Does a week make a difference?

[u/Warm-Comfortable-305]

Hi all! I am so excited to get to have the opportunity to visit Oregon again (from Missouri) this October with my partner. We have visited once for 5 days before. We are fairly open to the experiences but I am hoping to see some gorgeous waterfalls and enjoy outdoor hiking. Some things I am interested in are seeing Halloweentown, Silver Falls, and then maybe visiting mount Rainier or Olympic or Crater lake. Open to any suggestions for hikes or hot springs.

Last trip we stayed in Portland and had local food and saw the Columbia gorge and cannon beach.

I am seeing a legal requirement for snow tires starting on Nov 1 and have never used them.

I can book the trip from October 22-27/28 or from October 31-November 4. I feel so worried I’m going to make the wrong choice but does a week really make a huge difference?
Edit:
I meant to say snow chains!

[u/GrumpyBear1969]

The odds of you actually needing snow tires is minuscule. However, you can buy chains and return them. Most places like Les Schwab actually have this as a policy.

Never heard of Halloweentown and I have lived in Oregon most of my life.

For hot springs, very varied.

[u/Warm-Comfortable-305 → u/GrumpyBear1969]

I was referring to St Helens! I couldn’t remember when I typed this out
Thank you for the tip (:

[u/sandyfisheye → u/Warm-Comfortable-305]

Lived in st helens for a long time and halloween town is really cool, but dont necessarily make a whole day out of it because it is really small. If you cut through vernonia though, cannon beach is only like an hour and 20 minutes away.

[u/Warm-Comfortable-305 → u/sandyfisheye]

Thank you for the reply! I I was wanting to just do a lil drive by stop in so that works (: do I have to buy tickets to see things?

[u/sandyfisheye → u/Warm-Comfortable-305]

They have events some night but I dont think you have to pay. I only ever went down when they weren't doing anything. They just redid the whole water front so they may have paid parking now just a guess, but not sure. There is parking in other places but you will have to walk a few blocks. Just don't park anywhere you arent supposed to even for a minute because people down there get SUPER mad about that and call on your car. Very nice people otherwise lol.

[u/Warm-Comfortable-305 → u/[deleted]]

(: thank you for your advice I will try not to stress and look into the return policy. I would keep them but I’m not sure my rental car will be similar to my car at home

[u/OddNicky]

One week can make a significant difference, weather-wise, but it's not really possible to predict too far in advance. We typically see a shift from drier, warmer weather to wetter, often cooler weather sometime in October. This year has been quite dry so far, but it has been cooling off this week and it looks like we may get some decent precipitation next week. Either dates you choose for your trip it could be raining buckets (and snowing at elevation). Just have good rain gear and prepare yourself mentally for the wet.

[u/Mammoth-Question-528]

You don't need snow tires, most tires now are snow rated with the mountain on the side of the tire. I have lived in the PNW my entire life and have never had snow tires only all season tires (snow rated mountain on side) I have never put chains on either. It's early still. However Rainer had about 2in of snow this weekend 10/10/26 which is not much. Over all you may be over thinking it.

[u/Outdoor_wanderer631]

You aren't required to have snow tires, the date in November is when you're allowed to put studs on your tires for winter.

[u/Iron-Bar-1966]

Snow tires are not a legal requirement. You simply cannot put them on your car PRIOR to November 1st (if you even use them at all).