Old Port, Newport
Hike to history and wildlife on the coast
In an old coastal town like Newport you expect a salty bayfront and quaint hotels. But by strolling a three-mile loop you’ll also find that … Continue reading
Oregon Trails Archive
Learning Not to Snowboard
A trip to the slopes of Mount Hood
Most people who snowboard begin by the age of six. Maybe seven. But 70? I had planned a ski trip to Timberline Lodge at Mount … Continue reading
Scaling the Castle
Hike to a McKenzie Valley lookout
Frustrations, anxieties — sometimes the best way to clear your mind is to take a tough hike in the woods. Just remember to wear boots … Continue reading
Ridgeline Hike
Blanton Ridge is nice, but it’s not the missing link
This is the month I wanted to take you hiking at South Eugene Meadows, the latest link in the Ridgeline Trail. It’s all part of … Continue reading
Pine Ridge Time
Hike to a view of Marion Lake with no permit hassle
Marion Lake was once the great escape from the Willamette Valley’s summer doldrums. But then half the Mount Jefferson Wilderness burned, and the other half … Continue reading
Passless at the Pass
Hike at McKenzie Pass without a permit
Do you love scenery and hate rules? McKenzie Pass is a gorgeous getaway, with views across lava fields to the Three Sisters. But most of … Continue reading
Upside-Down Mountain
A nearly level hike scales a nearby peak
Mountain climbing is supposed to be steep, treeless and arduous. But not at Patterson Mountain, a forgotten peak half an hour’s drive from Eugene. The … Continue reading
Historic Medicine
Hike to the North Umpqua’s pictographs and lookouts
You have to hike to see the ancient pictographs and historic fire lookouts of the North Umpqua. Prehistoric rock art is rare in western Oregon, … Continue reading
Big Trees and a Hot Soak
Hike an old-growth forest trail on the way to Terwilliger
Hot springs should be earned. A soak certainly seems more satisfying after a day of hiking. And I don’t think the quarter-mile trail to Terwilliger … Continue reading
Dune Episode
Hike the Coast’s Tallest Sands
When Frank Herbert wrote Dune he was a newspaper reporter in Florence, Oregon. The stark sand world that inspired his sci-fi classic is still orbiting … Continue reading