Silverton, Oregon

If you're thinking of hiking the Trail of Ten Falls Loop and staying overnight, there are 42 tent campsites (available from April – Oct) as well as 14 rustic cabins. With multiple beds, heat, electricity, a covered porch, and a small fridge, they provide the perfect respite after a long day of ex...

You'll never stumble upon Canemah Park unless you're really looking for it. Tucked away in the hills of Oregon City above the Locks, this residential park has a miniature-sized set of everything you'd expect in a children's park: Playground, picnic benches, bathrooms, and wide, forested trails. D...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Located three miles west of McMinnville and available for public hiking and activities, Miller Woods is owned and operated by Yamhill SWCD. You may choose different trails to take.From the parking lot the trails are marked by colors to go on the 4.0 mile loop go to the meadow and follow the red m...

Bagby Hot Springs is actually a set of amazing bathhouses nestled in the forest outside of Estacada. They are one of Oregon’s most poplar hot springs, and for good reason. The hike into the hot springs is easy and quite scenic. You’ll cross a bridge over Nohorn Creek and follow the Hot Springs Fo...

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...

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...

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...

The Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge Trail, located near Gaston, Oregon, offers a peaceful, educational, and family-friendly outdoor experience. Opened to the public in recent years, this refuge protects vital wetland and prairie habitats while providing an easy walking trail ideal for birdwa...

Leach Botanical Garden is a 17-acre urban sanctuary located in outer Southeast Portland, OR, offering visitors a serene escape into nature.  Established over 40 years ago, the garden is often a surprising discovery for locals and tourists alike. It features a diverse landscape, including a four-...

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...

The Wild and Scenic Clackamas River above the North Fork Reservoir is a great destination for paddlers and only about an hour drive from downtown Portland. This popular 13.5 mile section of river lies within the Mt. Hood National Forest and offers continuous class II-III boating with a little cla...

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...