The state of Oregon boasts a wealth of natural wonders, varied landscapes, and an intriguing past. However, it also has a darker side, with many areas abandoned to deteriorate and fall into ruin.
Oregon offers many abandoned locations that provide a window into the past and a challenge for the daring. These locations range from ghost towns to shipwrecks, from haunted hotels to UFO boats. These five deserted locations in Oregon are worth a visit, if you’re brave enough:
Tillamook Bay Railroad Line
Originating in the early 1950s, the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad is a tiny line along Oregon’s Pacific coast that is owned and operated by the Port of Tillamook Bay. The railroad owns more than one hundred miles of former Southern Pacific trackage.
Through the coast range, the Southern Pacific Railway was built between 1906 and 1911. As the Southern Pacific Railroad started to abandon the route in subsequent years, the Port took over the Tillamook to Batterson segment in 1983.
The train continued to run into December 2007, when the mountainous Salmonberry River Canyon was devastated by massive parts of the roadbed that were washed out by floodwaters from a major storm.
Hiking and taking pictures of the overgrown and abandoned railroads is an absolutely fantastic experience. There is little to no cell coverage in the area, the terrain is rugged, and several spots have abrupt drops. Use caution.
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Burns Air Force Base
In order to enhance the permanent US air defense radar network built during the Cold War, Air Defense Command intended to deploy 44 mobile radar stations across the country, including Burns Air Force Station.
Dedicated to the 634th AC&W Squadron, Burns Air Force Station was founded in 1955 and went into service on June 8 of the same year.
The facility was added to the SAGE System in January 1961, and Burns AFS and the 634th Radar Squadron were deactivated on September 30, 1970.
The Burns Air Force Station is no longer in use. The buildings on the property have suffered severe vandalism and degradation. The summit of the butte seems like a ghost town.
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Wreck of the Peter Iredale
A four-masted steel barque sailing ship is known as THE PETER IREDALE. On October 25, 1906, it washed up on the Oregon coast en route to the Columbia River.
The Oregon Journal reported the day after the ship sank that the wreck proved to be a huge attraction and that many people flocked to the scene of the disaster despite the strong gale.
Even though the ship has been broken up over time by wind, waves, and sand, the Peter Iredale wreck is still a well-liked tourist attraction.
The remains of the metal ship frame and a few other metal pieces are all that are visible above the sand. It’s interesting to see the rest of the ship and discover a little bit about the wreck’s past.
At low tide, you may walk right up to the frame; at high tide, the entire area is submerged under water.
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Collins Beach UFO Boat
On the northern tip of Sauvie Island, a somewhat crowded nudist beach conceals a mystery. The spaceship is an experimental Ferro cement boat that was constructed in the 1970s, just upriver. Before disappearing, it took a local family on many excursions for several decades as a self-righting sail.
Despite its ugly look, the boat did, in fact, provide three months of shelter for a family in 1973. Nowadays, the boat is most recognized for its varied graffiti and, well, messiness.
This 24,000-acre island offers plenty of sights and activities, including hiking, bird watching, and beach visits. During your visit, you might want to check out the abandoned UFO boat near Collins Beach.
This is a very rare chance because not many UFO constructions from their heyday in the 1970s have survived.
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Shaniko Ghostown
In the early 1900s, Shaniko served as a transit stop for the Columbia Southern Railway. At the time, the town was surrounded by 20,000 square kilometers of territory used to grow wheat and wool. The land surrounding Shanika was good for sheep and cattle but not for farming.
When the train opened in 1900, Shaniko had 172 residents. In 1903, Shaniko was dubbed the “Wool Capital of the World.” Shaniko is the only village in Oregon to have seen both tremendous growth and decline in a single decade.
The town became the liveliest ghost town in the state between 1901 and 1911, having previously been known as the Wool Capital of the World.
Visitors to Shaniko visit the ghost town in significant numbers each year, but large-scale tourism is limited by water problems.
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To Conclude
The state’s varied history and stunning scenery can be seen in Oregon’s abandoned sites. These locations offer a singular chance for investigation and contemplation, ranging from railroads and military installations to shipwrecks and odd constructions.
But, because these abandoned sites could have unsafe structures, uneven terrain, or restricted accessibility, it is imperative that you put your safety first when visiting. To save these artifacts of the past for future generations, always remember to treat the property with care and to leave no trace.