Hood River County, Oregon

The hike and possible rappel to Frustration Falls begins at the Salmon River trailhead right outside of Welches, Oregon. From the trailhead you follow the trail for about 4 miles at which point you reach Canyon View (Shown in pictures 5-6 above). From the main trail this is the only view of Frust...

This hike starts at the Starvation Creek Rest Area. After parking, head west back along the shoulder of the freeway, where you’ll see a wooden sign stating “Mt. Defiance Trail.” Continue heading west along the abandoned Columbia River Highway. Keep going west as you pass the junction with the Sta...

Starvation Creek Falls is an impressive 190 ft. waterfall just a few feet from the parking lot. If you don't know it's there, you'll miss it. Keep walking past the restrooms, away from the trail head to see this beautiful two-tiered waterfall. There are a couple of picnic tables near the creek to...

The hike along Mt. Defiance Trail to Warren and Lancaster Falls is great if you want to get away from some of the more crowded destinations in the gorge, or just want to catch some shade during the summer. The trail is fairly easygoing, though the last 1/4th of a mile to Lancaster Falls is a bit ...

The Dog Mountain trailhead is located halfway between Stevenson and Bingen. Look for the big signed parking area just after milepost 53 (Eastbound). The parking lot fills up quickly, especially during peak wildflower season, so if you can go on a weekday that would be better. There are 3 trails ...

If you know the Columbia Gorge, you know Dog Mountain. It's the ever-rewarding, incredibly challenging, insanely popular, calf-burning 6.5-mile hike that attracts hundreds of people every weekend, especially during May and June when the wildflowers are in full bloom.  If you're like me and you h...

The Trail: This hike is one of the 2 routes that lead to the lookout, and the shorter of the two. It requires more driving to get to the trailhead than the other, but less walking, so if that sounds appealing to you, you have come to the right place! First, you'll be greeted by a dense forest w...

The Multnomah-Wahkeena loop is a classic hike in the Columbia Gorge. Few hikes take you by as many waterfalls, and the tree cover makes it a great hike in the rain. Starting at the Multnomah Falls Parking Area, head to the main viewing area of Multnomah Falls. If you get there early in the morn...

Multnomah Falls is worth a quick stop anytime you're visiting the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon. This waterfall is the tallest in Oregon at 620 feet and the third largest in the Pacific Northwest behind Bridal Veil Falls (1,289 feet) and Green Lake Falls (979 feet) and has a...

You can get on the trail in about 45 minutes from Portland and 35 minutes from Hood River via I-84. Once you get out of your car in the Multnomah Falls parking lot, head over to the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge. This is a neat place to check out after your hike. Then, follow the crowds to the ...

This hike starts at the Fir Tree Trailhead and is an out and back 2.8 mile round trip. It's short, but there's 660 feet of elevation gain. To start, you climb steeply then it's an easy hike to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the lake. The trail descends via switchbacks down to the lake for the ...

Once you reach the parking lot, walk down the hill and find the trail head, which is easily seen as it is marked. Begin your trek up the trail. The way up is pretty much all uphill, and is a great workout for the legs. You will walk through forests and over many rocks on the way up. As soon as y...

Lookout Mountain should be the most popular destination in Oregon given its views to effort ratio. Mount Hood seems close enough to reach out and touch from the open, rocky summit, and views extend from the Three Sisters in the south to Mount Rainier to the north. While the hike is popular in the...

At the parking lot for Angel's Rest, turn left uphill on to Palmer Mill Road. Drive for about a mile, and park right past a tributary stream/small waterfall (pictured above) on your left that flows through a small pipe under the road. You will see a small space to park on the right. Park here and...

Fairy Falls sits in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge, not much more than a mile from the Wahkeena Trailhead. The parking lot is right off the Old Columbia River Highway and will be packed with cars in the summer. Head up the trail towards Wahkeena Falls, which is not far up the hill. This f...

This Waterfall is located along the Colombia River Gorge and is surrounded by many other, much more trafficked waterfalls so it gets a lot fewer visitors. This is a beautiful spot to relax at, take photos, and get away from some of the crowds. The bottom of the falls end right at the parking lot ...