Welcome to Quamash

Quamash is a small community in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Named for the camas lily (Camassia quamash) that blooms in the meadows each spring, the town was founded in 1893 during the gold rush and has been home to ranchers and loggers and Forest Service families ever since.

We're about twenty minutes from John Day on a two-lane road that follows the creek through ponderosa and juniper. Town sits in a valley at the edge of the Malheur National Forest, with Strawberry Mountain visible to the south on a clear day.

There isn't much reason to pass through Quamash unless you mean to, and most of us like it that way. The diner's been here since the twenties. The library keeps good hours considering it's volunteer-run. Church does a potluck after service most Sundays. School goes up to eighth grade, after that kids bus to John Day. We've got enough going on to keep things interesting.

What's Happening

Camas Festival 2023 — May 20th. Potluck, music, wildflower walks. See the community page for details.

The library hosts a reading group on the second Thursday of each month. Check at the front desk for the current book.

VFD pancake breakfast in March was a big success. Thanks to everyone who came out!

CR-18 had some washout damage in January, county patched it but watch for loose gravel near mile marker 6.

Grant County Fair Aug 2-5 — Rodeo, livestock, bake-off. Shuttle from John Day. See county website for schedule.

Last updated: March 2023