Joseph Oregon Lodging

Still looking for a luxury lodging option during the Joseph Oregon Car Show?  The local car show, also known as the Oregon Mountain Cruise, celebrates 25 years of classic cars on June 7 and 8, 2013.  And have we got the lodging for you!

The Mirror Lake Suite, our romantic getaway Oregon lodging right here in Joseph, is still available.  This room competes against finer regional hotels in terms of style and amenities. And better yet, it's located one block away from downtown Joseph so you can walk back and forth to the car show throughout the Show'n'Shine and to the Saturday night dance at the Joseph Oregon Community Center.

Features include:

• Private entrance leading directly to the parking area. And you can see your beauty through the suite's windows framed against the Wallowa Mountains.
• Light, airy bedroom with 14.5' vaulted ceiling with plenty of spaciousness.
• Private attached bathroom full of spa-style fixtures.  Steam shower (with its own chromatherapy lights and radio), combination Japanese-designed Toto Neorest toilet/bidet, and a very sanitary pipeless jetted Sanijet tub to melt away the hours spent strolling the car show in downtown Joseph.
• Dedicated air conditioning (need we say more?)
• Flat screen TV with attached Blu-ray DVD for watching your favorite movies (bring your own or watch ours).
• Wi-Fi access throughout the bed and breakfast.

On top of all that, all the common amenities and services we offer our guests. And, the Oregon Mountain Cruise entrants line up their cars early Saturday morning right in front of our bed and breakfast on South Main Street so you can quickly get into the proper order for the Show'n'Shine parking.

Were you looking for " Joseph Oregon hotels " or " Wallowa Lake hotel " when trying to figure out where to stay?  We've got you covered.  It's our last available room for the car show weekend.  Take advantage quickly before it's gone.  AAA members receive 10% off too!

Marcus Berg, owner & professional photographer at Unique Angles Photography, is returning to our Eastern Oregon bed and breakfast in early June to update our portfolio of high quality images.  Sure, we can always capture images on our digital camera or our smartphones and they'll look fine on the Facebook page, but it's also important for the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast to have high quality "dense" images for magazines and other print advertising.

We're excited to have Marcus out with us for a few days.  I know it'll be a lot of work.  A good photo shoot involves lots of preparation.  Beautiful flowers, a variety of props to dress up the guestrooms, a varied menu for food photography--and then there are things we can't quite control like great weather for exterior photos.  The last time Marcus was here, he & I were up before the dawn to capture images of the bocce court in the north perennial garden of our Wallowa Lake lodging.  Little did I know that watering the bocce court the night before meant I'd need to quickly spray down the rest of the gravel walkways at 5 am!

If you have a chance, take a look at our website photography and send us suggestions on which photos you think should be updated,  What images should we capture that aren't on the website?  What would best depict our romantic getaway Oregon style?  Send your ideas to info@bronzeantler.com and we'd love to incorporate your ideas.  

This year the Oregon Mountain Cruise celebrates its 25th anniversary.  And here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast we've just confirmed that we still have three rooms open (lucky procrastinators--now's your chance).

If you need any persuading as to why you should choose our Joseph Oregon lodging, here are a few good reasons:

1.  Our lodging provides hotel quality accomodations walking distance to the car show (only one block from downtown Joseph Oregon).

2.  You can spiffy up your car right here in our parking area on Saturday morning right before you pull into the lineup (which takes place right in front of our bed & breakfast right here on Main Street).  Hose provided.

3.  As of today, April 21st,, you have your choice of three lovely rooms:  the Mirror Lake Suite is our luxurious alternative to a Wallowa Lake hotel or any Joseph Oregon hotels.  We've been told it's right up there with the penthouse suite at the Coeur d'Alene Resort.  The Chief Joseph Mounntain Room offers a broad view of the mountains to the south.  For the budget conscious, the Sawtooth Mountain Room  offers superb views of the Wallowa Mountains and the largest bathroom on the second floor.  All of our rooms have their own attached private bath (no sharing and no going out in the hall to find the bathroom), plus air conditioning.

4.  AAA member?  As a AAA-rated three-diamond property, we offer a 10% discount on room rates to card carrying AAA members.

