Joseph Oregon Lodging

Bill & I spent St Patrick's Day this year at the Northeast Oregon Bridal Show in LaGrande, Oregon.  What a fun event--it's our second year participating.

Everyone was there.  Vendors with bridal party attire, wedding rings, DJs, wedding cakes, fine chocolates, even turtle doves!  Our booth showcased our romantic getaway Oregon style with two computer screens displaying images of our Joseph Oregon lodging.  Bill wore one of his Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast dress shirts.  I decided to dress up for the event in some sillky PJs, fuzzy slippers, and a stylish Bronze Antler B&B spa robe.  Needless to say I was the envy of the vendors!

We talked with quite a few brides, their friends and relatives.  And some other vendors too.  We love the opportunity to showcase our property.  And bed and breakfast lodging makes great sense for wedding planning.  We've hosted quite a few couples on their wedding night or on their honeymoon, as well as relatives and wedding guests..

If you're planning a NE Oregon wedding we'd love to talk with you about how our bed and breakfast might work into your plans.  We're not a Wallowa Lake hotel or a Joseph Oregon hotel but still have plenty to offer.  

 

Here's another good reason to visit North Eastern Oregon in December: Jingle Thru Joseph is the signature event for Joseph OR holiday shopping and entertainment.

It all starts on Saturday, November 26th, with a Light Parade at 5 pm (well after sundown) on Main Street in Joseph Oregon.  All the entries are lighted--ranging from horses & wagons to the lady in the oversized martini glass encouraging holiday sobriety (you just never know what'll show up in the Light Parade).

Many of the stores on Main Street will feature late night shopping until 8 pm (hey, it is a rural town and besides you'd rather be out of the cold by 8 pm anyway).  A jewelry design studio  like Stewart Jones Designs and fun retail shops like Mad Mary and Company are bound to keep you entertained while you're shopping for unusual or unique gifts.

If you can't make it out for Thanksgiving weekend, there are more special event days planned throughout December including:

• Dec 3rd Sleigh Ride Saturday
• Dec 10th Sugar Plum Saturday
• Dec 16th & 17th Snowflake Weekend
• Dec 22nd Ho Ho Ho Thursday Men's Night Out
• Dec 24th Twas the Night Before Christmas Saturday

Whether you're planning a weekend, midweek or overnight getaway to Joseph Oregon or Wallowa Lake for Jingle Thru Joseph, the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast has plenty of lodging available from late November through December 2011 (and even New Year's Eve, but that's another blog post).  We're conveniently located at the edge of the town's commerical district.  Click on the Book Now! button at right and start planning your trip today!

If you're contemplating the crush of crowds at the local mall on the day after Thanksgiving, we have a better suggestion. . .spend Black Friday in Joseph Oregon!  There won't be the crush and the shopping opportunities are much better and very personable.

One of our favorite restaurants--Calderas--is also an art gallery and upscale gift shop.  For  Black Friday 2011, Calderas is hosting the "Eat & Shop Till You Drop" Event.  From 11 am to 8 pm on Friday, November 25th, Calderas will feature 15% off all scarves, clothing, stationery, cards, jewelry and pictures. 

If that's not enough, Holiday Happy Hour is 4 pm to 6 pm, with live music by American Idol nominee Jessie Borgerding & Craig Nichols from 5 pm to 8 pm.  And of course there are the luscious soups & salads for lunch and the scrumptious dinners. . .

Here at our Joseph Oregon lodging we still have three rooms available for the evening of Black Friday.  Start your holiday shopping with a civilized weekend in North Eastern Oregon.  And with three rooms you can bring along your girlfriends too!  You'll be supporting a host of small, independent businesses and coming away with perhaps some one-of-a-kind gifts.

We're already getting into fall in Eastern Oregon which means it's time for the 15th Annual Nez Perce Art in the Wallowa.  The 2011 event gets underway with the art show and auction from noon to 4 pm at the Wallowa Lake Lodge (the historic Wallowa Lake hotel), followed by dinner and a program at 6 pm in the hotel's dining room.  The show & auction are free to the public and the dinner & program are $45 per person.

As in many years, artwork by Native American artist George Flett will be available at auction along with other outstanding Native American artists.  Flett's ledger art is the subject of this year's poster (above).  The original artwork for this poster will be auctioned off at this year's event.

Bill & I always make it a point to go.  The food is always excellent, the programs vary each year, and the cause is definitely worth supporting.  This year's dinner includes fresh salmon, locally grown buffalo and garden favorites, huckleberry cheese cake, and a no-host bar featuring regional wine.  Add the entertainment and off you go!

