First stop on our adventure today was at the historic Wolf Creek Inn and Tavern where we fueled up with a delicious breakfast. Wolf Creek Inn, originally built in 1883 as Wolf Creek Tavern for local merchant Henry Smith, is the oldest continuously operated hotel in the Pacific Northwest. It served miners and stagecoach travelers before the railroad arrived in 1887.

Some famous folks have stayed there, like Jack London, who finished Valley of the Moon while visiting, as well as Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Orson Welles. Restored by the State of Oregon in the 1970s, it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remains one of the best-preserved inns in Oregon.

In addition to its rich history, Wolf Creek Tavern is also known for something more mysterious: its ghost stories.

Over the decades, guests and staff have reported strange happenings such as phantom footsteps, unexplained movements, and sightings of apparitions, including a woman in period dress said to linger in the upstairs halls. Some believe the spirits belong to travelers from centuries past who never truly left.

While no official explanation has ever been confirmed, the lore of Wolf Creek continues to attract both history enthusiasts and paranormal investigators alike.

Whether you visit for the heritage, the architecture, or the stories whispered through time, the Wolf Creek Tavern offers a glimpse into Oregon’s layered past, where history and legend often walk side by side.