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The City of Heppner , "Gateway to the Blues", lies in North East Oregon, USA, about 50 miles south of the Columbia River . Heppner offers small town, rural living, near the base of the Blue Mountains . Having low crime, affordable housing, a full service downtown, medical facilities, and superior schools, Heppner is a great place to raise a family. The topography consists of rolling hills with mountains further to the East. The population is 1410 with most of the residents employed in agriculture, timber, government, and manufacturing.

With direct access to fiber optic cables (a point of presence) DSL service from two Internet service providers, and a new company providing wireless Internet, Heppner is well positioned to compete with broadband capability. Additionally, Morrow County is served with a fiber optic network that links all of the Morrow County schools along with Morrow County government offices, providing excellent broadband capability for video conferencing and data transmission. The Oregon Trail Library District offers free Internet access with DSL service and can order books and other publications from 70 libraries and academic institutions.
Four streams, Balm Fork, Hinton Creek, Willow Creek, and Shobe Creek meet at Heppner. A dam constructed across Willow Creek and Balm Fork created a small lake which contains trout, bass, crappie and catfish. Willow Creek itself harbors quite a few 14 to 20 inch trout. The creek in town is unofficially reserved for fishing by kids under 12, and it is quite common to see a young person walking through town with a string of fish. Recreational fishing is also popular at nearby Penland Lake , Cutsforth Park , Anson Wright Park , and at numerous private ponds. Further North, the Columbia River contains many game fish including salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, walleye and others.
Heppner is a popular destination for sport hunting also. Elk, deer and bear make up most of the big game animals for local hunters. Pheasant, chukar, hungarian partridge, dove, turkey, and quail are favorite area game birds.

A proposed skateboard park is in the works at the site of the old community swimming pool. Willow Creek Water Park offers persons of all ages a chance to swim and enjoy water contact. An indoor therapy pool is available year round by reservation.

Morrow County recently purchased 6500 acres to develop an ATV park which provides trails, campsites and other recreation. For more details go to www.morrowcountyparks.org. The first use of the park began in 2003.

Snowmobiling and cross country skiing are a couple of favorite wintertime activities for locals. Numerous trails in the Umatilla National Forest provide plenty of opportunities for adventure and scenic vistas.

Heppner is the largest of three small communities that lie in Oregon’s Willow Creek Valley. The valley is sparsely populated with scattered farms outside the towns. Highway 74, The Blue Mountain Scenic Byway, winds along the valley from the freeway to the north through Ione, Lexington , and Heppner. The valley is serene and very beautiful with pastoral views, hills, and canyons. From Heppner, the Byway leads into the Blue Mountains to the town of Ukiah and on to La Grande.

The Blue Mountain Scenic Byway between Cutsforth Park and Ukiah is open from June 15th through October 15th. This section of highway is maintained by the National Forest Service. Call the Heppner Ranger District at (541) 676-9187 for current conditions. During winter, Highway 74, from Heppner to Pilot Rock, and Highway 395 from Pilot Rock to Ukiah, make a good alternate route.

Incorporated in 1887, Heppner is the county seat of Morrow County and is located on Highways 207 and 74, just 47 miles from Hermiston, 60 miles from Pendleton and 80 miles from the Tri-Cities. At an elevation of about 1800 feet, Heppner provides a milder climate and quick access to the forest and lakes only a short distance away.

The City of Heppner participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and has a web page devoted to floodplain management and flood insurance issues. The web page can be accessed at www.heppner.net/city/flood.html.

Additional information about floodplain management and the National Flood Insurance Program may be accessed from the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov

Mayor: Les Paustian

City Councilors: Judy Buschke, Cindi Doherty
Joann Burleson , Kay Robinson, Glen Baker, George Koffler

City Manager: David DeMayo

Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

City Council Meetings: 7p.m. the second Monday of each month

Planning Commission Meetings: 7 p.m. the first Monday of each month.

Beautification Parks & Land Commission, second Thursday of each month, 8:00 AM