Accommodation: Located along the trendy Alberta Street on Portland's Eastside "Caravan" or the Tiny House Hotel is a great option over traditional hotels or bed and breakfasts. Also. you might want to try out tiny house living to see if it the thing for you.
Oregon: Takilma – Out’n’About Treesort
🌳 How a Treehouse Changed Our Lives
It was, as these things often are, entirely unplanned. We pulled into Out’n’About Treesort on a whim — one of those opportunistic stops that you make on a road trip when something catches your eye and you think, well, why not. We were somewhere in southern Oregon at the time, in the middle of what had become a year-long family road trip around America — the sort of mad, glorious endeavour that sounds wonderful in theory and involves rather more petrol station sandwiches in practice.
It was there, inside the Out’n’About office, that we picked up a leaflet for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival — which has been running in the nearby town of Ashland since 1935, making it one of the largest and oldest repertory theatres in the entire United States. On the strength of that leaflet, I rang up, bought tickets, and off we went to Ashland for a couple of days. Reader, we fell completely in love with it — the town, the theatre, the whole magnificent corner of the state. That visit was, ultimately, what led us to pack up and move to Oregon nearly ten years ago now. So in a very real sense, a treehouse changed our lives. As origin stories go, it’s not exactly conventional, but then neither are we.
Anyway. That’s probably enough of our family history, because Out’n’About Treesort is absolutely worthy of its own proper telling.
🏡 Not Your Average Bed and Breakfast
Out’n’About is a genuinely unique place — and I don’t use the word “unique” in the loose, estate-agent sense of meaning “slightly unusual.” I mean it in the proper sense: there is nothing else quite like it.
For a start, there are no locks on the treehouse doors. None. Which, if you’ve ever stayed in a Premier Inn and spent ten minutes wrestling with a key card that the receptionist has to reprogram three times, feels almost transgressive. This is not a Ramada or a Hilton that has been relocated into the forest canopy as a novelty marketing exercise. It is a genuine, working, four-star Treesort — their word, and a rather good one — that caters equally to the cautious and the adventurous, to locals and to travellers passing through. They’ve thought about all of it.
The treehouses themselves are really just part of the picture. The property sits on 36 private acres of pasture and woodland, right on the edge of the Siskiyou National Forest — a vast stretch of protected land that covers more than 1.8 million acres across southern Oregon and northern California. Old-growth wilderness starts more or less where the garden ends. It’s the sort of setting that makes you feel slightly guilty for having spent most of your life in Swindon.
✌️ Hippies With Hammers
The founders came from Northern California and were, by all accounts, genuine products of the 1960s counterculture movement — proper hippies, back when that meant something beyond a vague interest in artisan granola. They had real, hands-on experience building treehouses, and they arrived in Oregon with the intention of creating something different: a bed and breakfast business rooted in the trees.
This, predictably, did not go down especially well with the local county officials. There were attempts to shut the whole enterprise down — not just once, but on several occasions. The American planning system, it turns out, is no less enthusiastic about obstructing the mildly unconventional than its British equivalent. You can almost picture the meetings. Nevertheless, Out’n’About survived, persevered, and eventually became the place it is today — proof, if any were needed, that sometimes the hippies win.
🏕️ All Together Now — The Communal Magic of the Place
One of the things that genuinely surprised us about this resort was just how sociable the whole setup was. This wasn’t one of those places where everyone retreats to their cabin, pulls the curtains, and avoids eye contact at breakfast. Far from it. The resort was designed from the ground up to be communal, and it worked. We found ourselves chatting to complete strangers over breakfast in the mornings — fellow guests from all sorts of places — and then again in the evenings gathered around the campfires, which, if I’m honest, is exactly the sort of thing I’d normally roll my eyes at before thoroughly enjoying myself. There’s something about an open fire at night that strips away all the awkwardness and gets people talking. We stayed up later than we had any business to on more than one occasion.
