Ariel, Washington

The Vista House located in the Columbia River Gorge offers those looking to photograph the night sky without traveling long distance from Portland the opportunity to do so. Vista House is just far enough away from Portland's light pollution to allow you to capture enough stars on a clear night.T...

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-...

The Columbia River Gorge is absolutely full of incredible hikes - that said, this is one of the best and requires less time and energy than some of the others. Starting at a paved parking lot right off the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway (note: it's a very popular trail so arrive early or ...

This loop takes advantage of the western Columbia River Gorge's vast network of trails - hidden behind the roadside waterfalls - to allow you to visit several popular attractions without fighting traffic along the historic highway. All told, the loop hits 3 named waterfalls (Coopey Falls, Fairy F...

Heads up! There's construction going on at the eastern part of the trail and the main parking lot is closed. But don't worry, you can still get to the trail from the west entrance turning this hike into an out-and-back. For the latest updates, check out the Oregon State Parks website: https://sta...

Just 96 miles south of Seattle, and 50 miles northeast of Portland, Mt. St. Helens and its wild, rugged beauty awaits you.Starting at the Norway Pass Trailhead parking lot, walk a dusty and sometimes ashy trail through recovering forest, low brush, wildflowers and blown down, sun bleached logs. T...

The trailhead for this short hike is right off of the Columbia River Highway just west of Multnomah Falls. You can't miss the parking lot for it; there is a sign for Bridal Veil and the parking lot is visible from the road. The hike is only 0.6 miles and has hardly any elevation gain (70 feet). ...

This Waterfall is located along the Colombia River Gorge and is surrounded by many other, much more trafficked waterfalls so it gets a lot fewer visitors. This is a beautiful spot to relax at, take photos, and get away from some of the crowds. The bottom of the falls end right at the parking lot ...

Fairy Falls sits in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge, not much more than a mile from the Wahkeena Trailhead. The parking lot is right off the Old Columbia River Highway and will be packed with cars in the summer. Head up the trail towards Wahkeena Falls, which is not far up the hill. This f...

You can get on the trail in about 45 minutes from Portland and 35 minutes from Hood River via I-84. Once you get out of your car in the Multnomah Falls parking lot, head over to the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge. This is a neat place to check out after your hike. Then, follow the crowds to the ...

Multnomah Falls is worth a quick stop anytime you're visiting the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon. This waterfall is the tallest in Oregon at 620 feet and the third largest in the Pacific Northwest behind Bridal Veil Falls (1,289 feet) and Green Lake Falls (979 feet) and has a...

The Multnomah-Wahkeena loop is a classic hike in the Columbia Gorge. Few hikes take you by as many waterfalls, and the tree cover makes it a great hike in the rain. Starting at the Multnomah Falls Parking Area, head to the main viewing area of Multnomah Falls. If you get there early in the morn...

Done as a loop or one way shuttle (in summer/fall), the full Larch Mountain experience starts at the large (but still always full) Multnomah Falls parking lot. There you'll have the chance to grab a final snack, use the restroom, and fill water bottles before joining all the "tourist" hikers on t...

This is a great little adventure for those looking to get on the water, but who don’t have time to escape the city. Paddle the loop around Ross Island for a scenic workout and a relaxing picnic.To begin your loop, put-in at Sellwood Riverfront Park – it features easy parking and sandy beach at al...

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...

Springwater Corridor is a 40-mile paved trail that stretches from downtown Portland all the way to Boring. This trail is wide, virtually flat, and yes, paved - but there is a clear manmade path on the dirt shoulders that's friendlier to knees. Any given day, you'll see dozens of cyclists and pede...