The Observer • 32 • 84 Ways to Discover Northeast Oregon • April 2014

4. Morgan Lake Morgan Lake is the centerpiece of a City of La Grande park. The lake is stocked with thousands of rainbow trout by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife each year. The lake has four fishing piers on the south end of the lake, restrooms, a small floating dock next to a boat launching site and much more.The park has gates that prevent the entry of motorized vehicles in the winter. Morgan Lake Park is about two miles southwest of La Grande. It can be reached via Morgan Lake Road, a steep gravel road.

Located just a few miles outside of La Grande, Morgan Lake offers fishing, camp-ing and nature hikes. The lake is stocked annually with 23,000 finger length and up to 2,000 legal size rainbow trout. No motors are allowed on the lake. For more information, visitwww.cityoflagrande.org/muraProjects/muraLAG/lagcity/index.cfm/city-facilities/morgan-lake/

5. La Grande Drive-InRelive the nostalgia of the drive-in at one of the only remaining drive-ins in Oregon. Since 1952, the La Grande Drive-In has entertained families with feature films. Upgraded in 2013, the theater now runs movies on a digital projection system. Patrons tune in to the audio on their car radios. The cost per car is $18.50 for up to five people and $4 per person after that. The drive-in is open Friday through Sunday during summer months, with each night including a double feature. Refresh-ments and snacks are available. For more information or upcoming shows, call 541-963-3866.

6. Elgin Opera HouseThe Elgin Opera House is a historic gem built in 1912 that hosts frequent shows put on by the Friends of the Opera House, community events and movies. The intimate setting and excellent acoustics, along with box seats, orchestra pit and rococo decor, make for quality theatrical experiences. The colonial style brick build-ing with a dressed stone foundation is on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Find the Elgin Opera House at 104 N. Eighth Ave.

7. Anthony LakesThe centerpiece of Anthony Lakes is its Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort ski area, about 45 miles south of La Grande and about 21 miles southwest of North Powder. Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort opens in

late fall or early winter as soon as there is enough snow for alpine skiing. It remains open for skiing through early spring. The resort's alpine ski area has a top elevation of 8,000 feet and a base elevation of 7,100 feet. It has 21 ski runs, the longest of which is 1.5 miles. Its lifts include a triple chair and handle-tow lift. Anthony Lakes also has about 18 miles of groomed cross country ski trails, a ski lodge and a Nordic center. For information on the ski schedule of Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort call 541-856-3277 or visit its website at www.anthonylakes.com.

8. Mount Emily Recreation AreaMount Emily Recreation Area, locally known as MERA, offers more than 3,600 acres of forest recreation just outside La Grande city limits. The eastern half of MERA is dedicated to non-motorized trails for recreationists to hike, bike and ride horses. Motorized use of ATVs, Jeeps and motorcycles is permitted above the rim, on MERA’s western half. During winter months, cross-country skiiing, snowshoe-ing and snowmobiling is a popular activity on Mount Emily. Camping is available is on the Fox Hill Trailhead, with four primi-tive RV spaces and four back-in spots. To access Fox Hill Road from La Grande, follow Second Street to Black Hawk Trail Lane and take a left. Black Hawk Trail Lane becomes Fox Hill Road, a gravel road with a steep grade of 17 percent. For more information, visit, www.union-county.org/public-works/parks/mera/.

9. Indian Rock Overlook The Indian Rock Overlook is situated at a viewpoint that overlooks the Grande Ronde Valley. The overlook structure was built by the combined efforts of USDA Forest Service and Army National Guard 1249th Engineering Battalion personnel. The overlook is located near a major route traditionally used by Native Ameri-cans while transiting the Blue Mountains into the Grande Ronde Valley. For more information, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/

Union County La Grande Drive-In

Anthony LakesMorgan Lake

The Observer • 1918 • 84 Ways to Discover Northeast Oregon • April 2014

Cattle Country Quilt Shop203 N. Main Street | Joseph, Oregon

CattleCountryQuilts.com | Open 7 days a week

47. Zumwalt Prairie PreserveNortheast of Enterprise, the Prairie has hiking trails from which trekkers can view native plants, birds and wildlife on a 33,000 acre preserve. Call 541-426-3458 or visit www.nature.org and look up Zum-walt Prairie Preserve.

48. Horseback RidingThe Eagle Cap Wilderness, Wallowa Ranger District and Hells Canyon National Recreation Area allow horseback riding. Call the Wallowa Mountains Office at 541-426-5546. To rent horses or for guided tours call 541-432-4145.

49. MicrobrewsTerminal Gravity is located at 803 East 4th Street in Enterprise. Open for lunch and dinner. Call for seasonal hours at 541-426-0158 or visit www.terminalgravity.com. Mutiny is Brewing is at 600 North Main Street in Joseph. Visit mutinybrew.nfshost.com or call 541-432-5274.

50. BronzeWallowa County has several bronze foundries. In Enterprise TW Bronze is at 202 Golf Course Road, 541-398-0380, and Parks Bronze is at 331 Golf Course Road, 541-426-4595. In Joseph, Valley Bronze is at 307 W. Alder St., 541-432-7551 and Norman Arts Inc. and Gallery is at 3-½ S. Main St.

51. Salt Creek SummitOffers skiing, snowshoeing and snowmo-biling in the winter and hiking, backpack-ing and horseback riding in the summer with access to the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Large parking lot has a warming hut and outhouses. Call the Wallowa Mountains Office at 541-426-5546.

52. Ferguson RidgeLocated 10 miles outside of Joseph this all volunteer-run ski area is family-friendly with affordable ticket prices, a T-bar and rope tow. It has a rental shop and a lodge with snack bar. Open weekends and holidays, snow permitting, from Christmas to early April. Visit skifergi.com.

53. AlpenfestOregon's Alpenfest is a fun-filled four-day celebration of Swiss and Bavarian culture, cuisine and liquid refreshment the last weekend of September. Enterprise, Jo-seph and Wallowa Lake host polka music, folk dancing, alphorn blowing and yodeling plus consumption of Joseph Trading Post bratwurst, the official sausage of Alpenfest; Alpenfest Sauerkraut, and Terminal Grav-ity Alpenfest Ale. http://oregonalpenfest.blogspot.com/

Zumwalt Prairie Preserve

Alpenfest

The Observer • 2120 • 84 Ways to Discover Northeast Oregon • April 2014

The Observer • 2120 • 84 Ways to Discover Northeast Oregon • April 2014