Spring Break

4 Hikes for Families Close to Portland

Spring break is the perfect time to reconnect with family and nature with these hikes just a short trip from the city.

03/27/2023 By Sam Stites

Trails

Hike of the Month: Linear Trail at L. L. “Stub” Stewart State Park

Spend a day exploring this state park’s 25-mile network of hiking, mountain biking, and horse-friendly trails.

03/06/2023 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Family Fun

6 Lessons Learned from Snowshoeing with a Baby

Simple advice for keeping your little adventurer safe, warm, and happy during winter excursions.

02/27/2023 By Sam Stites

Trails

Hike of the Month: Oxbow Loop

Explore 12 miles of trails through towering old-growth forest and the glacier-fed Sandy River just minutes from Portland.

02/14/2023 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Trails

Hike of the Month: Gnat Creek

A hike along this rushing creek and through a dense, evergreen forest is just what the doctor ordered if you’re tired of being stuck inside.

01/31/2023 By Sam Stites

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

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

Tired of paying trailhead parking fees? There's a pass for that. Get one of these Pacific Northwest wilderness passes for yourself or your outdoorsy friend.

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 at Forest Park, Mount 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 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, among other national forest fee increases.

09/23/2022 By Margaret Seiler

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

Along the way, he 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

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

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

The wild berries lining mountain trails in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest are calling, but you'll need a Forest Service permit in advance for these purple goodies.

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 Oregon's waterfall corridor in the Columbia River Gorge, some trails don't take so much planning.

08/04/2022 By Michelle Harris

Oregon Coast

Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Astoria on the Oregon Coast

This fishing town is packed with history, hikes, quirky shops, fish and chips, and beer.

06/07/2022 By Margaret Seiler