The Game of Portland

The Roller Coaster of Summer in the Rose City

Catch a Pickles game, hike in the mountains, bike naked, and jump in the river—just watch out for wildfire smoke and swimmer's itch.

05/24/2024 By Portland Monthly Staff Illustrations by Hawk Krall

Midway Stop

Where to Eat, Stay & Play in and around Madras

Break up the drive to Bend with drag races, witchy books, and farm-to-bottle spirits.

05/21/2024 By Sarah Hutchins

Outdoors

15 of Our Favorite Oregon State Parks

Find lush coastal rainforest, towering waterfalls, arid high desert, and everything in between.

05/16/2024 By Sam Stites

Hiking

These Oregon Coast Hikes Have All the Views

Neahkahnie Mountain, Cape Lookout, and other coastal trails beckon with shady walks and vast ocean vistas.

05/01/2024 By Julia Silverman and Michelle Harris

Outdoors

Hidden Gems among Oregon's State Parks

If you weren't looking for them, you'd never find them.

04/18/2024 By Sam Stites

Hasta Luego

This Gresham Company Offers Guided Outdoor Trips in Spanish

Loco por la Aventura aims to get more Portlanders who are Hispanic or Latino “vibing with nature.”

04/15/2024 By Ellee Thalheimer

Outdoors

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

Trust the process—even if it is a little cumbersome.

01/19/2024 By Portland Monthly Staff

Hiking

6 Post-Thanksgiving Hikes in and around Portland

Skip Black Friday and spend your turkey recovery day at Forest Park, on Mount Tabor, or taking advantage of free parking at a state park.

11/22/2023 By Gabriel Granillo With Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Creative Exercise

Rucking Takes a Hike in Portland

Pssst. People are rucking all around you.

10/20/2023 By Ellee Thalheimer Illustrations by Skyler Elzy

Public Transit

4 Fall Adventures around Portland with No Car

Leave the car at home for World Car Free Day—or just because gas is so expensive.

09/20/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Trails

Hike of the Month: Forest, Wildflowers, and Sea at Two Rivers Trail

Just south of Pacific City, you can enjoy 2.7 miles through wildflower meadows and lush woodland on this peninsula at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

08/21/2023 By Sam Stites

Wildlife Watch

This Week in Cougars, Raccoons, and Wolves in Oregon

Cougars, raccoons, and wolves, oh my. Residents are confronting a new normal with carnivorous wildlife in Portland and on the coast.

08/09/2023 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

State Parks

Silver Falls State Park Solves Its Popularity Problem

The park, which gets 1.3 million visitors a year, unveiled the first part of renovations with new parking, two trails connecting to popular hikes, and a kids' nature play area.

08/04/2023 By Sam Stites

Wildlife Watch

This Week in Unusual Oregon Cougar Sightings

Big cat sightings continue at Nehalem Bay State Park, and one was spotted for the first time ever on Haystack Rock.

07/20/2023 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Alpine Adventures

Don't Miss Two Cascades Trips, Newly Open for the Season

It's time for excursions into the mountains, which aren't accessible during snowy months or wildfire season. McKenzie Pass and Crater Lake boat tours just opened for 2023.

06/29/2023 By Sam Stites

Wildlife

Unusual Cougar Sightings Add Nerves to Summer Hikes

Oregon wildlife officials issue a warning, reminding us that Oregon is cougar and bear country.

06/14/2023 By Sam Stites

Editor’s Note

From the Editor: What’s Your Favorite Part of Oregon Summer?

All hail suds and sundaes. And the free water show.

06/02/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Forests

Why You Should Visit Wildfire-Burned Forests This Summer

If they are safe and open, expect surprisingly gorgeous regrowth among mosaics of burned and spared foliage.

05/25/2023 By Matt Wastradowski

Columbia Gorge

Timed-Entry Permits Are Back at Multnomah Falls

Visitors to Oregon's tallest waterfall will again need to obtain a timed-entry permit in 2023 beginning May 26.

05/22/2023 By Sam Stites

Trails

Hike of the Month: Mosier Plateau by Transit

Thanks to the CAT bus, you don’t need a car to get to this wildflower standby in the Columbia River Gorge. Bring a bike along and hit the Mosier Twin Tunnels or a winery while you’re there.

04/27/2023 By Margaret Seiler