Marmot, Oregon

When you park at the top of the trail, all you see is layers and layers of emerald trees and ground clear of any underbrush. Once on the trail, you start on a rapid decline that brings you to the first of the many streams along this hike. Cross the bridge made out of logs and head towards the ma...

From Scott Mills Follow Crooked Finger RD NE for 13.3 Miles to the Upper Butte Creek Trailhead. The last 2-3 miles or so is gravel road with some potholes but most cars shouldn't have a problem. The path down to the falls starts near the bathrooms. A short .3 mile walk on a few switchbacks and...

This trail is unmarked and a little rough and rugged. The land is privately owned by Mount Angel Abbey, but they don't appear to have problems with courteous hikers. Walking out of the parking area back up the road in the direction you came from, you’ll pass one dirt trail right at the ending of ...

Champoeg was the first town to be settled in the Willamette Valley and the site of the formation of the first government in the northwest. The park offers historical sites as well as plentiful camping and some short day hikes. I decided to do the Townsite loop with my family on black friday #opto...

The trail is a washed out, old mining road making its way through a lush forest with a mix of ferns, moss covered trees, and towering Douglas Firs with trees blown over from wind storms lining both sides of the trail. I call those Big Foot traps. The trail comes to a fork, stay to the left you ar...

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...

To get there from Salem, Follow Hwy. 22 east to Mehama. Turn on Little North Santiam Road (FS 2209) and proceed for 12 miles to Three Pools Day Use Area. Three Pools is by far one of the most popular swimming holes in the Northwest. With multiple swimming holes within just feet from one another i...

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...

The Columbia River Gorge is full of hidden gems, especially for new folks like me. I just found out about this little trail right in the middle of Mosier Oregon.  The trail is great for new hikers, and if you have some friends visiting this would be the perfect trail to take them on if they don'...

Coyote Wall is a relatively uncrowded trail system in the Columbia River Gorge that provides outstanding views of the Columbia River. The trail system is made up primarily of user-created mountain biking trails, allowing hikers a choose-your-own-adventure approach to exploring the area. Start o...

Sadly because of the devastating Eagle Creek fire on the Oregon side of the Gorge, most of the trails are closed for restoration. As a result more hikers are heading to the Washington side and heading further east for Gorge day hikes. Heading east gets you some sunnier skies and prime wildflower ...

Camp at scenic and easily-accessible Forlorn Lakes, where the 25 campsites ($10/night) are both isolated and roomy. Sites have a picnic table and fire ring and provide access to the series of lakes, as well as the East Crater Trailhead which leads into the Indian Heaven Wilderness.Nearby, explore...

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...

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...

This is a perfect easy hike close to Portland on Sauvie Island that offers more than just a walk through a forest. At the end of the 3 mile trail is a long secluded beach and the Warrior Rock Lighthouse. This has become one of my favorite go-to runs on a summer weeknight evening or for a quieter ...

After parking in the lot near the mill, walk across the bridge. This is the first good viewpoint for photography. Next, I recommend walking under the bridge, this is my favorite spot for taking photos. The whole area is free to walk around, you can even walk in the mill and then walk up stream do...