🌲 Getting Out and About — From Gentle to Terrifying
When we weren’t simply lounging around the resort doing a convincing impression of a pair of retired tortoises, there was no shortage of things to actually get up and do. The activities on offer covered a pleasingly wide spectrum — which is to say, there was something for people like me who prefer their adventures to involve minimal mortal peril, right through to the sort of thing that makes your stomach perform acrobatics.
On the gentler end of things, horse riding wound through the surrounding landscape at a pace that could charitably be described as unhurried. This suited us perfectly. The woods here were genuinely beautiful — the kind of ancient, dappled, quietly dramatic woodland that makes you feel like you’ve wandered into a BBC documentary about the English countryside, except that it was considerably warmer and nobody was whispering reverentially into a microphone. The hiking trails took us deep into these woods, and we emerged blinking and slightly muddy but very glad we’d bothered.
And then, for those of a more adventurous disposition — or those who simply haven’t learned their lesson yet — there were zip-lining courses that I’m told were enormous fun, provided you’re comfortable hurtling through the forest canopy at speed whilst attached to what amounts to a rather thin piece of metal wire. I watched. I applauded. I stayed firmly on the ground with a cup of tea.
🏡 Want Your Own Treehouse? These People Can Actually Help
Here’s the thing about staying somewhere as spectacular as this — you start quietly wondering whether you couldn’t just, well, have one of your own. As it turns out, if you fall completely in love with the treehouse experience (which is not at all an unlikely outcome), the team here can actually help you build your very own. They offer proper design and build assistance for those who want to take the dream home with them — quite literally. Whether that’s a modest weekend retreat or something rather more ambitious, these are the people to talk to. Needless to say, we had a very long and entirely impractical conversation about this on the last evening, aided and abetted by the campfire and a glass or two of something warming.
Planning Your Visit to Treesort
🌲 Overview
Tucked away in the small community of Takilma in southern Oregon, Out ‘n’ About Treehouse Treesort is one of the most extraordinary and distinctive places to stay in the United States. Set on 36 acres of private pasture and woodland, right alongside Siskiyou National Forest, the Treesort offers a genuine four-star experience — suspended among the treetops rather than grounded in conventional hospitality. With a collection of over a dozen treehouses, elevated yurts, cabins, and tree gazebos, it caters equally to the adventurous and the merely curious. There are no locks on the treehouse doors, no corporate gloss, and no pretence. This is a homegrown, family-run escape that invites guests to rediscover the childhood joy of climbing a tree and never quite coming down.
📍 Location
Out ‘n’ About Treehouse Treesort is located at 300 Page Creek Road, Cave Junction, Oregon, OR 97523, in the Takilma area of Josephine County, near the California border in southern Oregon.
From Interstate 5, take the Grants Pass exit (Exit 58 northbound or Exit 55 southbound) and follow Highway 199 for approximately 28 miles to Cave Junction. Travelling south of Cave Junction for roughly half a mile, turn left onto Rockydale Road. Continue for 7.5 miles to the stop sign at Waldo Road and turn left. After approximately one mile, turn right at the stop sign onto Takilma Road. After 2.5 miles, turn left onto Page Creek Road, continue for a quarter of a mile, and then turn left onto the gravel road, following it to the end. Visitors are asked to drive slowly and respect the surrounding neighbourhood.
🌐 Website
treehouses.com
📞 Contact
Main Office: +1 541-592-2208 Zipline Office: +1 541-592-2207 Construction and Parts Office: +1 541-592-2206
General Enquiries Email: treesort@treehouses.com Construction Enquiries Email: parts@treehouses.com
🕒 Opening Times
The main resort office is open seven days a week, Monday to Sunday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Guided tours of the treehouses are available to day visitors on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm (on the hour), running from April through to October. It is advisable to call ahead before visiting, particularly for tours and activities.
💷 Entry Fees
Guided treehouse tours are available to non-staying visitors at the following rates:
Adults: $5.00 per person Children (aged 12 and under): $2.50 per child
Overnight accommodation pricing varies according to the treehouse chosen, the number of guests, and the time of year. Rates should be confirmed directly with the resort at the time of booking.
