Oregon
Start at the coast, hit up breweries and food trucks in Portland, explore hundreds of waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, ski or snowboard year-round on Mt. Hood and continue on to the Alvord Desert. Even with all of this adventure, you'll just be scratching the surface of what Oregon has to offer.
Top Spots in and near Oregon
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Rhododendron, Oregon
Devil's Peak Lookout
3.02.62 mi / 600 ft gainThe Trail: This hike is one of the 2 routes that lead to the lookout, and the shorter of the two. It requires more driving to get to the trailhead than the other, but less walking, so if that sounds appealing to you, you have come to the right place! First, you'll be greeted by a dense forest w...Read more -
Sandy, Oregon
Photograph Jonsrud Viewpoint
4.5The view from this spot is definitely worth the drive, if you're visiting Portland or the Columbia River Gorge area I highly recommend taking the time to stop here. Not a lot of people know about this spot and its likely you'll be the only person/people there!If you get the chance, definitely com...Read more -
Deschutes County, Oregon
Summit Black Crater
5.08 mi / 2211 ft gainThe Black Crater Trailhead parking lot is accessed off the McKenzie Pass (Hwy 242). The trailhead starting elevation is 5,040ft. (using the iPhone app "Topo Maps". Great app) with a 3.8 Mile hike one way to the Black Crater Summit at 7,251ft of elevation. Some parts of the trail are steep and g...Read more -
Bandon, Oregon
Explore the Beaches of Bandon
4.9Bandon, Oregon, located on the Southern Oregon coast, is about 90 miles north of the California border and about five hours south of Portland. In other words, it's just far enough away so that it has not become a touristy, seaside destination. And that's good news for all of us.This sleepy seasid...Read more -
Estacada, Oregon
Raft the Wild and Scenic Clackamas River
5.0The 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...Read more -
Sisters, Oregon
McKenzie River Trail
23.31 mi / 1726 ft gainMountain 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...Read more -
Wasco, Oregon
Mountain Biking the Deschutes River Trail
4.0The Deschutes River Trail—an old smooth road really, with a mix of dirt, sand and gravel—is a great mountain bike ride or hike for beginners and experts alike. While the trail is very easy, the scenery all along the route is breathtaking.Park at the well-marked trailhead just to the left as you e...Read more -
Sisters, Oregon
Three Fingered Jack Loop
3.824.31 mi / 4186.35 ft gainBegin this 2-3 day backpacking trek at the Santiam Pass trailhead off Highway 20, 31 miles east of Detroit and 21 miles west of Sisters, Oregon. You can begin the loop either north on the PCT or East on trail #4014 towards Square Lake (as it is a loop) I would recommend heading east. It's a 2.2 ...Read more -
Warrenton, Oregon
Peter Iredale Shipwreck, Fort Stevens SP
4.70.2 mi / 0 ft gainAt the northwestern-most point of Oregon sits Fort Stevens State Park. Located 3 ½ hrs from Seattle and 2 hrs from Portland, the park sits closest to the city of Astoria. The park itself has over 4300 acres to explore, with day use and camping open year round. However, the most well-known and mos...Read more -
Newport, Oregon
Explore the Yaquina Head Lighthouse
4.6The 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...Read more -
Portland, Oregon
Waterfront Park
4.52.68 mi / 79 ft gainLooking for a quick run along the water in the heart of Portland? Look no further. This relatively flat 2.6 mile loop runs right along the Willamette and features great views of the city’s bridges, river, the downtown skyline, and all of the fun people enjoying this urban park. From the Salmon S...Read more -
Rhododendron, Oregon
Burnt Lake and Zigzag Mountain
5.012.27 mi / 3225 ft gainAfter getting your back country permit from a park ranger, you can park your car and head up Zigzag Mountain. There's a tiny 'parking lot' (lot of dirt) where you park that's right by the trailhead. The hike up to the campsites is roughly 4 miles, and it is all uphill. Not only are you surrounde...Read more -
La Pine, Oregon
MTB the Crater Rim Trail
Paulina Peak with an elevation of 7,984 feet, and is about 4,000 feet higher than the terrain surrounding the volcano. There is a gravel fire road that winds to the top. This is a grueling climb with an 8000 foot elevation. Air please!The trail head starts about 1000 feet from the peak. It is a p...Read more -
Klamath County, Oregon
Hike through Pinnacles Valley at Crater Lake NP
3.01 mi / -100 ft gainThese needle-like formations of rock, called fossil fumaroles, projecting from the Sand Creek Canyon floor, were formed under sheets of volcanic pumice that preceded Mazama's collapse. As the surface of the hot pumice cooled over the years, steam and gases were released by the hot rocks underneat...Read more -
Bend, Oregon
Boat-In Camping at Sparks Lake
5.0Looking for the beauty and serenity of a backcountry campsite, but with the convenience of car camping? These 20+ secluded paddle-in campsites along the shoreline of Sparks Lake are just for you. Park your car, load up your watercraft of choice with all of your camping supplies, and paddle out to...Read more -
Deschutes County, Oregon
Dee Wright Observatory
4.70.93 mi / 20 ft gainOn your way to Proxy Falls from Bend? Stop by the Dee Wright Observatory to take some photos of the gorgeous mountains. The Observatory is at the summit of McKenzie Pass in Oregon's Cascade Mountains. Built right in the middle of a large lava flow, the open structure itself is actually construct...Read more
