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

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

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