Native American performing artists this year are the top two hand drum contest winners from the 2011 Tamkaliks Celebration. Francis Dionne of Boise, Idaho, and Chris Shorty of Pendleton, Oregon, will entertain dinner guests with drumming and singing.

The Wallowa Lake Lodge is about a 10 minute drive away from the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast.  We still have two vacancies for Saturday night.  If you'd like to attend, contact us promptly for your room reservation and we'll secure dinner tickets for you.  The dinner tickets sell out quickly so please don't procrastinate.

We don't get many scuba divers or snorkelers at Wallowa Lake--I'm guessing it's because the water is so cold (even in summer) and the lake is at elevation (4400 feet above sea level).  However, a local (LaGrande, OR) diver with the moniker "Bluesman" posted a couple of years ago about diving at Wallowa Lake on the Northwest Dive Club website.

I especially like his comment about Wally.  Doesn't every lake have its own sea monster?  Rumor has it that the locals used to sacrifice a virgin to Wally every year--maybe to improve the fishing?  Don't know--it predates our arrival in Eastern Oregon.

If you do plan a dive at Wallowa Lake you'll need to bring along as many cylinders as you'll need in addition to you hood and booties.  Checking with the Wallowa Lake Marina reveals that there aren't any locations in Wallowa County to get tanks refilled.   In fact, they think the closest dive shop is in the Tri-Cities area of Washington (about 3 hours away by car).

But you won't need to worry about rinsing out your gear--Wallowa Lake is snowfed and the water is very pure--just a little on the cold side.

Wallowa Lake

by Bluesman » Fri Oct 10, 2008 2:22 pm

It's nearly time for Labor Day Weekend and the last hurrah of summer.  If you're thinking about a Joseph Oregon vacation, now is the time to plan if you'd still like to take advantage of the widest availability of things to see and do at Wallowa Lake and Joseph Oregon.

Vali's Alpine Restaurant closes after Sunday of Labor Day Weekend.  If you haven't had the chance yet to have dinner with Maggie and Michael and Dionne then you'd best book your reservation soon!  They offer only one entree choice per night, with only two seatings (5 pm and 7 pm and by reservation only) and they do not accept credit cards.  Don't let these restrictions deter you from one of the finest meals and restaurant atmospheres in Wallowa County.

You'll find their menu and more information at their website.

 We do have bed and breakfast guests that book their dinner reservations with Vali's first and then look for their Wallowa Lake lodging--call them at 541-432-5691 to reserve your table on the night of your choosing. 

The Wallowa Lake Marina shuts down for the season around mid-September so you'll have a little extra time to take out a motorboat, kayak, paddle boat or canoe.  And the Marina Store has all the things that fishing people need plus great tips from Gina and her staff.

And the Wallowa Lake Tramway is scheduled to close around the first weekend of October 2011.  They're especially busy over Labor Day Weekend--if you plan to ride the tram, you might consider the two-day pass that allows for two opportunities to soak in the view.  Landscape photography is always better at the ends of the day rather than at noon.  With a two-day pass, you can plan to be the first up the tram one day and last up the tram on the next.

Regardless of what you choose to do over Labor Day Weekend, if you're looking for a Wallowa Lake hotel or some Joseph Oregon hotels, we hope you'll consider our bed and breakfast.  With dedicated air-conditioning and an attached private bathroom for each guest room and plenty of amenities, we think your Labor Day Weekend vacation in Eastern Oregon will be all the richer for staying at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast.  Thanks!

One of our favorite Joseph Oregon restaurants is Calderas.   They're attracting quite a bit of attention including recent mentions in Sunset Magazine. 

The owners recently provided this update:

"This Saturday, August 13th Calderas will be closed due to the Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival in Joseph.  We hope this does not create an inconvieneince for any of you.  We will be open from 2-9:30pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday & Monday so be sure to come see us then.
 
The fresh produce from our garden is excellent!  People are raving about our Applewood Smoked Baby Back Ribs Special served every Friday night."
 
August Events Calendar @ Calderas:
August 19th ~ Darell Brann 6:30-9:30pm
August 21st ~ Singer Songwriter Kelley McRae
August 27th ~Janis Carper, Carolyn Lockert & Greg Johnson Trio

If you need lodging when you're here for dinner at Calderas, our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast is walking distance.  Give us a call at 866-520-9769 or 541-432-0230, or use the "Book Now!" link at the right of this blog!

