Hood River County, Oregon

The Deschutes River Trail—an old smooth road really, with a mix of dirt, sand and gravel—is a great mountain bike ride or hike for beginners and experts alike. While the trail is very easy, the scenery all along the route is breathtaking.Park at the well-marked trailhead just to the left as you e...

Begin at the Lower Lake Campground and take the Lower Lake trailhead. The best direction to hike is counter clockwise, however you can do either.  Continue along Trail #717 and very shortly you come out to Lower Lake featuring Mt. Jefferson as the backdrop. From here keep hiking and you reach yo...

Set out at the Lower Lake trailhead along trail #717. After only half a mile the trail opens up to Lower Lake, with views of Olallie Butte. The trail winds around the north east side of the lake and you come to a junctions with trail #706. From here take the left onto #706 and continue about .6 o...

Each trail is well maintained and easy to navigate through the area.  All trails are either packed dirt or gravel depending on which trail you’re on. The Douglas-firs, hemlocks, ferns, Oregon grape and many other native tree and plant varieties grow in the area that make the area abound with wild...

Have you heard of the PNW trolls? There are 6 total in Washington and Oregon.  Ole Bolle, the Portland Troll, is an art installation located at the Nordic Northwest Campus in Tualatin Valley, Oregon. Crafted by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, Ole Bolle is part of the “Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bi...

To begin, park on North Pittsburg Ave and walk down to the river. Then, turn left and walk down the short less than a quarter mile until you see a spot where the beach is bigger than in other areas. This is an extremely good place to take photographs of the bridge, especially at night. Feel free ...

Located right underneath the St Johns Bridge, Cathedral Park is hard to miss. It was given its name due to the Gothic looking arches that sit above the park.This is one of my personal favorite places to photograph especially if you enjoy photographing bridges. This park can be crowded or have eve...

This Lewis River hike starts at Lower Falls then follows the Lewis River Trail #31, detours up to Copper Creek, before returning back to the main trail for the magnificent Upper Falls. Enticing views of the crystalline water in the Lewis River will make you want to jump in..even in February! Hi...

As if erupting volcanoes weren't awesome enough, ancient lava flows also left behind these giant, hollow tubes as they cooled. Spend all day exploring deep underground in this 2.5 mile cave.To get there, head to the SOUTH side of Mount Saint Helens. You must pass through the town of Cougar to get...

The parking lot marked is at the North end of the Fanno Creek trail, you can get on the paved path here and put on just about as many miles as you want! With the help of google maps on your phone you can follow trail hop all the way down to Tualatin! But if you're looking for a shorter workout yo...

***Before you go on this trek, give the Yakama Nation a call and talk to a Ranger to make sure the trail is open to backpackers or hikers.*** 1-509-865-5121 or 1-509-395-3402 There are a few places you can start this adventure, but starting from the South Climb Trail Head and Cold Spring Campgro...

Gold Butte Fire Lookout is a real gem in the Willamette National Forest. At 4618 feet elevation, the nearby Cascade Mountain views are nothing short of spectacular! At the summit, sits a L-4 Ground Structure Type Fire Lookout that was built in1934 to be used as a Fire Lookout. Additionally, durin...

With no officially marked trailhead, this hike begins slightly west of Elk Lake in Marion County. Take Highway 22 to Detroit, OR. East of the bridge over Breitenbush River, turn onto (FR) Forest Road 46, with signs pointing to Breitenbush River. After 4.5 miles turn left at a sign for Elk Lake, a...

The Worm Flow Route, starting at Marble Mountain Sno Park, is the most direct winter route up to the summit. You'll start at around 2,700 feet and begin a steady walk along the trail for 2 miles. Although the trail is fairly well marked well above the snow, you'll want to pay attention to the arr...

This is a very difficult hike. Camp sites are scarce and access to water is very limited. Overexposure is a concern so be sure to pack a hat and apply sunscreen frequently. There are sketchy sections of the trail where you will be forced to navigate steep washed out gullies that are unstable due ...

Start by checking in at the Trout Lake Ranger station to pick up a Cascade Volcanoes pass for $10-$15. Continue the South Climb trailhead at the Cloud Cap Campground. Some hikers overnight here for an early start the next day.Sign out a wilderness permit at the trailhead and follow the South Clim...