Stop Five-Seattle Underground, Seattle, Washington Like what were the origins of the original Stonehenge? A Neolithic burial ground? A sacrificial site? And, who could have built such a engineering feat? Native peoples, warlocks and wizards, or even other worldly creatures? Fair warning, a visit to this mystical space will likely leave you pondering life’s many unsolved mysteries. The odd memorial provides panoramic views of the deep river channel, sepia-toned cliffs, and a chance to lose yourself watching the sun sink below the concrete columns. Stop Four-Stonehenge, Goldendale, Washingtonĭid you know that you don’t have to fly across the pond to wander the circular structures of Stonehenge? We’re crossing into Washington to the east end of the Columbia River Gorge where an unlikely WWI monument in the form of an authentic Stonehenge replica awaits us. On second thought, perhaps we should too. It’s no wonder that Astoria residents avoid the crumbling building like the plague. Henry “Hatchet” Flavel, George’s great-grandson inherited the property which now sits abandoned thanks to years of strange occurrences, stabbings, and violent crime. We are heading onward to a decrepit, rundown mansion, known as the most haunted house in the entire state. The first is a sprawling Queen Anne museum originally built by Captain George Flavel in the late 1800s. Amongst Astoria’s canneries, piers, and hillside Victorians made famous in The Goonies, you’ll find not one but two Flavel houses. Get ready for gusty winds and torrential rain because we’re off to the rugged coastline of Astoria where the Columbia River dumps into the Pacific Ocean. Stop Three-The Flavel “Hatchet” House, Astoria, Oregon If you’re feeling extra adventurous, make it to the Echo Chamber, a massive archway, where you can shut off your light and scream bloody murder. Guided by nothing more than a kerosene lantern we’ll traverse over rickety boardwalks, boulders, and uneven ground as we enter a different world once used to train NASA scientists for lunar landings. Be sure to bundle up and bring a light source, or two, because the minute we step down the stairwell that leads to the mile-long lava tube, it’s about to get cold and dark.
Next we’ll head to the high desert of Central Oregon and prepare to descend into deep, dark caverns carved from ancient lava flows.
Stop Two-The Lava River Cave, Bend, Oregon Is it a trick of the brain, the pull of the earth’s magnetic force, or could something much, much more sinister be brewing? This gravity defying experience leaves many visitors feeling dizzy and lightheaded as they watch objects roll uphill and puzzle over height changes, where one person suddenly appears much taller. And, where things get turned upside down-literally. Where better to kick off our road trip than at the Oregon Vortex’s House of Mystery, a spot that Native Americans deemed forbidden ground? Where gold miners horses refused to travel. We begin our adventure at the southernmost tip of Oregon in Gold Hill where things aren’t always what they seem. Stop One-The Oregon Vortex, Gold Hill, Oregon However, if you can silence that inner-voice begging you to stay home on your cozy couch where it’s safe and warm, I can promise you that our strange little trip will get your adrenaline pumping and leave you filled with a new appreciation for wanderlust. There’s a very real possibility of bumping into Bigfoot in the backcountry or getting lost deep in the woods. This vacation is not for the faint of heart. Are you feeling ready to hit the road and venture to off-the-beaten-path trails were the mist hangs low and heavy in dense evergreen forests and a pervasive gray rain drips steady? Then pack your bags and don’t forget your rain boots! Come with me on a spine-tingling road trip that will take us to some of the most mysterious places in the Pacific Northwest.