Amenities
The views from the breakfast table are breathtaking no matter what time of the year you choose to visit. Beautiful green pasture rolls gently toward the treeline shielding the John Day River. Crossing the river the pasture climbs quickly to become golden rolling prairie before it reaches the treeline at the foot of magnificent Strawberry Mountain. You will watch nesting Canada Geese sweep in to land on the river, see a cow cleaning her wobbly legged newborn calf, watch a fox sneaking swiftly through the pasture as it hunts for breakfast or dinner or just enjoy the air show put on by the barn swallows as they build their spring nests.
The winter usually leaves the valley floor free of snow but covers the mountain and dusts the prairie with a blanket of white. The majestic Ponderosa and Lodgepole Pine trees stand out in dark contrast as the craggy mountain peak looms on the horizon. The Strawberry Mountain Wilderness is 68,000 acres of incredible beauty. Easily accessible from the Inn, the wilderness area has well-maintained hiking trails easy enough for the novice and challenging enough for the hardiest outdoor types. Complete with high mountain lakes and cascading waterfalls, the wilderness area offers trout fishing, bird watching, wildlife viewing and the peace and serenity most of us only dream of finding.
If you are lucky enough to have your own horse, the Strawberry Mountain Inn has pasture and barn to accommodate your animal. Horseback riding is permitted in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness and the trails are wide and clean. The corral area is just below the trail head and is 12 miles from the Inn.
The John day Fossil Beds are a short 45 mile drive to the west. Paleontologists come from all over the world to work in these beds. It is the only place on Earth where we have 50 million years of fossil history exposed to view. The Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Bed National Monument is just 80 miles to the west and is easily seen in a day trip from the Inn.
The area abounds with authentic ghost towns such as Whitney and Granite. The old west town of Sumpter, recently experiencing something of a revival, is just 35 miles to the north and hosts three long weekend flea markets on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.
There is never a shortage of activities during the summer months with rodeos, festivals, classic car shows and legions of small town events to keep you busy. The winter offers outstanding snowmobiling and cross country skiing in nearby Logan and Bear Valleys near the headwaters of the John Day River. A day of winter sports deserves a luxurious soak in the Blue Mountain hot springs before returning to the inn to sink into the luxury of our elegant surrounding.
History buffs will find days of exploring available in the area's four diverse museums, including the one of a kind Kam Wah Chung Museum of the history of the Chinese who settled the area during the gold rush days of 1862. Your tour is in "as found condition" of the pharmacy, general store, opium den and living quarters of Dr. Ing Hay, who served the Chinese community and later the general community as their physician until his death in the 1950's.
Miscellaneous
Directions:
Contact Information
Strawberry Mountain Inn Bed & Breakfast
710 NE Front St.
Prairie City, Oregon 97869
(800) 545-6913
Your hosts: Bill & Linda Harrington
Email: lindaharrington600@msn.com