Okay you last minute procrastinators or you folks that just discovered the Bronze, Brews and Blues Festival in Joseph, OR.  We now have the Ferguson Ridge Room available for Friday and Saturday nights, August 12 & 13, 2011 here at our Joseph Oregon lodging.

The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast is only one town-sized block from Joseph City Park, site of the annual Bronze, Blues & Brews festival.  Perfect walking distance to the event.  No standing in lines for the blue port-a-potties either.

The Ferguson Ridge Room is equipped with one queen-sized bed, dedicated air-conditioning and blackout shades (important for the morning after the festival).  It has an attached private bathroom with a deeper style soaking tub and a very nice shower head.  And of course it comes with the great breakfasts we serve every morning at our Joseph bed and breeakfast.  You can't bring all your friends, but you can bring one so the two of you can share the room.

Click the "Book now!" link at the right of this blog or call us at (541) 432-0230 and we'll be happy to take your reservation!

The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast, just like most bed and breakfast lodging, is a small, independently owned business.  Once we retired from the US Army, Bill and I opened the Bronze Antler B&B in June 2001 because we wanted to own our own business and keep it a manageable size.

Sine then we have hosted guests from all over looking for an Eastern Oregon vacation spot.  We currently employ three fantastic staff members and are proud to provide local jobs.

And we buy local as often as we can from local markets, hardware stores, and other businesses.  And we blog about them too.

We recently learned of the "Independent We Stand" website and movement, encouraging the public to support independently owned businesses.   We definitely fit the profile and are listed on their site.

If you know of indie businesses your support, encourage them to list themselves on Independent We Stand--and remember that just a little bit of local partronage goes a long way to supporting a community!

Here's something to do at Wallowa Lake:  ride up the Wallowa Lake Tramway and feed the squirrels (oops, did I say that?).  Or ride up the Wallowa Lake Tramway and enjoy the views!  The Wallowa Lake Tramway is open (weather permitting) every day through the first weekend of October 2011.

And there's a lot to see from there!  Views over the Wallowa Valley, views to the Seven Devil Mountains in Idaho past Hells Canyon, views into the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

It's a great way to see nature without hiking up 4,000 feet--let the tram whisk you up to the top of Mt. Howard so you can walk the two miles of trails with ease.  When you're done, have a refreshing drink or snack at the Summit Grill.

And don't forget to feed the squirrels!  (Photo of Heather and her pal at the Royal Purple Overlook on top of Mt. Howard--even the innkeepers of this Wallowa Lake lodging can get away every now and then).

News you can use from the Wallowa County Chieftain!

The center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (aka Forest Road 39 or sometimes incorrectly called Oregon Highway 39) in Northeastern Oregon will be repaired sometime starting in August 2011.  The road is currently open but there are small sections that are gravel only--the repairs made in summer 2010 after the road was damaged during the 2010 spring runoff.  Next month that will change (finally!).

The 13 sections that will be paved are near the intersection of FR39 and Oregon Highway 86 and are in the seven miles between Lake Fork Campground and Highway 86 (at the eastern or Halfway end of Forest Road 39).

According to Mary DeAguero, ranger for the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, the work will take about 10 days and traffic delays will be up to 20 minutes.  The road crew is expected to begin work in mid-August 2011.

So, what does this mean for our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast guests?  C'mon through--your Hells Canyon lodging will be waiting for you at the end of your scenic drive!

Okay, by now FR 39, aka the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road, or the center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway--the connecting road between Joseph Oregon and the Hells Canyon area of Oxbow on the way to Halfway Oregon and Baker City--has been open about three weeks for the 2011 season.  And it looks like it'll stick--the road hasn't washed out (yet).

The next popular question:  Is the road open to Hat Point Lookout at Hells Canyon?  The answer to that is yes and no.  Last I checked with Dave Tanzey at the venerable Imnaha Store and Tavern, the road was open past 5 Mile Lookout (looking into the Imnaha River drainage & to the Wallowa Mountains), but not quite open as far as Granny Overlook (still looking into the Imnaha River drainage).  He said there'd been crews up there cutting back trees that had fallen over the road.  And, the road all the way to Hat Point was still snowed in.

Take heart!  We've had some fairly decent weather, so Hat Point should be opening up soon.  It's quite the view into Hells Canyon from over 8,000' and the wildflowers are fabulous (see the photo taken in July 2009). 

