Here's my top ten viewpoints of Mt Hood where visitors have space to hang out with family and friends as they take in the view and take their snaps. All are fairly easily to reach, some are even handicapped accessible....
Cape Meares is really quite fantastic, with outstanding views, a historic lighthouse, and some very special spruces. Volunteers lead whale watching in December and again during Spring Break as gray whales migrate past....
Tamanawas Falls is grand, both tall and wide with a big undercut behind it. It creates clouds of mist which blow along the amphitheater walls, carpeting all in it’s path with verdant mosses and wildflowers. When flows are high it’s one massive sheet, but at lower flows the falls breaks apart into a few different cataracts, like a smile with a missing tooth. ...
Multnomah Falls is Oregon’s tallest accessible waterfall and perhaps the state’s most iconic landmark. It’s close proximity to Portland and it’s ease of access make it Oregon’s most visited location as well, with over 2 million visitors per year. And simply put, it is truly beautiful....
Fort Stevens State Parks occupies the extreme northwest corner of Oregon, where the mighty Columbia River finally empties in the Pacific Ocean. This sprawling 4,300-acre park includes miles of beaches, gorgeous coastal forests, a huge river bay, and two lakes. But unlike most Oregon State Parks, the history of humans at this location is the star of the show....
Mosier Plateau Trail provides a hike through an environment unlike most in Northern Oregon. Located in an area of transition between the wet forests found west of Hood River and the desert found east of the The Dalles, visitors will discover a beautiful oak parkland and grassland ecosystem offering two great viewpoints plus a brush with local history....
The falls in this area are both stunning and varied, with a greater density of waterfalls than the famous Trail of Ten Falls in Silver Falls State Park. The fire damaged areas also give hikers a chance to see the impacts of variations in fire intensity on the landscape as well as to witness the recovery of the Columbia Gorge....
In my humble (or not so humble) opinion, Guy W. Talbot State Park is a true standout in the Columbia River Gorge area. This beautiful state park features two gorgeous waterfalls set in a lush forest, with stunning Latourell Falls as it’s awe-inspring centerpiece. If you are visiting the Columbia River Gorge, Talbot State Park is an absolute must....
Tamolitch Blue Pool is one of Oregon’s most popular destinations. It’s hard to miss it on Instagram or in travel blogs. Why? Because Tamolitch Blue Pool is insanely beautiful! It’s waters are a sparkling sapphire blue with perfect clarity. The view from above is one of the best you’ll find anywhere...
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is one of the greatest parts of Oregon. Comprised of three separate units, each with it’s own flavor, visitors have the opportunity to witness the past captured in stone. The beautiful, semi-arid environment is not exactly a desert, but it’s also a far cry from the wet forests and valleys found west of the Cascades. ...
Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Corridor encompasses 12 miles of the beautiful Southern Oregon Coast along Hwy 101. Many consider this to be the single most beautiful and picturesque area of coastline in the continental United States. With over a dozen developed sites, miles of beaches, hidden coves, stunning rock formations, virgin forests, and breathtaking vistas, Boardman is well worth a full day (or more) of exploration. ...
Harris Beach State Park is one of the top five best beaches in Oregon. I returned in summer 2023 after having not visited for a decade, and I was quickly reminded why I love this beach so much! It’s amazing to me how many...
Green Peak Falls is by far the more impressive of the pair of waterfalls found in the Alsea River headwaters. It splashes and slides down a 50-foot chute with a lower 5-foot ledge falls which fills a big pool below. The falls are gentle and approachable in summer and fall, when you can climb up on the lower ledge and explore around the pool. At high winter and spring flows the falls gush down with force...
Later in the fall, Alsea Falls becomes a great spot for fishing and for watching the salmon and steelhead try to jump the falls. In winter the falls rage and roar. In late spring the area is filled with rhododendron blooms. And I must agree that the forest in this whole area was extremely pretty....
The hike to the falls is especially nice on a hot summer day. Little Zigzag River is fed by springs and snowmelt coming off Mt Hood. As such, the water is always extremely cold, which in turn keeps the little forested canyon nice and cool. In addition the hike is quick and feels nearly flat...
If you’re looking for great photographs and Instagram-worthy shots I suggest focusing on these top spots. My top Oregon beach picks alll feature something extra, be it cool rock formations, arches, waterfalls, tidepools, cliffs, or even caves....
Abiqua Falls is one of the most epic waterfall locations in Oregon. The main falls pour gracefully and cleanly over columnar basalt cliffs into a huge amphitheater where red lichen mixes with mosses and cliff-dwelling plants on the towering stone walls. While the main plunge is a modest 92 feet, the size and depth of the waterfall basin imparts a sense of grandeur....
Smith Rock State Park is a grand feather in the cap of the extensive Oregon State Parks system. With miles of trails to explore and world-class rock climbing set within a gorgeous desert canyon with unique geology harboring loads of wildlife and sublime views, this park has something to offer everyone who loves the great outdoors....
Set in an impressive canyon, Steelhead Falls is an emerald oasis in the Central Oregon desert landscape that’s worth a visit. This wide and powerful 20-foot plunge on the upper Deschutes River pours down a few channels into a frothing bowl with a perfect head-on viewpoint....
