Shaniko, Oregon

As part of my journey through the Oregon Treasures Quest (more on that later), I recently explored the ghost town of Shaniko, Oregon. Shaniko is located in Wasco County, in between The Dalles and Madras. It is about a 3 hour drive from Portland, but there are plenty of fun stops along the way.

Forgive me for taking a selfie, but the Oregon Treasures Quest requires one for each location!

History of Shaniko

Shaniko was originally founded as Cross Hollow in 1879, but the name was changed to Shaniko around 1900 for unknown reasons. Shaniko became the "Wool Capital of the World" in the early 1900s, selling about $3-5 million in wool annually. Unfortunately, in 1911, a new railway route was built from Portland to Bend through the Deschutes River canyon. This diverted travelers away from Shaniko, and passenger service to Shaniko eventually ended in the 1930s.

Shaniko's main street in 1910 (photo courtesy of Oregon Historical Society)

A fun random connection to my college: I got a business degree from the University of Portland, in the Pamplin School of Business. In 2000, the very same Robert B. Pamplin Jr. bought several buildings in Shaniko to try and develop the town for tourism. The state of Oregon and the Shaniko City Council denied his request to supply well water to the hotel and restaurant, so Pamplin gave up and Shaniko remains a semi-functioning ghost town.

Nowadays, the Shaniko Hotel is open for business, as well as a few small shops. Shaniko Days takes place every August, and the town hosts several bluegrass concerts and festivals. About 30 people still live in Shaniko full time, making it Oregon's only "living ghost town."

Driving From Portland

From Portland, you'll head east on I-84, taking you through the Columbia River Gorge. I drove south on 97 through Wasco, Moro, and Kent before reaching Shaniko. The first stop I made was this fantastic old church in Locust Grove. It was built in 1895 and last used in 1914 for a funeral.

The abandoned Locust Grove Church. Several signs were posted warning photographers not to trespass, but a quick Google search will show you several photos of the inside.

My next stop was in the small town of Moro. The Sherman County website convinced me this would be a charming village with antiquing and cute cafes. I quickly determined this wasn't the case. I parked at the museum, and at least five pit bulls were off leash running amuck. One jumped out of an open car window, giving me quite a startle. I didn't stick around to see if they were friendly. I walked over to the "antique store" only to realize it was long abandoned and someone had creatively posed a dead bird in front of the door. Every other business in the (actually pretty cute) main street was shuttered and closed. By this point, I had enough of Moro and got out as soon as possible.

A quilt mural on a garage door on the mostly empty main street of Moro

I liked the aesthetics of the street, even if it was ghostly empty.

The cafe sign was so cute, but the windows were covered in cardboard and it was clearly not open!

The historic Sherman County Courthouse - still in use!

Kent is another semi well-known Oregon ghost town. This gas station is often photographed, but there's not much to do here besides take photos. Half the fun of my trip to Shaniko was stopping at everything that looked interesting on the drive. If you're a better photographer than I am, this would be your paradise! Everything was so photogenic!

Almost every "Ghost Towns in Oregon" will have a photo of this gas station and then one of the Locust Grove Church. It's a little overdone, but how can you not stop and take a pic? The vibe is immaculate.

The Ghost Town of Shaniko, Oregon

Driving in to Shaniko, the first thing you'll notice is the hotel. It takes up most of the main city block. It is still running, and rooms range from $95-$225 per night. You can book here. I walked in the lobby and was greeted by an elderly man in denim overalls. He told me I can wander around and even peek in some guest rooms upstairs that he had left open. The hotel was impeccably decorated and is probably haunted to be honest. As is the entire town, I'm sure.

The exterior of the Shaniko Hotel

The hotel lobby and saloon bar

The hallways gave Shining vibes for sure

These fellas were sitting outside the hotel, by the rattlesnake warning sign

Across the street from the hotel is a little park with picnic tables, old farming equipment, and a covered wagon on display. A large barn holds a collection of very old cars for the public to browse. I was surprised that every door in Shaniko is open. I felt like I was trespassing, but there were signs telling me to come on in! The entire town is like a living museum. The sidewalks are made of uneven wooden boards, and there are rattlesnake warning signs everywhere. It really does feel like the old West.

The main street of Shaniko - all the buildings were open to explore!

The old Shaniko jail

The auto "museum" - a barn full of old cars and a jar for donations

The Shaniko "museum" is a wooden shack with newspaper clippings covering the wall and a few artifacts. It is mostly a dumping ground for people to leave their old books, CD's, and VHS tapes for people to take. I took one gospel music CD to listen to on the drive home, and it was as obnoxiously awful and wonderful as I had hoped - think barbershop quartet meets bluegrass meets doomsday-end-times prosperity gospel.

The Museum was a small room full of newspapers about the town, and piles and piles of books, magazines, VHS tapes, cassettes, and CDs for people to take.

My favorite part of Shaniko was the old saloon. It does not actually sell drinks, but it is decorated like an old timey pool hall. It is open for all to come in, play games, sit, and hang out for as long as they wish. To be honest, I don't know if there are any actual bars or restaurants in Shaniko at the moment.