5. Extra bonus:  If you stay with us in 2013, then you have first priority for the 2014 car show weekend.

Don't wait to make your reservation for the nights of June 7 & 8, 2013.  And if you're coming with a car club, tell your club members so you can all enjoy the convenience of our in town location!

Wall Street Journal writer Tess Weaver recently wrote about ski mountaineering for the Wall Street Journal (published February 27, 2013), noting that skiing uphill is gaining in popularity around the United States and might even make the 2022 Winter Olympics.

You can find plenty of that kind of activity out here near Joseph Oregon.  And you won't have to worry about purchasing a lift ticket or competing with downhill resort skiers.  The Wallowa Mountains are a tucked away corner of Oregon with no organized ski resort (although the local hill, Ferguson Ridge, does attract a mainly local crowd) and plenty of backcountry skiing conditions.

We recently hosted a group of Portland Oregon skiers who used our Joseph Oregon lodging as their jumping off point for a multi-day ski trip.  They arrived late, but got a very good night's rest, a hearty breakfast, and time to shop for some local essentials before heading out to McCully Basin to build their snow cave for the next few nights of lodging.  There's nothing like a smoked "flat" chicken from our local grocer, Mt. Joseph Family Foods, at the end of a long day of uphill skiing!

If you do want to take on the rugged Wallowa Mountains, we suggest you spend some time with the Wallowa Avalanche Center's website and study the snow conditions.  As one person who commented on Tess Weaver's article said, "In Italy "sci alpinismo" as the sport is called here is widely practiced, but not on crowded downhill slopes! The biggest attraction is the opprtunity to enjoy pristine alpine scenery alone or with a few friends and be able to experience a more challenging deep powder snow descent off groomed trails. Understanding and managing avalanche risk is a key requirement to enjoy the sport safely. Mountaineering training is required and it is not advisable to just buy the equipment and take off no matter how good your athletic ability."  Definitely true here in the Wallowas as well.

One thing that separates the bed and breakfast community from many other lodging options (especially hotels) is free wireless internet. There is no additional daily charge at most bed and breakfasts for wireless internet. And certainly not here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast!

Here at our Joseph Oregon lodging we just upgraded our internet service by making some changes to our existing infrastructure.  We did this to make our wireless internet service easier to access, faster, and to specifically address an issue raised by a guest in a review on TripAdvisor about our Eastern Oregon bed and breakfast.  The guest wrote:

[T]he WI-FI is too fussy. The coverage is spotty and the need to log on for each session is annoying. Also, there is insufficient capacity to watch the news or a movie. Since there is no TV at this location, better Internet access would be appreciated.

We originally installed a very secure login process to ensure that neither guests nor innkeepers would get hacked, nor would we be vulnerable to someone pulling up in our parking area, hopping on our wireless, and downloading inappropriate information.  But times have changed.   In response, we've now changed our security settings so that the guest uses one password one time only to cover all "sessions" here at our Wallowa Lake lodging.  The internal changes made to our signal routing have increased our download speed by about a factor of four.  And we are reevaluating the position of our router to maximize performance throughout the property (which is already very good inside the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast building). 

One thing about living in a very rural location is that internet access isn't the quite same as it is in more populated communities.  Could we have DSL?  Not currently.  Cable modem?  Not available.  And probably won't be in the foreseeable future.  Our internet signal is entirely wireless--including how it is delivered to and leaves the property.    We met the criticism head on and look forward to this guest returning (the guest also indicated that it wouldn't be the last visit to the Bronze Antler).  We want to demonstrate that we take constructive suggestions seriously.

Never traveled on the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway?  Here's a really good taste of what you can experience.  The Oregon Department of Transportation film crew came through a little while ago and shot a lot of footage to create this comprehensive video about the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway.  What's nice about this particular video is you'll see the byway in all seasons.

It's a little bit lengthy at 8 minutes, but it really takes that long to see the scenery and some of the sights along the way.  I'm thrilled they included a scene from the Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts (3:58), our juried fine art show that takes place every first weekend of June here in Joseph Oregon.  And there are scenes from Hells Canyon Mule Days (3:04) that takes place every weekend after Labor Day in September in Enterprise Oregon (the weekend after the first Monday of September).  You'll even have quick view of one of your Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast innkeepers in the introduction (0:57)--it's amazing what sorts of things I get roped into doing for our area!

