8 Strangest Landmarks in Oregon

Oregon is an all-around excellent travel destination. With some of the country's best national parks, an amazing range of natural scenery, and an off-beat cultural scene in many of its towns and cities, millions of tourists come to this state every year to see what it is all about.

Oregon also has its fair share of landmarks that range from curious to outright strange. Take a journey through this eclectic corner of the Pacific Northwest, from the busy streets of Portland to its remote eastern deserts, and uncover some of its oddest attractions you can visit today.

The Oregon Vortex

The Oregon Vortex, near the town of Gold Hill, is a well-documented anomaly where perception and physics seem to bend against the rules of nature. Discovered in the early 20th century, this 165-foot-diameter area is famous for optical illusions that make objects appear to change size, while visitors seem to lean at impossible angles during their time at this curious landmark.

The site’s centerpiece, the “House of Mystery,” was originally an assay office for a local mining company before it slid off its foundation, further amplifying the illusion of skewed perspectives found within its walls.

Scientists and skeptics alike have debated the cause of these phenomena, with theories ranging from magnetic field disruptions to carefully designed visual tricks. Some visitors even report dizziness or a sensation of being pulled off balance, adding to the strangeness of this attraction.

Despite the mystery, the site remains a popular destination for those intrigued by the unexplained. Whether a true gravitational anomaly or a well-crafted illusion created by those looking to make a buck from tourists, it remains a uniquely strange feature of the Pacific Northwest.

Petersen Rock Garden

Built between 1935 and 1952 by Danish immigrant Rasmus Petersen, the Petersen Rock Garden in Redmond is an elaborate folk art installation made entirely of rocks, shells, and glass. Petersen gathered materials from across Oregon to construct miniature bridges, towers, castles, and even a replica of Independence Hall. The structures are adorned with colorful agates, obsidian, and petrified wood, giving them an almost otherworldly appearance that must be seen to be believed.

The garden was once a thriving roadside attraction, drawing visitors eager to see its handcrafted designs and the resident peacocks that roamed the property. However, after years of neglect, it fell into a state of disrepair before new owners began to restore it in 2023. Preservation efforts are now well underway and it is open for the public to enjoy once again.

Today, it stands as one of many eccentric art installations in Oregon and a classic example of roadside Americana.

Witch’s Castle

Deep in Portland’s Forest Park, the ruins known as the Witch’s Castle have fueled ghost stories and urban legends for decades. The moss and graffiti-covered stone structure was originally a park ranger’s restroom and maintenance building, constructed in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. Abandoned after storm damage in the 1960s, the structure has since been reclaimed by nature, with ferns and vines creeping over its crumbling walls.

The site’s eerie reputation stems from a much older tale. Sometime in the 19th century, settler Danford Balch feuded with hired hand Mortimer Stump, a man who fell in love with Balch's daughter. When Balch shot Stump in public, he was hanged, the first legal execution in Portland’s history. Some believe the ruins stand near the site of the original Balch homestead, and stories of hauntings continue to persist.

This landmark is now considered one of the country's most haunted areas and a hotspot for ghost hunters. Despite its dark folklore, the Witch's Castle is simply a popular hiking destination for non-believers, conveniently located within Oregon's biggest city.

Prehistoric Gardens

Hidden within the coastal rainforest along Highway 101, Prehistoric Gardens is a must-visit for dino enthusiasts, featuring life-sized dinosaur sculptures spread out amongst the area's dense foliage. Created in 1955 by amateur sculptor E.V. “Ernie” Nelson, the park was his attempt to bring prehistoric creatures to life, in a way, using steel frames, wire mesh, and layers of hand-painted concrete. The result is a surreal landscape where you can walk among towering replicas of a Tyrannosaurus rex, a Brontosaurus, and over 20 other species.

Nelson meticulously researched each dinosaur’s proportions based on the scientific knowledge available at the time, though some designs are now outdated. Regardless, the humid, moss-covered setting adds an eerie realism, making the creatures look as if they truly belong in the misty Oregon wilderness. Decades after its creation, Prehistoric Gardens is still a top draw for Jurassic Park fans across the country.