The possibilities for Old West photoshoots here are endless!

There is an ice cream shop in the hotel temporarily, because their usual location is currently ripped in half and missing a wall (no idea how this happened). I got a sarsaparilla from the temporary location for the sake of the cowboy vibes - I don't even like root beer but I couldn't resist. Maybe pack a lunch and some water before you drive out here!

I have no idea what happened here, but at least we get a good look inside the ice cream parlor

I cracked up at the "open" and "vacancy" signs lit up... well yes, I suppose the building is "open"

Another view of what's left of the ice cream parlor

I decided to ride my bike around Shaniko to get a feel for the entire town - I rode every street that wasn't private, and it ended up being only about 4 miles including backtracking. I took a road to the Shaniko airport, only to realize I was on private property. I tried to follow a different road out, but was locked in by a cattle gate and a barbed wire fence! Not my proudest moment... I threw my bike over the fence and hopped the gate, and biked away fast hoping nobody saw me.

The old Shaniko schoolhouse, sadly it's not open to go inside

The Shaniko Chapel - also not open to the public but I peeked inside and it's remodeled to look new!

After this fiasco, it was time to head back home. Overall, I fell in love with the ghost town charm of Shaniko and I'd love to come back. It absolutely is not a self-sustaining tourist hub, so pack your own food and water, lower your expectations, and come ready to experience the old Oregon West. The townsfolk seemed friendly and happy to talk and answer questions!

Driving Back Home

I took 197 back to I-84, to make the drive a more scenic loop. This took me through sagebrush desert to Maupin, and then to White River Falls State Park. Maupin may be the largest functioning city close to Shaniko, and would be a great place to stop for dinner after your trip.

Just a few feet from the parking lot is a picnic area and this massive waterfall!

White River Falls was surprisingly huge. There is a trail going down to the falls and a large picnic area and public bathroom. It was cool to see such a large waterfall after driving through the desert for so long. You'll continue up 197 to The Dalles, then head back to Portland on I-84.

My Ideal Shaniko Itinerary

If you need weekend plans this summer, here is a game plan for a wonderful little historic day trip just 3 hours away from Portland!

• Drive east on I-84 from Portland. Need coffee or breakfast? Stop in Cascade Locks or Hood River (or both, I don't judge). My personal favorite coffee stop along the route is Randonnee Coffee in Mosier, Oregon.

  
  

• Drive down 97 to Shaniko, stopping at the following points of interest:

  • Take photos at the abandoned 1895 Locust Grove Church

  • When it's open for the season, stop at the Sherman County Historical Museum in Moro, Oregon (just watch for dogs and dead birds)

  • Take more photos in the ghost town of Kent

• Explore Shaniko! You can't miss the hotel, the little museum, the barn full of vintage cars, and the saloon. Enjoy an ice cream at the picnic site or while walking around to see the old schoolhouse and church, just a few blocks from the hotel.

• Head back north on 197, stopping in Maupin to pick up food for lunch or dinner. Enjoy a picnic by the Deschutes River, or head to White River Falls State Park.

Now you can choose your own adventure for the way back!

• Drive west on I-84 back to Portland, enjoying any or all of the following stops:

  • Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum

  • Rowena Crest Viewpoint

  • Short hike to Mosier Creek Falls

  • Bike ride through the Mosier Twin Tunnels

  • A detour to the Hood River lavender farm for lavender ice cream and incredible views

  • Visit Herman the Sturgeon at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery

  • Dinner, drinks, or just exploring at McMenamins Edgefield

• Or.... go crazy and cross into Washington State and drive back on SR-14. If you choose to do this, here are some of my favorite stops:

  • Schreiner Farms in Lyle Washington - this is a free drivable zoo with buffalo, zebra, camels, giraffes, and more. Such an underrated fun stop!

  • Catherine Creek - there is an accessible one-mile loop with beautiful wildflowers, perfect for a sunset stroll

  • Skamania Lodge - a cozy hotel with a restaurant, Wi-Fi, and a beautiful lobby, perfect for reading a book in front of the fireplace

Thanks for reading!

If you head to Shaniko, be sure to let me know in the comments! What historical places in Oregon should I explore next?

I'll leave you with some more photos I took of Shaniko, with a $13 camera I ordered off TikTok. It's definitely potato quality, but really captures the Old West spooky vibes of the ghost town.

Bet you can't guess which car is mine!

The covered wagon near the picnic tables

Shaniko's Main Street

The Jail Wagon

More old equipment on display

An old carriage

Another view of the main street with Shaniko's small museum

If it weren't for this sign, I would not have known to go inside - it felt like I was trespassing!

The interior of the Shaniko Sage Museum

An old typewriter in the museum

The wooden sidewalks outside all the buildings added to the rustic charm

A very old piano

Rattlesnake warning signs were everywhere!

The inside of a bar - someone was actively cleaning and fixing it up when I visited.