Portland, Oregon

The Vista House located in the Columbia River Gorge offers those looking to photograph the night sky without traveling long distance from Portland the opportunity to do so. Vista House is just far enough away from Portland's light pollution to allow you to capture enough stars on a clear night.T...

Champoeg was the first town to be settled in the Willamette Valley and the site of the formation of the first government in the northwest. The park offers historical sites as well as plentiful camping and some short day hikes. I decided to do the Townsite loop with my family on black friday #opto...

Heads up! There's construction going on at the eastern part of the trail and the main parking lot is closed. But don't worry, you can still get to the trail from the west entrance turning this hike into an out-and-back. For the latest updates, check out the Oregon State Parks website: https://sta...

The trailhead for this short hike is right off of the Columbia River Highway just west of Multnomah Falls. You can't miss the parking lot for it; there is a sign for Bridal Veil and the parking lot is visible from the road. The hike is only 0.6 miles and has hardly any elevation gain (70 feet). ...

The Grouse Vista Trailhead is located through the town of Washougal off of highway 14 just past Camas. Once you leave the city, the road will turn to gravel and dirt though it is fairly well maintained until snow arrive and accessible by most cars so long as you're willing to get drive over loose...

The Columbia River Gorge is absolutely full of incredible hikes - that said, this is one of the best and requires less time and energy than some of the others. Starting at a paved parking lot right off the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway (note: it's a very popular trail so arrive early or ...

This loop takes advantage of the western Columbia River Gorge's vast network of trails - hidden behind the roadside waterfalls - to allow you to visit several popular attractions without fighting traffic along the historic highway. All told, the loop hits 3 named waterfalls (Coopey Falls, Fairy F...

The Cape Horn Trail is great for those who are short on time, but still want to get outside for something close by with great views. Located just 35 min east of Portland, the Cape Horn Trail offers a few different possibilities for you to hike. The whole loop (lower section is closed from Feb 1s...

At the parking lot for Angel's Rest, turn left uphill on to Palmer Mill Road. Drive for about a mile, and park right past a tributary stream/small waterfall (pictured above) on your left that flows through a small pipe under the road. You will see a small space to park on the right. Park here and...

Fairy Falls sits in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge, not much more than a mile from the Wahkeena Trailhead. The parking lot is right off the Old Columbia River Highway and will be packed with cars in the summer. Head up the trail towards Wahkeena Falls, which is not far up the hill. This f...

This Waterfall is located along the Colombia River Gorge and is surrounded by many other, much more trafficked waterfalls so it gets a lot fewer visitors. This is a beautiful spot to relax at, take photos, and get away from some of the crowds. The bottom of the falls end right at the parking lot ...

Silver Star is simply a must-do hike for adventure lovers here in the Northwest! From the parking area, take the main trail up to the first open meadow. Eds Trail splits off here, meeting back up just before the summit. Be warned, Eds Trail is much steeper in sections and is more difficult than ...

You can get on the trail in about 45 minutes from Portland and 35 minutes from Hood River via I-84. Once you get out of your car in the Multnomah Falls parking lot, head over to the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge. This is a neat place to check out after your hike. Then, follow the crowds to the ...

See the beautiful Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge with just a few hundred foot walk. If you can, come early or late to avoid the crowds. Multnomah Falls is worth a quick stop anytime you're visiting the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon and is one of the closest wat...

The Multnomah-Wahkeena loop is a classic hike in the Columbia Gorge. Few hikes take you by as many waterfalls, and the tree cover makes it a great hike in the rain. Starting at the Multnomah Falls Parking Area, head to the main viewing area of Multnomah Falls. If you get there early in the morn...

Done as a loop or one way shuttle (in summer/fall), the full Larch Mountain experience starts at the large (but still always full) Multnomah Falls parking lot. There you'll have the chance to grab a final snack, use the restroom, and fill water bottles before joining all the "tourist" hikers on t...