Outdoors

How to Reserve a Hiking, Camping, or Backpacking Trip in Oregon

As permits are becoming the norm in the Pacific Northwest, having a plan in place for your next outdoor adventure is key.

01/20/2023 By Gabriel Granillo

Outdoor Investments

Oregon Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Improve Outdoor Recreation

In Salem, the state legislature considers more urban fishing, funding for communities rebuilding from wildfires, and more connections for the Oregon Coast Trail.

01/11/2023 By Sam Stites

Trails

Hike of the Month: Neahkahnie Gap Trail

This two-mile addition to the Oregon Coast Trail offers beautiful scenery of Nehalem Bay and secondary-growth forest, and connects to Neahkahnie Mountain.

12/08/2022 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Outdoors

What to Do in Oregon in December

Check out lights at the coast, make a wreath at Silver Falls State Park, hunt for ornaments in the Willamette and Umpqua National Forests, and more.

11/30/2022 By Portland Monthly Staff

Outdoors

Sno-Parks, State Parks & Beyond: Snag a Wilderness Parking Pass

From the Oregon State Parks Pass to the Oregon Pacific Coast Passport, pick one (or a few) of these passes to save time, money, and stress.

11/22/2022 By Margaret Seiler and Wriik Maui

Hiking

5 Post-Thanksgiving Hikes around Portland

Skip Black Friday this year and spend your morning in Forest Park, on Mt Tabor, and elsewhere

11/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo With Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Aug-tober

Summer's Not Ending. Here's How to Make the Most of It.

Five things that won't be as fun when the rain inevitably comes.

10/12/2022 By Sam Stites

Hike of the Month

Hike of the Month: Trail of 10 Falls at Silver Falls State Park

A stunner year-round, the picturesque waterfall trail at Silver Falls State Park near Silverton, Oregon, is bursting with color in autumn.

10/06/2022 By Michelle Harris

Trails

Hike of the Month: Eruption Trail at Mount St. Helens

This short-and-sweet walk from Johnston Ridge Observatory is all volcano photo ops, all the time. Parking is free, but that could change next year.

09/23/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Outdoors

Where to Check Out Fall Colors around Portland

See changing autumnal leaves at Lone Fir Cemetery, Portland Japanese Garden, and beyond.

09/22/2022 By Kate Bryant and Gabriel Granillo

Public Transit

4 Ideas for Car-Free Fall Outings

Leave the car at home for World Car Free Day—and to avoid traffic confusion during this weekend’s I-84 closure in Northeast Portland.

09/21/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Hiking

4 Great Fall Hikes near Portland

In early autumn, trails in Oregon and Washington offer glimpses of misty waterfalls, migrating birds, changing colors, not-so-snowy mountain peaks, and more.

09/15/2022 By Brian Barker, Gabriel Granillo, and Benjamin Tepler

Fall Road Trips

Going Solo in Washington’s San Juan Islands: Kayaking, Mountain Hikes, and Peace and Quiet

Take a slow trip via ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, with detours to Orcas, Lopez, and other parts of the archipelago on the Salish Sea.

09/09/2022 By Ryan Good

History Lesson

Meet the Prineville Man Who Spent His Summer Hiking More than 2,400 Miles of the Oregon Trail

While pushing a makeshift covered wagon, Don Martin of Prineville was joined by a cape-wearing stuffed steer named Last Ox.

09/02/2022 By Michelle Harris

Development

6 Big Development Projects to Watch In Portland and Beyond This Fall

Kah-Nee-Ta gears back up, PAM CUT's getting a new home, the Vancouver Waterfront is getting a new hotel, and more.

09/01/2022 By Julia Silverman

Hiking

These Oregon Coast Hikes Have All the Views

Neahkanie Mountain, Cape Lookout, and other trails on the Oregon Coast beckon with shady walks and ocean views.

08/31/2022 By Julia Silverman and Michelle Harris

Hike of the Month

Hike of the Month: Ecola Point to Indian Beach

Lighthouse views and inland shade on this Oregon Coast trail near Cannon Beach, at Ecola State Park

08/12/2022 By Michelle Harris

Outdoors

Shady Hikes and Picnic Spots for Hot Days in and around Portland

From the fir frenzy of North Portland’s Columbia Park to a tree-lined trail on Sauvie Island, here are a few places to celebrate the shadows.

08/11/2022 By Cassondra Bird, Michelle Harris, and Margaret Seiler

Nature

Off to Pick Huckleberries? You Might Need a Permit

Washington state’s berry-packed Gifford Pinchot National Forest requires a permit to pick up to a 3 gallons a year. That's a lot of huckleberry pies.

08/08/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Hiking

These Waterfall Hikes Don’t Require a Timed Permit

While you need a permit to reach much of the waterfall corridor in Oregon and Washington, some trails don't take so much planning.

08/04/2022 By Michelle Harris