A popular hike in the spring when wildflowers are blooming, the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail has big views of the Columbia River, with balsamroot and lupines covering the slopes.
At Beacon Rock State Park, several former logging roads have been gated and turned into trails for hikers and equestrians. Beacon Rock and Hamilton Mountain are the more popular destinations here, while Hardy Ridge is far less crowded.
Besides the well known paths that lead up Beacon Rock, Hamilton Mountain, and Hardy Ridge, Beacon Rock State Park contains additional trails that make creating hike loops of varying distances possible.
Cape Horn is located on the Columbia River in Washington, near the town of Washougal. The full loop hike is open from July 16 to January 31 each year. The upper section is open all year, but the lower section is closed from February to July 15 for peregrine falcon habitat.
The hike up to the summit of Hamilton Mountain offers many rewards: waterfalls and streams, interesting rock formations, and sweeping views of the Columbia River Gorge.
In the spring when it’s still cloudy and rainy in Portland, head east to the sunny and drier environment of the Eastern Columbia River Gorge, an area that looks much like the wild west of old movies.
Catherine Creek is located east of the Cascade Mountains on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. With open grasslands, ponderosa pine, and oak woodlands, the scenery is quite different from the western side of the Cascades.
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