blue and the lake covers an area of ​​approx. 53 km². The lake is up to 594 m deep, making it the deepest lake in the United States and the second deepest in North America.

Goose Lake
Goose Lake is an approximately 2,800 km² large glacier edge lake that stretches across the borders of the states of California and Oregon. The lake is bordered by nature reserves in the north and south. The lake has completely dried up several times in its history, most recently in 1992. The lake is home to a very beautiful wildlife and is therefore very popular with tourists.

Upper Klamath Lake

Upper Klamath Lake is a cascaded freshwater lake in southern Oregon near the California border. The lake is at an altitude of approximately 1,262 m. Upper Klamath Lake is fed by the Williamson River and drained by the Link River.

Wallowa Lake
Wallowa Lake in the far northeast of Oregon is a freshwater lake at approximately 1,333 m. The lake is very popular with tourists and its tourist past goes back to 1880. At the southern end of the lake is Wallowa Lake State Park.