Ariel, Washington

Start at the Wyreth Campground day-use area. If it's closed, park on the side of the road and walk in from the roadway. You'll see an intersection with a wooden bridge crossing the river.  Take a few pictures and continue straight on the trail. You'll go about 1/2 mile on the trail until you rea...

Once you reach the parking lot, walk down the hill and find the trail head, which is easily seen as it is marked. Begin your trek up the trail. The way up is pretty much all uphill, and is a great workout for the legs. You will walk through forests and over many rocks on the way up. As soon as y...

If you are craving adventure and exploration in a unique hiking setting, then you have come to the right place! This is a hike where every time you turn a corner your eyes light up with excitement and your imagination runs wild. Be forewarned though…if you fear cold, dark, and creepy abandoned tr...

The Dog Mountain trailhead is located halfway between Stevenson and Bingen. Look for the big signed parking area just after milepost 53 (Eastbound). The parking lot fills up quickly, especially during peak wildflower season, so if you can go on a weekday that would be better. There are 3 trails ...

If you know the Columbia Gorge, you know Dog Mountain. It's the ever-rewarding, incredibly challenging, insanely popular, calf-burning 6.5-mile hike that attracts hundreds of people every weekend, especially during May and June when the wildflowers are in full bloom.  If you're like me and you h...

Beginning at the Wahtum Lake trailhead, follow the Wahtum Lake Express trail down to the shore and head east (right) around the lake. At the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail, follow the Herman Creek Trail to the east (right, again). You'll begin your ascent out of the Wahtum Lake bowl and to...

The easy version of the Chinidere Mountain hike starts Wahtum Lake Trailhead. The road to the parking lot for Wahtum Lake is paved and thus very easy to access in summer and before snowfall in autumn! The mountain sits across the lake from the parking lot and there are several trails that will ta...

This hike starts at the Starvation Creek Rest Area. After parking, head west back along the shoulder of the freeway, where you’ll see a wooden sign stating “Mt. Defiance Trail.” Continue heading west along the abandoned Columbia River Highway. Keep going west as you pass the junction with the Sta...

Starvation Creek Falls is an impressive 190 ft. waterfall just a few feet from the parking lot. If you don't know it's there, you'll miss it. Keep walking past the restrooms, away from the trail head to see this beautiful two-tiered waterfall. There are a couple of picnic tables near the creek to...

The hike along Mt. Defiance Trail to Warren and Lancaster Falls is great if you want to get away from some of the more crowded destinations in the gorge, or just want to catch some shade during the summer. The trail is fairly easygoing, though the last 1/4th of a mile to Lancaster Falls is a bit ...

The Starvation Creek Falls drops 141ft down into a naturally formed bowl, cascading past a wooded picnic area and onto the Columbia River. The falls are one of the easiest falls to access in the Columbia River Gorge along with Multnomah Falls, but are far less Crowded. The short 300ft walk from t...

The 0.3 mile hike to University Falls seems longer than it is because you'll be stopping to take pictures every step of the way. No, you're not in an enchanted forest, you're in the Tillamook National Forest. The waterfall you're about to find, however, certainly is enchanting. From Portland, he...

NOTE: Access to this hike is currently closed. A Part of this hike goes through private land. At this time, the landowner is not granting access to hikers. There are no signs or trail head for the falls, but it's a popular spot for kayakers and photographers, so look for a faint boot path direct...

When the temperature starts to creep up in the summer, Lost Lake is the perfect escape. The campground provides you with everything you could want – miles of scenic hiking, a multitude of water activities, and even a general store for anything you might have forgotten at home.The lakeside tent ca...

This is a great hike for those who are visiting Lost Lake. There's a steady 1200ft elevation climb all the way to the summit, so the hike will give you a good workout, but is worth it in the end. To begin this hike, make your way to the Lost Lake Campground Amphitheater Stage (off of NF Dev RD ...

This long trail provides hikers with great views of the corridor in the Coast Range. As the trail follows public land for the most part, there are a couple sections with steady elevation gains to avoid private land: near Lees Camp and Ryan Creek. Although the trail receives some of the most rain...