Moon vs. Sun

An Annular Eclipse Graces Oregon Skies October 14

“Interesting but forgettable,” this is not the ring of fire Johnny Cash sang about.

10/05/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Blazes

The Wildfires We're Watching Closely, and Where to Avoid

Air quality has improved around Portland, but areas in Central Oregon and the Cascade Mountains are still on fire.

09/02/2023 By Sam Stites

Buzz Off

Why Are Mosquitoes Swarming Portland? For Starters, the County Didn’t Spray.

Mosquito populations are up fivefold this summer—and Multnomah County is giving out free mosquito fish to help limit their spread.

06/14/2023 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Rivers

It's Time For You to Meet the Magical Lower Deschutes River

Whatever your speed—dirtbag to debutante—there is something for you on the Lower Deschutes. From its beginnings high up near Mount Bachelor to where it flows into the Columbia River, Central Oregon's Deschutes River is a special place.

06/08/2023 By Sam Stites and Chad Brown

Camping

Camping in the Era of Fire Bans

Here’s how to plan for camping trips without campfires.

04/04/2023 By Matt Wastradowski

In Bloom

Wildflower-Covered Hillsides to Elegant Gardens, Oregon Blooms Are Booming

Tulips, azaleas, wild irises, begonias, roses ... whatever flower you’re thinking of, it’s probably growing right here in Oregon.

03/20/2023 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Bookshelf

Review: Wolfish, on the Complicated Legacy of the Divisive Species

Mixing memoir, history, science, and the story of OR-7, Portland writer Erica Berry reminds us wolves are never very far away.

02/17/2023 By Matthew Trueherz

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

Light a Fire 2022: Caring for the Planet

Friends of the Columbia Gorge Helps Protect a National Treasure

For decades, the group has been a ‘citizen watchdog’ to monitor development on the Oregon and Washington sides of the river.

01/06/2023 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Nature

Where to Go Storm-Watching on the Oregon Coast

From Fort Stevens to Shore Acres, Oregon's coastal storms are on dramatic display throughout the winter.

12/15/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

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

Wildfire

Rain Is Coming, But for Now Local Wildfires Are Still Sparking

The fires sparked during this unseasonably warm October are driving our subpar air quality, too.

10/17/2022 By Sam Stites

Nature

Peak Swift: The Vaux’s Migration Is Cresting Now in Portland

Go see the birds at Chapman Elementary School before they fly south for the winter.

09/16/2022 By Julia Silverman

Nature

Multnomah County Is Facing Its Largest Mosquito Outbreak since 2010

And ecologists say the worst is yet to come. Gulp.

07/13/2022 By Julia Silverman

Public Transit

Take a Transit Trip to Washington Park

We learned the ins and outs of the new route for TriMet’s Line 63 bus route, just in time for summer staycation season.

06/03/2022 By Shannon Daehnke

Portland Parks

Where Parks Are More Than Just Playgrounds and Ballfields

Metro’s Jon Blasher on balancing the urgency of access to nature for all with habitat preservation

05/27/2022 By Julia Silverman

Portland Parks

Parks We Love in Portland’s Suburbs, from West Linn to Washougal

Venture beyond city limits for more great greenspaces.

05/27/2022 By Michelle Harris

Portlands Best Parks

34 Reasons to Love Portland’s Parks

Where to fly a kite, catch some views, spread out a picnic, ride a mountain bike and more

05/06/2022 With Julia Silverman, Fiona McCann, and Margaret Seiler Illustrations by Anna Rogers

For the Birds

Tufted Puffins Are Disappearing from Oregon’s Coast

A conservationist group in Cannon Beach is on a mission to save the iconic seabirds, who make Haystack Rock a summer home.

04/22/2022 By Michelle Harris

Editor’s Note

From the Editor: A New Season Blooms in the City

Spring is the perennial Portland promise.

03/28/2022 By Fiona McCann