🛖 What to Expect
Each treehouse at the Treesort is entirely individual — some are rustic and beautifully simple, while others feature indoor plumbing, electricity, and imaginative décor. Several are accessed via rope bridges, swaying ladders, and trap doors, with some platforms rising as high as 40 to 47 feet above the ground. For guests without en-suite plumbing, shared bathroom facilities are located nearby in the Central Amenitrees cabin, which also houses a communal kitchen, a fire pit area, and general guest amenities including fresh coffee and wireless internet.
🏕️ Activities
The Treesort offers a broad range of on-site activities for all ages and abilities, including:
Zip-line and canopy tours, horseback riding, giant swings, rope courses, art and craft classes, a freshwater swimming pool (fed from the river), and a full-service spa — naturally, housed in a treehouse. The resort also operates the Treehouse Institute of Takilma, described as the only facility in the world offering instruction in the engineering, design, and construction of treehouses.
🗺️ Getting to the Area
The nearest major commercial airport is Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport in Medford, Oregon, approximately an hour’s drive from the Treesort. The town of Cave Junction, roughly ten minutes away, serves as the closest base for supplies and additional services. The Treesort is less than three miles from the California border and within easy reach of the Oregon Caves National Monument, the Illinois River, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in northern California.
The Best Time to Visit Oregon
Oregon is one of the most geographically diverse states in the USA, encompassing rugged Pacific coastline, dense temperate rainforests, volcanic peaks, high desert plateaus, and fertile river valleys. Knowing when to visit — and where to go — makes all the difference between a memorable journey and a soggy disappointment. This guide breaks down the best times to visit by season and by region, with packing advice for each time of year.
🌸 Spring (March–May)
Spring is a season of dramatic transformation in Oregon. Wildflowers carpet the Columbia River Gorge and the Willamette Valley bursts into colour with cherry blossom and tulip blooms. The crowds are thin, prices are reasonable, and the landscape feels genuinely alive.
Willamette Valley & Portland Portland springs to life in April, with the Japanese Garden at its finest and the International Rose Test Garden beginning to bud. The city’s famous food markets and coffee culture are best enjoyed without summer queues. Expect overcast skies and regular showers through March, gradually giving way to mild, bright days in May. The valley’s wine country — particularly around Dundee Hills — is lovely in spring, with green vineyards and damp, fresh air.
Columbia River Gorge This is arguably the finest time to visit the Gorge. Waterfalls are thundering at full capacity from snowmelt, and the wildflower displays on the eastern side — particularly around Rowena Crest — are extraordinary in late March and April. The Historic Columbia River Highway is fully accessible and relatively uncrowded.
Oregon Coast Spring brings dramatic, brooding skies and powerful surf to the coast. While swimming is out of the question (it nearly always is), storm-watching and grey whale migration viewing (March–May) make this a compelling time to visit. Towns like Cannon Beach and Newport are quiet, and accommodation rates are significantly lower.
Central Oregon & the High Desert Bend and the surrounding high desert thaw slowly. March can still be wintry at elevation, but by May the Smith Rock State Park trails are in excellent condition and the crowds have not yet arrived. Wildflowers begin appearing on the desert floor in April and May.
Southern Oregon (Crater Lake, Rogue Valley) Crater Lake typically remains snowbound into May or even June. The rim road is often closed, though the park itself is accessible for snowshoeing. The Rogue Valley — home to Ashland’s Shakespeare Festival — opens its theatre season in February and runs through autumn, making spring an excellent time to combine culture and scenery.
🎒 What to Pack for Spring Layering is essential: a waterproof shell or rain jacket, fleece mid-layer, and moisture-wicking base layers. Pack waterproof walking boots for trail use, a compact umbrella for city days, and sun protection for the high desert and clear-day hikes. Temperatures swing considerably between coast, city, and high elevation — a light down gilet bridges the gap neatly.
☀️ Summer (June–August)
Summer is peak season across most of Oregon, and for good reason. The Cascades are fully accessible, the coast is reliably cool and bright, and long daylight hours give visitors maximum time outdoors. It is also the busiest and most expensive time to travel.
