Field Notes

North Cascades National Park Holds Once-in-a-Lifetime Views for Those Willing to Make the Drive

Spend a long weekend exploring the Rainbow-McAlester Loop.

09/09/2020 By Ben Tepler

Trailer Lark

Social Distancing Was Already a Selling Point for Getaway House

Units come with everything you need to get away and stay away. But pro tip: BYO coffeemaker.

08/01/2020 By Margaret Seiler

Outdoors

Here’s What You Need to Know about Outdoor Recreation during COVID-19

Should I wear a mask outside? Which trails should I avoid? Here’s our brief guide to outdoor etiquette in and around Portland.

07/10/2020 By Lauren Carlos, Gabriel Granillo, and Julia Silverman

Breaking News

Portland’s Nearby Wilderness Areas Begin to Reopen

As of May 15, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is back in business.

05/15/2020 By Benjamin Tepler

A Walk on the Dry Side

Uncrowded Wildflower Walks, German Lagers, and Neon Signs Abound in The Dalles

Take a long weekend on the dry side of the Columbia River Gorge.

04/01/2020 By Julia Silverman

PDX Index

Wanna Play in Oregon’s Great Outdoors This Spring? It’ll Cost You.

Kayakers, hikers, anglers, and RV’ers: prepare to cough up.

02/25/2020 By Julia Silverman

Such Great Heights

Go Off the Grid in the Sierra Nevada

But no Donner Party endings here.

01/21/2020 By Margaret Seiler

History

125 Years Ago, Hundreds of Climbers Undertook a Mass Ascent of Mount Hood

And on the summit, they founded the Mazamas alpine club.

06/25/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson

Summer Adventures

The Ultimate Guide to Oregon's Great Outdoors

Hike, bike, and paddle your way around the wildest corners of the Northwest.

05/28/2019 Edited by Benjamin Tepler

Summer Adventures: Under Construction

Some of These 6 Oregon Trails Don’t Exist Yet—But They Will Be Epic

These trails are the future of outdoor adventuring in Oregon.

05/28/2019 By Ramona DeNies, Margaret Seiler, Fiona McCann, Benjamin Tepler, Kelly Clarke, and Marty Patail

Summer Adventures: The Gorge

Two Years After the Eagle Creek Fire, Some of the Gorge’s Most Iconic Hikes Are Open Again

Here are three hikes to get you back into the Gorge.

05/28/2019 By Benjamin Tepler

Biketown

Get Ready for More Bike-Diverting Summer Work on the Springwater Corridor

From May to November, bridge construction on the popular east-west path will derail two stretches of trail.

04/24/2019 By Shayla Norris-York

Wildfire Upside

Could Wildfires Help Save Oregon's Native Bees?

The hotter the blaze, the buzzier are Oregon's 500-some bee species.

04/15/2019 By Shayla Norris-York

Insider's Guide 2019

75 Things Every Portlander Must Do

We tapped art aficionados, food fanatics, entrepreneurs, and outdoor enthusiasts for their picks of things every Portlander must do.

03/26/2019 Edited by Fiona McCann

Insider’s Guide 2019: Outside

An Expert Urban Hiker Shares the Portland Parks, Bridges, and Landmarks You Need to See

Laura O. Foster—author of eight Portland guidebooks—knows exactly where to go for the views.

03/26/2019 By Benjamin Tepler

Outdoor News

Permit Quotas Are Coming to 80 Oregon Trailheads in 2020

Meet limited entry—a possible new normal for some overcrowded Oregon wilderness areas.

03/25/2019 By Wriik Maui

Spring Road Trips: Oregon Outback

The Oregon Outback Offers Up Otherworldly Views and Healing Hot Springs

Seeking total solitude? Look no further.

02/26/2019 By Kelly Clarke, Rebecca Jacobson, Emma Mannheimer, and Benjamin Tepler

Fall Migration

On Willapa Bay, Bird-Watchers Get a New Festival

It's a weekend-long birding nerd-out with events that span the Long Beach Peninsula—by kayak, bicycle, foot, and even 4x4.

09/18/2018 By Sydney Dauphinais

Long Weekends

9 Incredible Long Weekend Escapes

Whatever you desire, these small-town gems and unexpected destinations are a total trip.

09/11/2018 Edited by Kelly Clarke

Long Weekends: Victorians & Views

Head to Port Townsend for Victorian Architecture, Wild Vistas, and Oysters

The Olympic Peninsula town is charming. And maybe haunted.

09/11/2018 By Arlo Voorhees