Sweet Home, Oregon

Experience the tranquil beauty of the Isaac Nickerson Loop Trail, a picturesque 2.3-mile pathway winding through diverse forest ecosystems in the scenic Cascade foothills of Linn County, Oregon. This moderately challenging loop offers hikers a peaceful retreat into nature with magnificent old-g...

Mountain biking the McKenzie River Trail should be on every serious mountain biker's to-do list, since this trail has repeatedly been cited as the best mountain biking in the United States. The whole trail is an all-day, 26 mile epic, losing 2200 feet of elevation as it parallels the McKenzie Ri...

Once you arrive at Clear Lake, I suggest to start the relatively flat hike around the lake. You'll walk through a beautiful forest with peek-a-boo views of the stunning lake. The hike around the full lake may take a few hours, so if you're not staying the night, make sure you have enough time to ...

Koosah Falls Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Sisters, Oregon.

This loop might be on the shorter side, but the hike is more than worth it for the scenery. Start at Sahalie Falls, a 100-foot tall waterfall pouring into the river below and covering the moss-covered valley with cool mist. Continue down the trail, walking past the 70-foot Koosah Falls, and finis...

This is a popular, family friendly spot, complete with two pools, indoor lodging, RV and tent camping, and hiking trails. The pools are kept at 185-195 degrees, with the smaller of the two being reserved for overnighters only. Day visitors are charged an hourly fee.

Coffin Mountain Fire Lookout is a beautiful day hike that takes you to its summit at 5771 feet elevation, covering roughly 1070 feet elevation gain. To get to the Coffin Mt. trailhead from Detroit OR, travel east on Highway 22 for approximately 19.5 miles to Forest Road 11 (Straight Creek Road)....

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...

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...

This is a great and easy day hike that features two waterfalls - Alsea Falls and Green Peak Falls - amid beautiful Oregon Coast Range scenery. This hike is perfect for a family trip as the trail is dog-friendly, the Alsea River serves as a swimming hole on hot days, and there is a picnic area jus...

A short hike from the sno-park, the snow shelter is within an hour's reach of the trailhead. Make sure to print a trail map of the area's routes ahead of time, or take a picture of the map provided in the parking lot, as the network of trails can get you a little lost. From the parking lot, make...

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 ...

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...

You start by weaving through an old-growth forest, gaining a little elevation, appreciating the shade, before you come up out and into the alpine forest the majority of the hike will take place in.  You will quickly reach your first of many intersections within ~.1 mile into the trail. Be sure t...

Duffy Lake Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Idanha, 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...