Portland & the Willamette Valley Portland summers are warm and largely dry — a genuine surprise to many visitors expecting Pacific gloom. Temperatures typically sit between 24°C and 30°C in July and August. The Saturday Market, food truck pods, and outdoor festivals are in full swing. The valley’s lavender farms and wineries welcome visitors from June onwards.
Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls are lower in volume than spring but the hiking trails are at their best — dry underfoot, with sweeping views along the gorge rim. Popular trails like Angel’s Rest and Dog Mountain can become very busy on weekends. Visit on weekdays or arrive early to secure parking.
Oregon Coast The coast is never hot — that is part of its charm. Summer averages sit around 16°C to 19°C, with frequent morning mist burning off by midday. The coastal towns are busy but not overwhelmed. Cannon Beach, Seaside, and Pacific City all have a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere even at peak times. Haystack Rock’s tide pools are best explored at low tide during long summer evenings.
Central Oregon & the High Desert Bend transforms into a hub of outdoor activity in summer. Mountain biking, white-water rafting on the Deschutes River, rock climbing at Smith Rock, and hiking around the Three Sisters Wilderness are all at their prime. Temperatures can exceed 35°C in July — hot by Oregon standards — and afternoon thunderstorms are possible. The high desert air is very dry, so hydration is critical.
Mount Hood & the Cascades Timberline Lodge is open year-round, but summer offers the full grandeur of the mountain without snow obscuring lower trails. Wildflower meadows bloom below treeline in July, and the Ramona Falls and Mirror Lake trails are among the finest day hikes in the state. Crater Lake’s rim road typically opens fully by late June, revealing one of the most vivid blue lakes on Earth.
Southern Oregon The Rogue River is superb for rafting and kayaking in summer. Illinois Valley is warm and dry, perfect for exploring the Oregon Caves National Monument. Ashland’s Shakespeare Festival is at its most vibrant in July and August, combining outdoor theatre with excellent local wine and food.
🎒 What to Pack for Summer Breathable, moisture-wicking layers work year-round on the coast; add a light fleece or windproof jacket for evenings. For the high desert and Cascades, sun cream with high SPF, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat are non-negotiable. Carry at least two litres of water per person for any hike above 900 metres. Sturdy trail shoes or boots, lightweight waterproof layer for afternoon thunderstorms, and insect repellent for forest trails round out the kit.
🍂 Autumn (September–November)
Autumn is many locals’ favourite season — and for good reason. Summer crowds fade, temperatures remain pleasant, the foliage turns spectacular, and the harvest season transforms the Willamette Valley and Rogue Valley into culinary destinations.
Portland & the Willamette Valley September is arguably the finest month in Portland. The city is warm, dry, and still lively, without the peak-season pressure. The Willamette Valley’s wine harvest begins in late September, and many wineries open their crush pads to visitors. October brings golden light and falling leaves to Forest Park — one of the largest urban forests in the USA — and the city’s autumn food scene is outstanding.
Columbia River Gorge Autumn foliage along the Gorge is stunning from mid-October into early November. The eastern end of the Historic Columbia River Highway offers particularly vivid colour against the basalt cliffs. Waterfalls return to reasonable volume as autumn rains begin, and weekend crowds drop significantly after Labour Day.
Oregon Coast Storm season begins in earnest by November, which is precisely why storm-watchers descend on Cannon Beach and Depoe Bay. September and October offer the most pleasant coast conditions — mild, bright afternoons and dramatic wave action. The famous grey whale southward migration begins in November.
Central Oregon & the High Desert September remains warm and dry in Bend. Smith Rock is glorious in autumn light, and the crowds thin considerably after the school holidays end. By October, nights are cold at elevation. Snow can arrive at altitude by late October, making early-season snowshoeing possible around Mount Bachelor.
Mount Hood & the Cascades Snow arrives at Timberline Lodge as early as October, and the ski season can begin by November. The autumn foliage in the Hood River Valley is among the most beautiful in the Pacific Northwest — paired with the valley’s famous apple and pear harvest, it makes an excellent weekend destination from Portland.
