Autumn is when eastern Oregon is at its best. When I am elsewhere and thinking about home, it is the scenes from late fall that hold the most nostalgia. We have spectacular scenery throughout the year but there is a serenity about the land as it turns from the harshness of August to the stillness of December that makes it special.
Here are a few of the reasons why you should consider visiting eastern Oregon in the fall. Summer in eastern Oregon can be brutally hot. In the fall the nights may be cold but the daytime temperatures will be manageable into November.

Temperature in Degrees Fahrenheit

Month	mean temp	max temp	min temp
June	60.7	103	30
July	67.6	107	35
Aug	67.2	106	30
Sept	58.8	105	23
Oct	49.2	95	5
Nov	38.4	79	-9

Although it is cooler, eastern Oregon is still desert so there is not much difference in the the amount of rainfall between summer and fall. The odds of bright and sunny skies are good whenever you come.
Average precipitation:
June 1.18, July 0.66, August 0.63, Sept 0.40, October 0.67, November 1.18 Fall is hunting season. Even if you are not interested in hunting, this is the season when many animals such as Deer and Elk come down from the mountains and are more visible. Eastern Oregon is never crowded but there is even less traffic in the off season. Cooler weather means no bugs. Fall means fewer thorns, stickers and burrs. From thistles to puncture vine, the foliage can be pretty aggressive here. They are at their prickliest in the really hot weather. Thorns never go away completely but it is softer in the fall. The rivers and creeks have more water because the irrigation season is over. They are not as high as they will be during spring runoff but they are much higher than they are in mid summer. Usually fire danger is lower in the fall. Big wild fires are much less likely and you do not have to be as careful with your own fires. The night sky is one of eastern Oregon's most spectacular features and cool nights mean lower atmospheric humidity and even clearer skies.