Deschutes, Oregon

The week we embarked on our first backpacking trip in Central Oregon was also the week the West Coast caught on fire. Days before our departure, we awoke in the middle of the night to blinds flapping against open windows and cracks of neon lightning splitting the sky. I was momentarily transporte...

Bend, Oregon is one of the most well-known adventure meccas in the West and for good reason. With world-class trails for hiking and biking, epic rivers for kayaking and river rafting, a thriving music scene and an excessive supply of delicious craft beer, who wouldn't want to visit this place? Wh...

Friday after work we loaded up the vanagon and headed to Bend from The Dalles, Oregon. It's about a two and half hour drive for us. We believe that every trip needs to start with a good brew, so we stopped in Bend first and had some great beer at Sunriver Brewing. From there we headed to the Desc...

Waterfalls, waterfalls, and more waterfalls. Oregon definitely has more than it's fair share of hikes ending in beautiful waterfalls - the Columbia River Gorge alone has enough to last a lifetime of hiking. But that's not all, folks. Explore the rugged Cascade Mountains and catch sunset at one of...

Oregon is home to some of the most beautiful and unique landscapes in America. From Crater Lake National Park, to the summit of Mount Hood, to the canyons of Smith Rock, the supply of adventure seems to never end. You could spend weeks in the Columbia River Gorge alone and still only scratch the ...

From downtown Portland, you can reach some of the country's most stunning landscapes in just a couple hours and some of those spots are even closer. For all you weekend warriors out there, we put together a guide to our favorite day trip destinations near Portland. Take a look and start taking yo...

There's no better way to get to know the wilderness in Oregon than spending a few days exploring the backcountry. With dramatic volcanic mountain ranges, pristine alpine lakes, and the lush forests that the Pacific Northwest is so well known for, any backpacker hitting these trails will not be di...

From the coast's rocky cliffs and sandy beaches to the waterfalls and pristine lakes in the Cascade Mountains, Oregon has more than a few ideal places to stake your tent. With the summer slowly but surely winding down, it's time to make sure you've gotten all you can out of these prized few month...

Yes, I said it. The Columbia River Gorge tops America's national parks. This summer, I encourage you to rethink that crowded trip to Yosemite, or that quick weekend getaway to Yellowstone, or even that 5 day backpacking trip in Zion. Instead, think about visiting the Columbia River Gorge, which i...

As a resident of Oregon for nearly nineteen years, I have seen much of what Oregon has to offer. Even though I have been grounded in the same place for years, I have never gotten tired of my surroundings. Oregon is an amazing place with a change of scenery around every corner. Oregon's diverse en...

You’ll recognize Mt. Hood as the imposing volcano looming over Portland in most paintings, photographs, or film of the city. The Mountain, as locals dub it, soars to a towering 11,250 feet and supplies the lakes, rivers, and watersheds that Oregonians rely on with water flowing from its 12 glacie...

SUMMER LAKE HOT SPRINGS Summer Lake hot springs: The springs are located in the "Oregon Outback" on a remote plot of land near Summer Lake. It's a small collection of scattered buildings and campground off OR-31. There is a large salt flat neighboring the campground, with snowcapped mountains ...

Oregon’s most remote areas are in its southeastern corner. Here, deep in the rainshadow of the Cascades, the dry lands are folded and faulted in tilting mountains and vast expanses of sagebrush. Fault-block mountains delineate this geography, flourished with shallow lakes and the very occasional ...

The Oregon coastline is arguably the most stunning portion of the Pacific that borders the mainland states. The number of scenic shorelines and coastal cliffs between Astoria and Gold Beach is overwhelming, to say the least. Merely driving along the 101 is an exhilarating experience. But whether ...

The Columbia River Gorge is one of the biggest perks about living in Portland, Oregon. Growing up, I had some of the most scenic hiking trails practically residing in my backyard. But as a child, I seldom took advantage of this benefit. I was much more enticed by cartoons, video games, and fantas...

It was April and I decided to do a road trip to Oregon for the very first time. The route I chose was to drive through Nevada and enter Oregon from the bottom. I like to drive in the night so I can have the whole day time to explore. First stop was Crater Lake National Park. I drove around 12 ho...