Octopus Tree

Standing near the Cape Meares Lighthouse, the Octopus Tree is a massive Sitka spruce with an unusual, tentacle-like shape. Instead of growing with a single trunk, its limbs extend outward like giant, upside-down roots before turning upward, creating a distinct octopus-like appearance. The tree is estimated to be 250 to 300 years old and reaches nearly 105 feet in height, with a trunk circumference of over 46 feet.

While some believe natural forces shaped the tree, others suggest it was deliberately trained by Indigenous Tillamook people for ceremonial purposes. Similar trees were historically used to hold ritual objects or serve as gathering sites for important events, hence the speculation that the shape of this tree may be a man-made creation.

Protected within Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint State Park, the octopus tree will hopefully wow its visitors for more generations to come.

The Pillars of Rome

Oregon is well known for its incredibly lush coastal environment. What is lesser known about the state is its arid, desert-like eastern half, which contains a huge amount of underrated scenery in the Pacific Northwest.

Rising from this rugged and remote landscape of southeastern Oregon, the Pillars of Rome are a series of towering rock formations composed of soft, white volcanic ash deposits and clay. These 100-foot-high cliffs stretch for nearly five miles along the Owyhee River and were named by early pioneers who thought they resembled the ruins of ancient Roman architecture.

Their dramatic, eroded shapes include columns, spires, and overhangs that have been sculpted by wind and water over millions of years. The surrounding terrain was once an ancient lakebed, and fossils of prehistoric animals have been found in the region, making it an important site for scientific research as well.

While the site is remote and somewhat difficult to access, those who make the journey are rewarded with a landscape unlike anything else in the state.

Enchanted Forest

Opened in 1971, the Enchanted Forest is a hand-built theme park located just outside Salem in the small town of Turner. Created by Roger Tofte, who spent years constructing it piece by piece, the park is known for its whimsical fairy tale-inspired attractions, handmade animatronics, and eccentric charm.

Unlike bigger, corporate amusement parks, the Enchanted Forest has a distinctly homemade quality, with its winding pathways leading you through scenes based on nursery rhymes, folklore, and fantasy. Many of the sculptures appear to be quite amateur in quality, but again, that just adds to the old-fashioned appeal for fans of the park.

Notable landmarks within include a crooked house, a giant witch’s head that serves as an entrance to a slide, and a walk-through castle featuring a dungeon with eerie sound effects. There is also the Ice Mountain Bobsled roller coaster, one of the few alpine-style coasters in the country.

The park has remained family-owned and operated since its inception, preserving its quirky and nostalgic atmosphere. While it may seem like a relic of a bygone era, the Enchanted Forest remains a beloved spot for Oregonians, as it has provided a relatively affordable outing for several generations of children and families.

The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum

A staple of Portland's renowned strangeness, The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum contains an entertaining collection of oddities, horror, and humor into a single, surreal, short experience.

Opened in 1967, this longstanding museum and novelty shop is dedicated to the bizarre, featuring exhibits on conspiracy theories, cryptids, aliens, and the supernatural. Here, you will be greeted by a life-sized Bigfoot, an interactive alien autopsy, and dioramas depicting everything from cool optical effects to creepy twists on fairy tales.

The Peculiarium encourages its visitors to engage with its hands-on exhibits and pose for photos with its various displays. Some of its most infamous attractions in the past include a “live burial simulator” and a wall of strange, possibly cursed artifacts!

More than just a tourist trap, the Peculiarium is a celebration of the odd and uncanny, making it a must-see landmark in a city that prides itself on being weird.

See the Weird Side of Oregon Today

Whether you want to see the strange side of nature or some of man's weirdest creations, Oregon is a hotspot for those who love the odd and peculiar. From seemingly inconspicuous rock gardens to spots that seemingly go against the basic laws of physics, you can add any of these landmarks to make your next trip through this Pacific Coast state a truly memorable one this year. This only scrapes the surface of what you can find in Oregon. Any of these destinations make for a good place to start if you are a newcomer to this great state.