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Jess FischerExplorer

An east coast transplant exploring the wild and wonderful PNW ⇞

An absolutely stunning hike with sweeping views of Mount Rainier and the Cascade Range to the south, including the dramatic Tatoosh Wilderness Peaks. We hiked this on August 15 (Saturday) and the wildflowers were in full bloom. We arrived to the trailhead at 6:45am and the parking lot was almost full. There were TONS of people on the trail up to Panorama Point but after that we had some more solitude. There were still some sections of trail still covered in snow, but we were able to handle them without poles. Highly recommend this hike, but get there early to beat the crowds!

Gorgeous hike but be warned the hike up to Snow Lake is SUPER crowded and is best described as a "human highway." Once you leave the Snow Lake area, you'll lose most of the crowds. This hike is 11 miles round trip (not including mileage up to Wright's Peak above the lake) and around 2,700 feet in elevation gain.

Bring your sunscreen! There is very little shade on this hike as you traverse alpine meadows. Highly suggest during the late summer when the mountain is rid of all snow and the rivers are lower and easier to cross. Also, there will be wildflowers. Plan to spend some time up in Paradise Park enjoying lunch and the views.

Explorer

05/14/20

We hiked this trail Fourth of July weekend and can confirm the first half of this hike is a human highway with a majority of people climbing up to Snow Lake. Past Snow Lake the trails open up and we only saw a few other groups of hikers. Absolutely stunning vistas and crystal clear lake water. If you go on a weekend I recommend hiking in early, and hiking out early to avoid the crowds. We made the mistake of hiking out in the afternoon and constantly had to pull off the trail for people coming the opposite direction. Overall great hike.

This is definitely one of my favorite hikes in Oregon. A beautiful backcountry lake/wetland/high mountain meadows tucked below the summit of Mount Jefferson. I highly recommend backpacking, but can also be done as a solid day trip. Bring lots of water, snacks and sunscreen. I can't speak to this hike in the winter, but we hiked during the fall and it was amazing with all the foliage. There was a bit of snow at the higher elevations, but nothing we couldn't handle with our hiking boots.

This is a great hike in any season to a beautiful waterfall on Mount Hood. In the summertime I recommend having spikes (the trail is usually too packed down for snowshoes) but the best time to go is in the spring when the falls are full of snowmelt. Be sure to arrive early whether you plan for a weekend or weekday, the hike is especially crowded in the summertime (hence the 4 stars instead of 5).

This is a favorite hike in the area for good reason. The trail is relatively flat with little elevation gain. There is one river crossing that can be difficult but as of last fall, there was a large log across the water that was used as a make-shift bridge. I recommend to do this hike super early in the morning or later afternoon if you plan to go on a weekend. This is also a great trail if you want to start trail running and want something a little bit easier!

I never knew you could hike through lava tubs, until now. This hike will take you underground into old lava tubes. Be sure to bring a headlamp, lantern, flashlight, etc and bring extra batteries for all of them. We opted to do this hike backwards and I only recommend it if you're athletic and are comfortable crawling DOWN very steep slippery places. If you hike the tube uphill, it would probably be easier to climb up some of the places inside than climb down them. I don't recommend this hike for anyone who is scared of the dark or claustrophobic.

So many people told me to check this spot out, but I never did because of the other, bigger attractions nearby. I'm here to tell you to check this place out! The waterfall falling onto the beach is awesome and the tide pools are very cool as well. It's a great spot to walk the beach without the usual crowds you'd find down on Cannon Beach. There are also some sea caves you can explore. Parking is extremely easy right off the highway with bathrooms and a picnic area. Highly recommend!!

I would rate this hike as moderate and great for any season, just make sure you have snowshoes or touring gear for the winter months. You'll be sure to see herds of elk and lots of other wildlife as well. Great views of Mount St Helens on a clear day as well as other surrounding volcanic peaks.

This hike definitely has some steeper uphill sections, but they're not long so you can definitely take your time. It's a great loop that takes you from down by the river to up on the cliffs. Best hiked in springtime when you can catch some wildflowers blooming! There are some precarious sections during the wintertime and early spring (packed ice on the trail) and spikes are highly recommended.

We did this hike January 5 and there was a lot of snow on the ground but most of it was compact and snowshoes were not needed. We went on a clear day and there were great views of Mount St. Helens covered in snow. The hike is easy and good for all ages and fitness levels. I'm not sure when the last reviewer went on this hike (most likely during the week) but there are ALWAYS crowds on the weekends (also why the parking lot is so big, to accommodate all the vehicles). Keep an eye on the ground for piles of dog poop- unfortunately they are everywhere and people are failing to pick up after their pets.

