The Pacific Northwest is known for having a plethora of waterfalls. These hikes – located within two hours of Portland – are best done in the winter through spring when the water levels are higher, although any time of year is a good time to hike to a waterfall.
Elk Prairie campground, located in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State & National Park near the coast in northern California, provides access to a large number of hiking trails in the redwoods.
The campground at Sunset Bay State Park provides access to a stunning section of the Oregon Coast, including Shore Acres and Cape Arago. Camp here and walk to scenic viewpoints via a network of coastline trails.
The Painted Hills are located in northeastern Oregon’s John Day National Fossil Beds Monument, home to over 40 million years’ worth of fossils, providing vast insight into the Age of Mammals.
The Ochoco Divide campground, located in the Central Oregon’s Ochoco Mountains, makes a good basecamp for exploring the Painted Hills.
The campground at Cape Lookout State Park provides access to an undeveloped 7-mile section of sandy beach – perfect for beach walks, kite flying, and sunset viewing.
All of these backpacking trips highlight big mountain views in the Pacific Northwest – including in the Olympics, North Cascades, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and the Wallowas.
The Olympic National Park is incredibly diverse – including rugged coastline, lush rainforests, subalpine meadows and lakes, as well as high peaks. These backpacking trips showcase some of the best scenery that each ecosystem has to offer.
The Pacific Northwest is teeming with scenic rivers and creeks. These backpacking trips feature some of the best destinations for backcountry camping with the sound of rushing water to lull you to sleep.
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