You'll find other posts on our Bronze Antler blog about things you can see along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway--just type "Hells Canyon" (without the quotes) in the blog's search box and a whole list of them will appear.  This image is of Harle Butte, one of the historic staffed fire lookouts along the rim of Hells Canyon.  It's at the end of a dirt road leading from the byway and a fabulous view (recommended for trucks and other higher clearance vehicles).

Just a reminder:  the center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (Forest Road 39 or the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road) is seasonal--it usually closes in early November and doesn't open again until May or June depending upon snowpack.  If you're planning to drive the entire Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, check in with the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Office at (541) 426-4978 or 426-5546 or by visiting their website

And be sure to call us to see about your Hells Canyon lodging while you're on your trip.  Our phone is (541) 432-0230 or visit our website for more information.

See you along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway!

This morning I took a same-day reservation from a Portland, Oregon-based birder who is coming out today on short notice to see a bird.  Apparently a Little Bunting was found here in Joseph Oregon over the past few days.  Looking at the ABA Birding News, it appears this Siberian bird has only been seen twice in the continental United States, both times in California.  What a great find right here in Eastern Oregon!  For a look at this bird, here's a nice photo from the Surfbirds website. For an image of this specific bird, here's a link to Trent Bray's birdlist (with photo) from January 29, 2013.

There is a lot of chatter (twitter, perhaps?) on the ABA website about people wanting to come to Joseph this weekend to look for the Little Bunting, which has been seen about 3 blocks from our Joseph bed and breakfast on neighborhood feeders. Some birds from Montana are even considering a trip.

If you do decide to make the trek to Joseph Oregon, allow us locals to offer a few suggestions:

1. Check the weather.  The forecast through the weekend is looking pretty good with highs in the 30s and lows in the teens.  Our favorite website (including webcams) is www.josephoregonweather.com
2. Check the roads.  And be sure to bring a vehicle with traction tires or carry chains!  Always a good idea in Northeastern Oregon in the winter.  The Oregon Department of Transportation website is www.tripcheck.com
3. If you plan to fly commercially, the closest airports are Lewiston, Idaho (LWS) about 2 hours away, or Pasco, Washington (PSC) about 3 hours away.  Some people have commented that the road south from Lewiston to Joseph is too bad to drive.  Many of us here would beg to differ.  Just take your time and don't plan to speed.  Parts of WA-129 and OR-3 are pretty twisty.  Slow down for the curves and you'll eventually get here.  Best to do in daylight hours.
4. If you need a place to stay, we do have some lodging still available here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast.  Call us at 541-432-0230 or book online. You'll also find a motel here in town and another bed & breakfast.  Otherwise, plan to stay in Enterprise.  You can find more lodging options via the Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce's website.

Of course, we keep our bird feeders full here outside out dining room window.  With any luck, that bird's going to expand its range a little and cross over Main Street to our location!

Back in March 2010 I wrote a blog post about planning your wedding in Joseph Oregon or at Wallowa Lake (you can read that post in full here.  It's amazing how many people have read that post!  Nancy's blue barn and the Wallowa Lake Tramway are still very nice locations for a Wallowa Couny Wedding and we've hosted guests who've participated in weddings in these venues..

Here's another great wedding venue that keeps a website with plenty of great photos and information for wedding planning out here in Eastern Oregon.  The Mt Joseph Ranch is located south of Joseph but on the west side of the west moraine of Wallowa Lake in an extremely picturesque setting.

From the website:

The Mt. Joseph Ranch provides majestic landscapes for your wedding. Whether you choose to have your wedding in a magnificent forest setting, the outdoor amphitheater, log mess hall, horse barn, in a grassy meadow or atop the moraine overlooking Wallowa Lake, the Ranch will provide the perfect setting for your wedding. The natural, serene setting of the guest ranch will create memories that will last a lifetime.

The website itself can be a little difficult to navigate (be sure to look at each area--the ranch, the barn, the event facilities--in order to get a complete picture. 

