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.
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.
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.
Located on the east side of Crater Lake, Mount Scott is the highest point in the park (8,929 ft.), with a working fire lookout at the summit.
A prominent point on the west side of Crater Lake’s rim, Watchman Peak offers spectacular views from the decks of a fire lookout, including Wizard Island directly below, and of the Cascades to the west.
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