If you really need to know right away about the road, give the Imnaha Store & Tavern a call at 541-577-3111.  Better yet, drive on down and meet Dave yourself over one of his famous sandwiches and a Terminal Gravity beer. 

And when you're looking for Hells Canyon lodging, look for us in Joseph Oregon.  We'll do the checking for you and make sure you're well equipped with maps and binoculars (we'd like to see you return for the evening!).

The Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce call this area home.  Visit here in Wallowa County, especially during summer, and you can learn a lot more about the Nez Perce.

The Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail Interpretive Center, located in Wallowa, is open weekdays in summer.  Hours are Monday through Friday (except Thursday) 11 am to 4 pm.  On Thursday, hours are noon to 4 pm.  Or you can give them a call at 541-886-3101 to schedule an appointment.

The next to last full weekend in July marks the Tamkaliks celebration--a homecoming of Nez Perce.  Dancing, feasting, meeting people--it's great fun and full of pageantry.

October 1, 2011, will be the 15th Annual Nez Perce Art in the Wallowa event held at the Wallowa Lake Lodge (Wallowa Lake hotel).  If you can't make it during the summer, plan your Joseph Oregon vacation for late September/early October and take part in this wonderful event.

A very interesting video narrated by Joe McCormack is available here.  This eight-minute video talks about the Nez Perce in today's Wallowa County.  Take the time to watch it and learn more about this important tribe in Oregon. 

And if you're looking for an educational Joseph Oregon vacation, start with this website.   Then plan your stay with us at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast--we're happy to direct you to local places of Nez Perce significance.

If you're planning to attend the 15th Annual Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival in Joseph Oregon, there's still room at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast.  The blues festival is held in Joseph City Park--only one block away from our Joseph Oregon lodging.  (Click on the widget for a sample of headliner Nick Moss & the Flip Tops.)

So here we are, June 8, 2011, and the unofficial word is that Forest Road 39, the center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, is open to through traffic!

Winding Waters River Expeditions posted this status on their page on Facebook today:
The FS 39 road is open over Salt Creek Summit to Halfway. The crew headed out that direction this morning for our first Hells Canyon multi-day trip. They're excited to get down there as the wildflowers are BEAUTIFUL right now and 45,000 cubic feet per second flow should provide quite the adventure!

About 4 pm, Jon Rombach reported the following comment in response to the status:
Just got back from the [Hells Canyon] dam over 39 and it looks really good. No down trees, a few little snowy patches up around Wayside, but no big deal. Passenger cars were going over and it's in good shape.

Well, I can tell you this little Hells Canyon lodging is excited for the news!  We've been waiting and waiting for the Hells Canyon Byway to open all the way from Joseph to Halfway for 2011. 

Thanks Winding Waters River Expeditions for spreading the word!

Now, let's all keep our fingers crossed that the road stays open for the rest of the season!

Hells Canyon and Halfway here we come!

Spring is a great time of year for birdwatching in Eastern Oregon.  Many species are on their way back from winter in the south or just passing through on their way north.  And because we're so far east in Oregon close to Hells Canyon, you'll see the intercontinental birds that you won't necessarily find near the Oregon coast.

Bill put up feeders in the south garden last year so guests at breakfast can enjoy birds having their breakfast too.

Who's on the feeder this week?  We're seeing our first Black-headed Grosbeaks, both male & female.  The Western Goldfinch and the House Finch have been eating us out of house and home when it comes to sunflower seeds.  Downy (or Hairy--can't tell them apart) Woodpeckers drop by for a quick bit of suet.  Flickers are also suet fans.

Of course an Eastern Oregon vacation wouldn't be complete for birdwatching without a trip out to the Zumwalt Prairie.  Plenty of raptors and other species, plus the wildflowers are starting to bloom.  Guests of our Hells Canyon lodging are equipped with maps, binoculars and what-have-you for a visit to the Zumwalt Prairie.  Only about an hour away and Oregon's largest privately owned nature sanctuary--it's worth the trip!

Seems like every spring people start searching, wanting to know if the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway road between Joseph and Halfway is open.  Here we are after Easter 2011 and it's not yet open for the season--sometime in May is more like it.  This road is not plowed so the opening date is (among other things) weather dependent.

In late Spring 2010 the road suffered major damage in a few places from spring runoff.  The roadbed was repaired by Fall 2010 but not paved in those damaged places.  We're hoping that the paving will occur in Summer 2011.  You can see an interesting video about the repair here (one of my blog posts from last year). 

