The Wolf Creek Inn was built along the Applegate Trail in 1883 for Henry Smith, a local entrepreneur. It is the oldest continuously operating inn in the Pacific Northwest, and is the site where author Jack London completed his novel Valley of the Moon. The inn also housed actors from the early days of Hollywood when they wanted to escape from the film studios. Celebrities Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Orson Welles stayed at the inn. Imagine yourself as a traveler along a section of the Applegate Trail in Oregon in the late 1800s. You have just arrived by stagecoach to the Wolf Creek Inn, a welcome refuge from the perilous journey over mountains and across valleys. After paying 75 cents for a room, bath, and meals, you're ready to relax. You sit down to a hot meal and some easy conversation with the innkeepers or other guests. Afterwards, the men sidle off to the tap room for some quaffs of beer while the ladies adjourn to the parlor. The conversation drifts from tales of inspirational beauty to frightful experiences of the trail. The rooms are no longer 75 cents, but the refuge is still here, its historic charm carefully preserved. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Inn retains its classical revival architecture and early 20th century decor. It is situated on three picturesque acres that are managed by Oregon State Parks as a State Heritage Site. Just minutes from I-5, the setting will transport you to an earlier, quieter time. (wolfcreekinn.com/) — The Wolf Creek Inn was built along the Applegate Trail in 1883 for Henry Smith, a local entrepreneur. It is the oldest continuously operating inn in the Pacific Northwest, and is the site where author Jack London completed his novel Valley of the Moon. The inn also housed actors from the early days of Hollywood when they wanted to escape from the film studios. Celebrities Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Orson Welles stayed at the inn. Imagine yourself as a traveler along a section of the Applegate Trail in Oregon in the late 1800s. You have just arrived by stagecoach to the Wolf Creek Inn, a welcome refuge from the perilous journey over mountains and across valleys. After paying 75 cents for a room, bath, and meals, you're ready to relax. You sit down to a hot meal and some easy conversation with the innkeepers or other guests. Afterwards, the men sidle off to the tap room for some quaffs of beer while the ladies adjourn to the parlor. The conversation drifts from tales of inspirational beauty to frightful experiences of the trail. The rooms are no longer 75 cents, but the refuge is still here, its historic charm carefully preserved. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Inn retains its classical revival architecture and early 20th century decor. It is situated on three picturesque acres that are managed by Oregon State Parks as a State Heritage Site. Just minutes from I-5, the setting will transport you to an earlier, quieter time. (wolfcreekinn.com/) Rick Obst · CC BY 4.0

Wolf Creek State Park

State Park · Illinois · Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Camping

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Official site: dnr.illinois.gov
Managed by: Illinois Department of Natural Resources

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Activities & features: Boating · Camping · Fishing · Picnic Area · Store · Swimming · Trail

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Sources: Wikimedia Commons / editorial, State agency · updated 2026-08-18