And another bonus is links to some of the photographers and caterers in the area who would be more than happy to help with your wedding!

Here at our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast we're happy to help steer you toward the resources you might need for your wedding planning.  And we can provide lodging for your wedding guests, or perhaps for the bride and groom in our over-the-top Mirror Lake Suite.  Please feel free to contact us if we can help.

One thing guests here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast often comment about is the attention to detail found at our Joseph Oregon lodging.  When you check in you'll find pretty much everything you'll need from high end toiletries, comfy spa robes and slippers, a blow dryer, magnifying make up mirror, corkscrew and hand-painted wine glasses, to more items we won't mention here (except for the rubber ducky and the bubble bath).

But the one thing you definitely will never find at our Eastern Oregon bed and breakfast is a Screaming Meanie.  In fact, I'd never even seen one of these obnoxious devices until today when a departing guest pulled one out of his luggage.  He works from home and consults with people internationally and therefore sometimes has to wake up at odd hours.  This device, he says, ensures he will. And he demonstrated it for me at the 120 dB level--think "smoke detector" and you're right up there with what this little box can do.

My only question was whether or not the thing will tolerate being thrown across the room into the wall.  Apparently it does, however, hitting the wall won't lower volume setting.  He told me it does have two quieter settings (including one close to the level of typical conversation) so perhaps it does have some redeeming features.

If you haven't seen one of these (or worse yet, heard one), I found an amusing little video displaying the power of the full-strength Screaming Meanie:

Like I said, you won't find one of these nasty little devices in our excellently appointed guestrooms. And if you choose to bring one with you on your Joseph Oregon vacation, please don't set it at full power!

We're wrapping up the Bronze Blues & Brews Festival 2012 here in Joseph Oregon.  Two sets of guests flew themselves & their spouses to Joseph State Airport (also knows as KJSY) in their private aircraft.  We were fortunate enough that one guest, Ken, took a short video on his phone of Chris making a picture perfect landing on Saturday morning before the festival started..  

Joseph State Airport was renovated within the last couple of years and has new paving on the taxiway and the parking skirt.  It's a short distance from Joseph Oregon and we provide complimentary transportation for our pilot bed & breakfast guests and their passengers.

I particularly like the eagle cry in the video right before Chris' plane comes into view.

If you're looking for Eastern Oregon lodging near a remote airport, our bed and breakfast might be a good one for you to consider.

Are you looking for two nights of lodging in Joseph Oregon during August 2012?  If you're looking for something prior to August 25, we still have two nights available in the Ferguson Ridge Room for August 8 and 9 (Wednesday and Thursday nights).  Skip the Joseph Oregon hotels (as there aren't any anyway).  Plus the Ferguson Ridge Room is equipped as well or better than many hotel rooms.  Included are:

• air conditioning
• complimentary Wi-Fi
• fine linens over a 3" thick latex foam topper (very plush sleep)
• private bath with deeper soaking tub
• lighted makeup mirror
• spa style robes and slippers

Of course lodging in our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast includes full breakfasts every morning plus complimentary artesian bottled water, soft drinks, snacks, etc.

The best reason to stay?  Walking distance to all the shops, galleries and restaurants in downtown Joseph.   Here's a photo of a wrap and a beer from one of our favorites--Mutiny Brewing Company.  There's not much better than parking the car or the motorcycle, then heading down to one of the restaurants with outdoor seating and taking in a view of the Wallowa Mountains.

And if your travel dates are flexible, you'll find we have more rooms open starting August 26, 2012.  

See you in Joseph!

It always amazes me how much people rely on our little Hells Canyon lodging for information about the road between Joseph Oregon and Halfway Oregon.  Everytime I look at the Google Analytics for the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast blog, I can see how often blog posts about this subject are searched for and read.  Forget the "Joseph Oregon hotels" or the "Wallowa Lake hotel" search--seems like everyone wants to know if the road is open!!!

So, here's what's going on in 2012 for Forest Road 39 (aka Wallowa Mountain Loop Road, aka FR39, aka Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, aka the road from Joseph to Halfway).  As of this week, the road is unofficially open--this information from the USDA Forest Service Visitor Center here in Joseph Oregon.  

