Sandy, Oregon

While the Portland Japanese Garden is a popular place for tourists, it's also a favorite for Portland residents as it's located right in Washington Park close to trails and across from the Rose Garden. The Japanese Garden also just unveiled its Cultural Crossing expansion in April 2017, which inc...

The hike along Little Zig Zag River is definitely one of Oregon's hidden gems. Although the waterfall isn't as highly rated in comparison to other impressive falls like Multnomah Falls, Abiqua Falls, or Bridal Viel Falls, it is still quite the sight to see, and most definitely worth the visit. T...

This is a somewhat incomplete report because we did not venture too far into the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. The sky had been threatening us with rain for the duration of our hike along Eagle Creek and we did not want to push our luck too far since we were hoping for an early start on our drive ...

Park at the Eagle Creek Trailhead, and backtrack out towards the highway. Take the path to the right and walk alongside the highway for nearly a half mile. Stop when you are on the bridge and see the Ruckel Creek Trail to your right. If you look left, you will notice a waterfall dropping below yo...

Take the train to Washington Park and hike through Hoyt Arboretum. This will bypass a few miles of Wildwood Trail, but you won't miss much. In the arboretum, the trail twists and turns through the trees, will smaller trails jutting off to the sides, through other groups of trees (each trail is a...

Founded in 1928 to conserve endangered species and educate visitors, Hoyt Arboretum is a 190-acre park in the forest above Portland's NW area. It's only 15 minutes from downtown! There are 12+ miles of trails to explore, my favorite is the Redwood Trail that takes you through towering redwoods a...

Pittock Mansion offers a one of kind view of downtown Portland. This is a historic site that allows public access throughout the day and night. Parking is available at Pittock until 9pm but if you wish to visit the grounds after hours you can park at the bottom of the driveway, walk around the ga...

Your day of adventure will start at the Skibowl West parking lot. Unfortunately, due to snowplowing, the roadside parking to the Mirror Lake trailhead is covered in snow. If you are doing this hike in the summer, be sure to check out this adventure: Climb Tock, Dick, and Harry Mountain!After you ...

From the Rock Creek Pass Trailhead, begin the short hike to Three Corner Rock by heading south on the Pacific Crest Trail from its crossing of Road CG 2090. After a steady 1.5-mile climb of roughly 600 feet, look for a large fallen sign marking the junction to Three Corner Rock. Shortly after, an...

The reflection of Mt. Hood on the lake makes this trip definitely worth the visit.Try to arrive during the day so you can watch the sunset. For photographers, the south side of the lake is an amazing spot to take photos, especially on a windless day. For those looking to kayak or fish, there is a...

Starting at the parking lot for Trillium Lake located right off of Highway 26, go past the locked gate and begin walking downhill. After about a mile, you will see a fork in the road. Either way will eventually take you to the lake, but going left will be much quicker and take you to the best spo...

From the mount hood scenic byway in Government Camp, Oregon turn on the road that heads up to the Timberline Lodge. Follow that road to the end and park in the lot all the way at the top. In the ski season you need a pass to park there, but if you go in June, July, Or August (aka when the wildflo...

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...

Steep Creek Falls is located about 5 miles from the small town of Stevenson. Take Highway 14 one mile west of Stevenson to Rock Creek Drive and turn north, passing the Skamania Lodge and Resort. Turn left onto Ryan Allen Road and follow it for about a mile, then turn left onto Red Bluff Road. Fo...

Park at the Herman Creek Trailhead in Cascade Locks 2 miles from the exit. Remember to bring your Northwest Forest pass or a $5 payment to park.  Start ascending on the Herman Creek trail a little over a mile until you hit a three-way junction for Gorton Creek Trail #408, Trail #400, and Herman ...