Southern Oregon Crater Lake in autumn is exceptional: cooler temperatures, thinner crowds, and the possibility of first snowfall dusting the rim for dramatic contrast against the lake’s deep blue. The Rogue Valley harvest season peaks in September and October, with farm stands lining the highways.
🎒 What to Pack for Autumn A quality waterproof jacket becomes increasingly important as the season progresses. Warm mid-layers, a wool or fleece hat, and gloves are sensible from October onwards. Waterproof walking boots are strongly advised for trail use. Pack a few lighter layers for early autumn warmth, transitioning to heavier insulation and thermals for November visits, particularly at elevation.
❄️ Winter (December–February)
Winter Oregon is not for everyone — but for those who seek solitude, dramatic scenery, and a genuine sense of wilderness, it offers something remarkable. Prices plummet, crowds disappear, and the landscape takes on a raw, elemental quality.
Portland & the Willamette Valley Portland winters are grey, damp, and mild — rarely below freezing in the city itself, but consistently overcast. This is the city at its most authentic: independent bookshops, coffee houses, museums, and covered markets come into their own when outdoor activities are curtailed. The Portland Art Museum and OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) are excellent rainy-day options. Occasional ice storms do occur and can disrupt travel — worth monitoring forecasts.
Columbia River Gorge Winter transforms the Gorge into something ethereal. Waterfalls partially freeze in hard cold snaps, ice coats the basalt walls, and the whole landscape is stripped back to its geological bones. Multnomah Falls is spectacular year-round and accessible even in winter. Many of the higher trails are closed or icy — check conditions before setting out.
Oregon Coast Storm-watching is the headline winter activity, and the Oregon Coast does it superbly. Hotels in Cannon Beach, Lincoln City, and Depoe Bay offer storm-watching packages during the roughest weather. The grey whale northward migration (December–January) is another draw. The coast remains relatively mild compared to inland Oregon, though wind chill can be brutal.
Central Oregon & the High Desert Mount Bachelor near Bend is one of the finest ski resorts in the Pacific Northwest, with a season typically running from November through April. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular alternatives for non-downhill skiers. Bend itself is surprisingly lively in winter, with a strong après-ski culture and a thriving local brewery scene.
Mount Hood & the Cascades Timberline Lodge — Oregon’s most iconic building — comes fully into its own in winter. Skiing and snowboarding on the mountain are excellent, and the historic lodge itself is a destination in its own right. Government Camp and surrounding communities offer a genuine mountain winter experience less than 90 minutes from Portland.
Southern Oregon (Crater Lake) Crater Lake in winter is one of Oregon’s most dramatic sights: the deep blue lake, the snow-covered rim, and the near-absolute silence. Access is limited to the south entrance, and the rim drive is closed, but ranger-led snowshoe walks are available on weekends. It is not easy to reach in winter, but for those who make the effort, it is genuinely unforgettable.
🎒 What to Pack for Winter Thermal base layers, a heavy insulating mid-layer, and a fully waterproof and windproof outer shell are essential. Waterproof boots with good ankle support and grip (or attachable microspikes for icy trails) are strongly advised. Pack warm accessories — hat, gloves, buff or scarf — and carry emergency layers if venturing to elevation. Driving in winter may require snow chains in mountain areas: check Oregon DOT road conditions before any mountain journey
🌟 The Overall Best Time to Visit Oregon
If forced to name a single best time to visit Oregon, late May through early October offers the most dependable conditions across the widest range of regions and activities. September stands out as the sweet spot: the summer crowds have thinned, the weather remains warm and mostly dry across the state, autumn colour is beginning in the mountains, the Willamette Valley harvest is under way, and accommodation rates start to ease. The coast is at its most pleasant, Crater Lake’s rim road is still open, and Portland is warm enough to explore entirely on foot.
That said, Oregon rewards visitors in every season. A winter storm-watcher on the coast, a spring wildflower hiker in the Gorge, or a ski week at Mount Bachelor will each find their own version of the state at its finest. The real key is matching your chosen region and activity to the season — Oregon is too varied and too dramatic to be reduced to a single best time. Choose your landscape, then let the season follow.
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