Does anyone have friends in high places?  Would you please convince them we need this road paved soonest?  And while you're at it, the rest of Forest Road 39 could use a new surfacing too!  This road, as remote as it is, is very important to Eastern Oregon travel and the communities of Wallowa Lake, Joseph Oregon and Halfway Oregon to name a few.

If you're planning your Eastern Oregon vacation and want to know the status of the road, give the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest office a phone call at (541) 426-4978 and ask the Visitor Center.  They are keepers of official word on the road.

In the meantime, please do check before planning to travel the center section of the Hells Canyon Byway.  We hate it when our incoming guests have to backtrack over an hour of travel time to reach Joseph Oregon!  And I'll keep my fingers crossed here at our Hells Canyon lodging that the road opens and stays open in 2011!

One of our favorite Joseph Oregon restaurants opens on April 14, 2011, for the spring/summer season.  Calderas is one of those romantic getaway Oregon style restaurants.  Great wine list, fresh produce from their own farm near Hells Canyon, creative cuisine, tremendous views of the Wallowa Mountains--all wrapped up in one location at the north end of town.

Starting Thursday, April 14th, Calderas is open Thursday through Saturday 11 am to 8 pm.  Once June arrives, the hours are Wednesday through Monday, 11 am to 9 pm.

We like sending our guests to Calderas because we're confident they'll have great food and great service in a very unusual atmosphere.  And the second floor balcony has a nice little gift shop featuring owner Nancy Lincoln's glass art.

Think Parisian Art Nouveau bistro with an art gallery twist.   And don't miss the bathrooms if you like glass art!

Let us know you'd like a reservation for dinner at Calderas when you arrange your stay at our Joseph Oregon lodging.  Reservations aren't required but are highly recommended, especially on busy Friday and Saturday nights.

Summer Fishtrap takes place every July at the Wallowa Lake Camp and Retreat Center at Wallowa Lake.  This year the writing workshops are July 10-15 and the Gathering is July 14-17.  The brochures just went out this week to the Fishtrap mailing list and information's available on the Fishtrap website.  Registration opens on April 1, 2011. 

Here in Joseph Oregon (only 10 minutes away from the workshop site at Wallowa Lake), we have rooms available for the nights of July 10th through July 14th during workshop week.

So here's the special:  Book a 5-night reservation for July 10-14, 2011, at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and register for one of the Fishtrap workshops and we'll reduce your room price by 10%!  And if you choose to take your breakfast at the camp (not as involved as ours, but full of Fishtrap conviviality), we'll further reduce your room rate by $10/night.

If you want to attend Summer Fishtrap with a partner who isn't planning to attend, this special's good for you.  Your partner can have their own Joseph Oregon vacation while you're writing every day.  (We'll try not to pamper them too much.)

If both of you attend Summer Fishtrap but aren't keen on staying in the camp yurts or bunkhouse, you can skip the Wallowa Lake lodging and plan your week here in Joseph.  It can be hard mental work to focus for 5 days straight and you deserve a good night's rest in a very comfortable, air-conditioned, room on one of our fine mattresses.

Call us soon as we only two rooms left at our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast for this special!

The Wallowa Valley Music Alliance is hosting a week long Appalachian dulcimer course at Wallowa Lake from Tuesday, July 5th through Sunday, July 10th.  Don't play the Appalachian dulcimer very well?  This is a perfect opportunity for your Eastern Oregon learning vacation as beginners through advanced players are welcome!

There are lodging options available locally at the Wallowa Lake Camp.  However, if you (or your traveling companion who isn't interested in the dulcimer workshop) are more interested in the creature comforts of a Joseph bed and breakfast, we are offering our available rooms at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast priced either with or without breakfast.  Stay for six nights (a little before or after the workshop) and we'll throw in a seventh night for free.

The Wallowa Lake Camp is about a 10 minute drive (6 miles) away from Joseph at the south end of Wallowa Lake.   

Check out the Wallowa Valley Music Alliance website for more information about the dulcimer course, meals options, lodging options, etc.  It's a great way to experience Eastern Oregon and learn your instrument from some very, very talented instructors.  Stephen Seifert, Heidi Muller and Bob Webb are some of the best Appalachian dulcimer instructors currently teaching in the United States.

And if Wallowa Lake lodging is not quite your style, consider our Joseph Oregon lodging instead.  Give us a call toll-free at 866-520-9769 and mention the Appalachian Dulcimer Workshop at Wallowa Lake.  We'd love to host you!