We did this hike on November 10 and there was no snow on the trail yet. It was definitely an uphill climb, but nothing too strenuous. It was a clear day so we could see North, Middle and South Sisters, Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, Three Fingered Jack and Mount Washington. We only saw a few other people and the lake at the trailhead is beautiful and probably great for swimming in the summer. Highly recommend this hike if you're ever in the Bend area!

This is an amazing hike with amazing views of the Pacific, Hart's Cove and Chitwood Falls. We heard seals barking for a majority of our hike which was also very cool. The dense, old forest was also very peaceful. A few notes: 1. The directions are really weird to the trailhead. Just be sure that when the forest road splits, you stay to the left and continue to the end of the road. Our GPS showed us off course but we made it to the correct destination. 2. My Apple Watch clocked 5.9 miles from start to finish, and that didn't include how much we were walking around down at the base of the meadow. Additionally, my elevation gain was clocked in at 1,328 feet. I'm not sure if this review includes the hike from the top of the meadow to the base where you can view the cove, but my miles/elevation was way off and is usually pretty accurate. 3. The last creek crossing must be done on foot through the water, the bridge washed out at some point and you can see it a little bit further down the creek. I was in waterproof boots so I was fine but if you don't have waterproof shoes you'll just have to be really careful with how you get across the water.

We drove up to Artist Point in late September and the views were absolutely incredible (espeically of Shuksan and Baker). You do not need a four wheel drive car to access the area as the roads are paved all the way to the top. There are bathrooms, a huge parking lot and lots of hiking trails entering and leaving the area. All ages and fitness levels welcome, just choose what trails are best for you.

Easily one of my favorite overnight trips to date. The hike quickly takes you uphill (slightly strenuous, but overall easy) so just give yourself time to recover when you need it. The views are INCREDIBLE. We went in mid September and the temperatures quickly dropped into the mid twenties at night but we were well prepared with our winter gear.

A great place to see some amazing views for all ages and activity levels. You can also find pit toilets and a covered picnic area. A must-do if you're traveling through the park!

So, my boyfriend and I didn't dive, we just snorkeled but it was absolutely amazing (and cheaper). The water is crystal clear, freezing and beautiful. Be sure to bring a GoPro or waterproof housing for your camera because you're going to want to capture the clarity of the water. It was easily one of the best things we did while in Iceland (we went at the end of September).

I don't want to say this is a hidden gem because it's actually on the well-travel Appalachian Trail, but I am so surprised more people don't do this hike regularly. The hike along the river at the beginning was so peaceful and easy, if nothing else you could go and swim! The uphill switchbacks (20+ switchbacks to be precise) were hard but the view at the top is worth it. Seeing the James River wind through the Blue Ridge Mountains is a gorgeous sight. Highly recommend this hike!

This is a wonderful backpacking trip espeically if you're with people who are backpacking for the first time! Easy route with endless views and the wild ponies make it an especially unique experience. However, if you hike out late on a weekend, be prepare for crowded parking lots and not finding a great campsite. I advise leaving early!

Explorer

12/20/17

Although this adventure is labeled as "Winter Hike," it can be done year round and we did it in the fall... it was amazing! Easy hike too if you are in shape and there are not too many people (keep in mind this means 40-60 people but that's not very much for Iceland). I'd recommend doing this hike early in the morning to have some more solitude!

Literally one of the most amazing waterfalls I've ever been to. The top waterfall is obviously most impressive but what's so cool is there are so many more waterfalls that cascade down the side of the cliff out into the beautiful ocean. Once at the top, don't forget to turn around and enjoy the view! Highly recommend!!

To the review below- The road to the trailhead is a worn-out, back road and you really need coordinates to find it. However if you do decide to follow google maps to upper crabtree falls be warned that you will be hiking thrice as long (as stated below, it'll be 11-12 miles instead of 4). The exact coordinates to the parking area are: 37.824215, -79.082182 Happy trails!

We knew we had to see this lake so we left pretty early in the morning to get there. Even with some pretty heavy smog from forest fires and the fact that it was early there were still a ton of people at the overlook. At around 8am the first tour bus arrived and we left then. Gorgeous lake and worth waiting in any line to get a glimpse and picture!