You might have to get out and move a few rocks, perhaps drive around a downed tree from last winter's snow--you drive it "at your own risk" since the Forest Service hasn't been able to maintain the road yet.

But it's a sign of spring!  Lots of rain moving through the area and the temperatures are warm enough for snow to melt, so be careful out there.  Not much cell service along Forest Road 39 (and definitely no gas stations) so plan accordingly!  Let people know where you go if you decide to drive this route

And we'll see ya here on the Joseph Oregon end of the road!

Okay, procrastinators, it's your very lucky day!  The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast in Joseph OR just had a cancellation in the Mirror Lake Suite for Friday & Saturday nights, June 8 and 9, 2012.  If you are planning to attend the Joseph Oregon car show 2012 (known as the Oregon Mountain Cruise) and you want lodging that's walking distance to your show car, then this is your lucky break!

This top-of-the-line suite rarely comes available during car show weekend.  You'll want to snap it up quickly if you're serious.  We also provide a washing area and hose for touching up your car before the Show and Shine.

Call us at (541) 432-0230 or book online via our website today!

It's been two years since Joachim Becker last visited our Hells Canyon lodging. Last time, the president of New York-based Zoho Music made us a gift of Zoho Music's upcoming release, Tribute to J.J. Cale.  And just like last time, Joachim's stay was too short!  We'd love for him to have the opportunity to drive the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway or take a run up to Hat Point for the incredible view.

But he did leave us with another parting gift.  Zoho Music's 100th CD release is Hendrik Meurkens and Gabriel Espinosa with Anat Cohen & Antonio Sanchez entitled "Celebrando".  Release in April 2012, this CD is fresh.  

From the liner notes: The CD gathers the leaders and seven splendid colleagues to investigate 10 succulent Brazilian jazz originals – with a “Yucatecan and “European twist,” say Gabriel and Hendrik – and one classic bolero, all designed to enchant.

Cross your fingers!  I think this one's headed for a Grammy Award.  At least it's award-winning here in our Eastern Oregon bed and breakfast kitchen.  The feel of this Portuguese/Spanish styling has me dancing through the dishes!

"Celebrando" is available throughout the US.  Pick up a copy and enjoy the sounds.  You'll be ready for that trip to Brazil in no time!

If you're a guy and into wildlife, you might just want the 2012 Wallowa Mountain Quilters Guild raffle quilt for your bed or as a blanket on the leather couch in your den.  And the raffle's still on until June 9, 2012 so buy your tickets now!  $1 per ticket or 6 for $5--and you can order them through the mail too.  This year's quilt is a Montana Log Cabin style with black silhouettes of birds, moose, deer, foxes and other wildlife.  Very masculine and very striking.

Gee, might even be a good idea to order some tickets and win this beautiful quilt to give as a present to that man who has everything. . .

If you want to see the quilt in person, come to the 20th Annual Quilt Show!  The show takes place on June 8 & 9, 2012, the same weekend here in Joseph Oregon as the Oregon Mountain Cruise Car Show.

We're all sold out of lodging here at our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast but we're happy to refer you to other area Oregon bed and breakfasts of the Oregon B&B Guild.  Click here for the other inspected and approved OBBG inns. And don't forget your raffle tickets!

All this kerfluffle about doiles.  We've been lambasted with unsolicited emails from the "Crochet for a New Day" Super PAC suggesting we should join the ranks of bed and breakfast inns supporting the motto of "A doily on every nightstand."

And we've seen our share of the opposing "Liberate our Furniture" Super PAC emails urging bed and breakfasts to "eliminate doilies from every bureau in the country."

Well, we've taken our stand.  Here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast we've had too many compliments from male guests thanking us over and over for not having a doily in sight.  "I've been to so many bed and breakfasts with my wife where I'm afraid to sit on anything, there's nowhere to set anything down, and the doilies! She did me right by bringing me here!" As far as we're concerned, doilies are out, romantic getaway is in!

