Hug Point State Recreation Area, located five miles south of Cannon Beach, has geological and historical features, including a seasonal waterfall, an old stagecoach road, and several caves carved into the sandstone cliffs by erosion.
Almost every day, I go on a long walk with my dog, Astrid. I’m lucky to live close to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, so when I go on a 4 mile walk from my house, 2 of those miles are on trails.
This has been one of my favorite hikes in the Columbia River Gorge for a long time, and one that I never get tired of.
Wahtum Lake is located west of Hood River, between Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. There are many trails that cross through this area, including Eagle Creek, Herman Creek and the PCT.
Crescent Beach is one of my favorite locations on the Oregon Coast. The beach can only be reached via a 1.2 mile hike through muddy coastal forest.
Nesika Lodge is in the Columbia River Gorge’s Multnomah Basin. Starting at Multnomah Falls, it’s a 4 mile hike up with 1,800 feet of elevation gain.
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.
One of the Crater Lake National Park’s highest points, Garfield Peak offers outstanding panoramic views of Crater Lake, the Klamath Basin, and the Cascades.
The trail to the top of Wizard Island offers the unique experience of hiking on a volcano inside a volcano. Wizard Island was formed about 7,300 years ago, emerging from Crater Lake in a shower of fiery cinders that piled into a symmetrical cone, with lava flowing around the island and forming its shores.
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