Carson, Washington

Located about 2 hours outside of Portland, Timothy lake is a great home base to adventure from. It has many campgrounds, lots of lake access and great loop around the lake that is open to both hiking and Mt biking. While the hiking loop is 13 miles, the Mt. bike loop is 15 since you need to make ...

Each trail is well maintained and easy to navigate through the area.  All trails are either packed dirt or gravel depending on which trail you’re on. The Douglas-firs, hemlocks, ferns, Oregon grape and many other native tree and plant varieties grow in the area that make the area abound with wild...

While thousands of visitors come to witness the raw power and devastation left behind from Mount St Helens' famous 1980 eruption, few wander past the groomed paths surrounding the Johnston Ridge Observatory. It is beyond these paths where you come across the more commonly designed backcountry tra...

The Boundary trail is amazing. It's 54 miles long and runs for the most part along a ridge in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. You can climb various peaks and viewpoints right off the trail, but this trip report is for climbing Coldwater Peak and hiking up to Harry's Ridge Viewpoint on the way. H...

The hike is relatively easy. I'd say intermediate due to the incline at the beginning. Also intermediate due to it being an backpacking camp adventure. A friend of mine and I backpacked in to shoot the sunset and sunrise. We went a little early in the season so it was also to scout for future ad...

The trail has a number of ups and downs as you pass the many ponds and ash/rock/mud hills (hummocks) on your way towards the North Fork Toutle River. There is abundant wildlife in the area including birds, beaver and elk.This is also a great place to park and extend your day of hiking on the Boun...

The Coldwater Lake Recreation Area has restrooms, telephones, and a picnic area. Make sure you have already acquired your permits for camping in the Mt. Margaret back country.Follow trail #211, which runs along the entire 4.5 mile length of Coldwater Lake. It is a beautiful and fairly flat hike w...

Lower Macleay Park is one of most easily accessible trailheads in the city, especially during one of Portland’s rare snow years where even driving up to 500 feet of elevation can challenge your car. You can park within the park entrance cul-de-sac, around the intersection of Upshur St. & NW 2...

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...

While the Portland Japanese Garden is a popular place for tourists, it's also a favorite for Portland residents as it's located right in Washington Park close to trails and across from the Rose Garden. The Japanese Garden also just unveiled its Cultural Crossing expansion in April 2017, which inc...

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...

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...

Tryon Creek Triple Bridge Loop is a scenic approximately 3.5-mile loop with bridge crossings near downtown Portland. This trail is a great way to get outside, stretch your legs, and feel like you're away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  This trail is dog-friendly on-leash. If you're look...

Tryon Creek State Park has a fantastic, well-maintained trail system that’s a great alternative to Portland’s downtown Washington Park and Forest Park. It’s a super family-friendly area with a Nature Center that hosts kid’s events year-round. This entire area is relatively small and therefore eas...

This trail is an easy out and back from either the west or east side of Forest Park. The east trailhead is off NW Skyline Blvd, on Saltzman Road, which is a dirt/gravel road like the trail. You'll park near the gates where there aren't No Parking signs up (the land around the trail at this point ...

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...