Wallowa Fall Foliage Signature Excursion – September 25-29, 2025
From
$2499.00
Duration
Tour Type
Overview
This fantastic all-inclusive five-day, four-night excursion rolls into Oregon’s own “Little Switzerland”, the city of Joseph, for the annual Alpenfest Swiss-Bavarian Festival which has been going strong since 1975. Not only will we be delighted by the Bavarian-themed celebrations, but we will enjoy the history of the region, the views from the top of the gondola into the mountains, and we will ‘cap’ it all off with the Eagle Cap Train Fall Foliage Excursion. Join us for a wonderful celebration in the beautiful, welcoming city of Joseph this September!
Itinerary
Day One – Thursday, September 25: Columbia River Gorge to Pendleton
Our Executive Van will sail our guests into the gorge, with a stop to admire the views on our way to our lunch destination, Arlington, Oregon. While not known as a culinary destination, at least one of the OregonWest crew has had some delicious food along I-84 here. Well fueled up from our stop, we will continue to Pendleton to check into our hotel and have a delicious meal at the historic Hamley’s Steakhouse. A good night’s rest will set us up for a fantastic day tomorrow! (L, D)
Our Executive Van will sail our guests into the gorge, with a stop to admire the views on our way to our lunch destination, Arlington, Oregon. While not known as a culinary destination, at least one of the OregonWest crew has had some delicious food along I-84 here. Well fueled up from our stop, we will continue to Pendleton to check into our hotel and have a delicious meal at the historic Hamley’s Steakhouse. A good night’s rest will set us up for a fantastic day tomorrow! (L, D)
Day Two – Friday, September 26: Joseph, Wallowa Lake Tramway, and Alpenfest
This morning we will have breakfast at the hotel and then depart for Joseph, with a stop in Enterprise to have lunch at Terminal Gravity. Now properly fueled, Wallowa Lake and the Areal Tram is our destination. Ride to the top of Mount Howard for views of Oregon’s Little Switzerland and the lake below from 8,150 feet up; Joseph may be a small town, but these are some BIG views. We will have time to soak up all of the views before descending back down and checking into the historic Wallowa Lake Lodge. This evening, we will have dinner in Joseph and then attend the Alpenfest’s Friday Night Concert before returning to the lodge for a nice rest. (B, L, D)
Day Three – Saturday, September 27: Eagle Cap Fall Foliage Train and More Alpenfest
After breakfast at the lodge, we will depart for Elgin and board the Eagle Cap Fall Foliage Train. There are only three departures in 2025 for the Fall Foliage rides; we will be lucky to see the peak of amazing fall colors along the rivers and on the surrounding mountains as the train follows the short of the Grande Ronde, Rondowa, and Wallowa Rivers. Aboard the train, we will eat a boxed lunch while enjoying the unparalleled scenery. At the conclusion of the trip, we will head back to experience some of the daytime Alpenfair activities on the streets of Joseph before returning to the lodge to freshen up and then have dinner. This evening, enjoy music at the lodge, stroll by the lake, or rest after a wonderful day. (B, L, D)
Day Four – Sunday, September 28: Return to the Gorge
This will be a leisurely morning to enjoy the beauty of the Wallowas. We will take the opportunity to savor the surroundings – the mountains, the lake, and the lodge. Today we will make our way to The Dalles where we will check into the hotel and have dinner. There is more to come tomorrow! (B, L, D)
Day Four – Monday, September 29: The Dalles to Home
After a lovely sleep, we need a nice big breakfast followed by a visit to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, the official interpretive center of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, to learn about the region during the ice age, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, indigenous tribes, raptors, renewable energy, and more. Lunch will be in Hood River along with more views of the Columbia River Gorge before continuing on toward home (there may be a stop for some sweets before we get to Tualatin). (B, L)