Independence, Oregon

On Saturday, I slid into the backseat alongside weekend belongings crammed in the car trunk. Backpacks with patches and streaks of dust. Bags of food that could be cooked over the flames of a fire. We drove south on the 5, leaving Portland and crossing through Salem, as Lake Street Dive albums p...

The Yaquina Head Natural Area is home to the historic 93 ft tall Yaquina Head lighthouse, built in 1872. The construction of the lighthouse from approximately 370,000 bricks took nearly a year, and the lighthouse has been active ever since.The park is open daily, from 7am until sunset; however, i...

Technically this trail stretches from the Tualatin Hills Nature Park, down through the west Beaverton/ Sexton Mountain area and can comfortably get you to Barrow’s park near Big Al’s. The trail from end to end comes in at just over 8 miles, so a down and back by bike can make for a good workout a...

Clackamette Park is known for its prime destination right off of the freeway and across from Oregon City's most popular shopping area, but it's frequented for its public boat dock, RV facilities, and handicap-accessible picnic benches. While the rest of Portland's parks freeze over or flood, Clac...

Escape the urban bustle and immerse yourself in nature on the Kingfisher Marsh and Pintail Pond Loop, a serene and accessible trail nestled within the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge near Hillsboro. This easy, family-friendly loop offers an exceptional opportunity to observe native wildli...

Cape Kiwanda is part of the Three Capes Scenic Route. It offers sea stack rock formations, beautiful beaches, sand stone cliffs, and if you are lucky enough, amazing wildlife. It is the home of the Pacific Dory Fleet.If you are early enough, you can catch the fisherman coming and going in the mys...

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...

This is an awesome place to escape to for a workout, or just a walk through the forest! You can make it a short walk, or turn it in to 6+ miles of loops! The one main trail is paved, but it’s not hard to find some single dirt track trails branching off and wandering through the trees, it can make...

Tucked into the heart of Hillsboro, just outside Portland, the Rock Creek Trail in Orenco Woods Nature Park offers a peaceful and family-friendly escape through forested landscapes, open meadows, and along the gentle curves of Rock Creek. This paved, accessible trail is ideal for walking, biking,...