We're proud to be members of the No-Doily Party, but we know that there's room in America for the Pro-Doilies too. We encourage you to vote for your party of choice: Doily or No-Doily at the Better Way To Stay website (did I mention that there's a drawing for a complimentary stay at an inn who shares your convictions?) 

Get out there and vote your choice - Doily or No-Doily.  And we'll see you No-Doily supporters for your romantic getaway Oregon style and doily-free!

It's not often that we get a special request for breakfast. Our typical rotation of "sweet" breakfast one day and "savory" breakfast the next satisfies the majority of our guests.  But every now and then a repeat guest asks for something special on the menu.  Since it was his birthday and there were no other guests scheduled into our bed and breakfast that morning we were happy to honor the request (of course, his wife was more than happy with the breakfast we'd planned).

And what was it the birthday boy wanted for his special meal?  Steak and eggs?  Waffles and whipped cream?  How about steel cut oats with all the fixings?  YES!!!

A comment from the Mirror Lake Suite guest journal after their departure:

Wonderful bed!  Wonderful breakfast!  Isn't that what it's all about?  And. . .in Heather's absence, Bill did ALL the breakfast -- including the steel cut oats. . .and 'twas GR8!

I'm sorry I don't have a photo of that special oat breakfast (I was away from our Joseph Oregon lodging that week), but rest assured that Bob's Red Mill award-winning Steel Cut Oats played a prominent role in satisfying the birthdays boy's special request.  

And if you're thinking about asking for steel cut oats during your stay, we always keep a supply of Bob's Red Mill in the larder.  You just never know when a guest is going to have oats on his mind!

Yahoo!  The Eagle Cap Excursion Train in Northeastern Oregon is back in business for the 2012 season! First on the list is the annual Mother's Day Brunch train trip.  On Sunday, May 13th at 10 a.m., the train will depart from Elgin, Oregon, for the wild and scenic Wallowa River canyon.   Feast on a lovely Mother's Day brunch meal prepared by chefs of Ten Depot Street in LaGrande.

The early spring scenery in the Wallowa and Grande Ronde River canyon is full of spring color.  The train travels right along the river through mainly roadless areas.  Basalt cliffs and forested ridges are part of the view, plus wildlife and the beautiful rushing waters.

Ready to book your Mother's Day Brunch trip?  Contact Alegre Travel for reservations at 800-323-7330.  This trip often sells out so don't delay.

And to make your Mother's Day trip really special, treat her to a stay at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast in Joseph, Oregon at the conclusion of your train trip.  Our romantic lodging might be just the thing for her with three rooms and one over-the-top suite to choose among.  Joseph Oregon hotels (if there were any) would be hard pressed to compete! Visit our website or call us at (866) 520-9769 and let us help you show Mom a weekend to remember.

The last African Drumming session of the 2011-2012 winter season takes place at Lear's Irish Pub (I know it sounds a little corny--African Drums & Irish Pub) on Friday, April 13, 2012.  Starts at 7 pm.  A good time to get out and dance and shake off the last of the winter blues!

We take African drumming seriously out here in Eastern Oregon.  This group meets regularly and then performs on occasion at Lears.  A not to be missed event!

If you plan to drop in for the drumming you'll need somewhere to stay afterwards.  Of course we recommend our Eastern Oregon lodging just a 10 minute drive away from Enterprise in Joseph, OR. All three rooms and our over-the-top suite are still available for Friday night.  And no two-night minimum during April.  That means all you Eastern Oregon people living in nearby communities like LaGrande or Pendleton have the opportunity for a quick weekend getaway.  See ya soon!

The Wallowa Mountains are picture perfect for backcountry skiing. One of the local outfitters running trips is Wallowa Alpine Huts.  I just couldn't resist this video from their "WAH TV" channel on YouTube.  Fantastic conditions, great skiers--you'll notice no one is skiing in anyone else's tracks.  And where are the crowds?  None.

Early Spring is still time for great skiing.  If you need one more dose of a snowy Eastern Oregon vacation, check out Wallowa Alpine Huts, or check our other blog posts for information on skiing (use the search box at the right).

Lodging options?  You're not going to find any Joseph Oregon hotels or Wallowa Lake hotels, but the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast is ready to host you at the beginning or end of your backcountry ski trip.