Oregon Trails

With several dozen waterfalls, old growth forest, and mossy grottos carved right out of the wall of Columbia River Gorge, this trail is a hiker's paradise.

A winter trip through Crater Lake National Park nets a once-in-a-lifetime photo.

With an average of 43 feet of snow per year, Crater Lake is one of the best places to sample winter.

On a ski trip to the Pacific Northwest, Backpacker's editors found beauty, snow, and solitude.

Get to know the northwestern rainforest—and its salamanders—on this overnight route.

After a decade of detours, the loop around Mt. Hood is complete and better than ever.

No two waterfalls are exactly alike, but these will always capture our imagination.

Climb through Douglas firs and sword ferns to reach this 3,205-foot summit.

Walk through history—and spice up your campfire stories—on these three hikes through abandoned communities.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon

Sample the recently restored Wild Rogue Loop on this circuit through canyons and woods in Oregon. BY LAURA LANCASTER

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Get the Wallowas to yourself on this loop through prime bear habitat in the rugged Joseph Canyon. BY PATRICE LA VIGNE

Toughen up to find total solitude on this 46-mile journey through a remote, untracked canyon. If you can get there, West Little Owyhee is worth the pain.

Explore the mountains from the inside out in these always-chilly, sometimes-spooky spots. Bring a headlamp.

Explore waterfalls; check out the best view of Mt. Hood; spend the night alongside mountain lakes in Portland's best local hikes.

Venture to this impressive cascade surrounded by jagged granite peaks.

Mountain adventures and cold beer go together like fresh-caught trout and lemon. Find a dayhike/pint pairing near you—cheers!

Hike along a renowned Salmon River on this 5-mile trip through a moss-covered virgin forest to salmon spawning pools, whitewater drops, and hollowed out Douglas firs large enough to resemble caves.

Retreat into the thick, quiet woods of Washington Park for superb views of Mt. Hood and the Portland skyline on this easy 3-mile hike. Don't miss the Japanese garden.

This 8.4-mile, out-and-back climbs steady through giant Douglas fir stands and rhododendron fields to a treeless summit yielding drop-dead gorgeous views of five distinct volcanic peaks.

This easy 5.3-mile loop rewards hikers with fine views of the Cascades without a big climb, then leads to a peaceful riverside lunch spot.

Paddle the Willamette River to great fishing holes and views of towering osprey nests, then hike a small, isolated island on this 7.8-mile adventure.

Hike or run 3 miles into a thick forest of pines, ferns, and firs within The Nature Conservancy's Wilderness Park, which is nestled on the suburban outskirts of the city.

Home to a 9-foot Sasquatch, or just apretty bit of forest solitude along the Willamette River? Some think the former, but you'll definitely find the latter on this 3.8-mile trek.

Grab a first-class view of Mount Hood on this timeless 6-mile out-and-back to lakeside campsites and craggy mountain overlooks in Mount Hood Wilderness.

Hike through some of Oregon's largest old-growth cedars and Douglas fir to a pair of pristine lakes where you can swim, fish, and camp on this 14.4-mile out-and-back.

Wet your adventure whistle on this 5-mile out-and-back to four waterfalls and countless swimming holes in the picturesque Oneonta Gorge.

Take a 5-mile tour of grasslands and forests in this island-inside-an-island wildlife refuge.

Climb an easy 1,000 feet above the Clackamas River to a three-tiered waterfall that rivals almost anything in Maui.

The steep, 6-mile out-and-back hike to 3,226-foot Kings Mountain makes a good early-season tune-up or midsummer wildflower tour.

In 6.1 miles, this trail winds through a bird refuge with more than 130 feathered species, a secluded canyon, and an old pioneer town flooded by the Willamette River in the 1800s.

Countless waterfalls, 100-mile mountain views, and groves of ancient trees make this 8.6-mile, one-way trek one of the best dayhikes in the region.

Explore a local wildlife hideout on this easy 3.5-mile loop into oak forest and along soggy wetlands near the Willamette River.

This 14.6-miler rewards hikers with wildflower meadows and views over four monster peaks.

Roam dense forests and lush ravines on this 6.4-mile trek just minutes from downtown Portland.

Stroll through Giant Sitka spruce to craggy coastal views, then climb into old-growth forest and wild meadows.

Travel into the fiery past of Mount Mazama on this 5.2-mile out-and-back to the park's highest peak, where sprawling views of the deepest lake in the United States await.

Circumnavigate South Sister, a snowy volcanic crater patched with glaciers and old lava fields, as you connect alpine lakes on this 29.9-mile camping loop.

Hike 4.2 miles under huge stands of old-growth hem- lock and firs (saved by strong-minded tree-sitters) to a remote peak in Mt. Hood National Forest.

For a mere 4.6-mile investment, you get a protected summit in Mt. Hood National Forest, and a rustic cabin serves as a relaxing base camp.

Catch an awe-inspiring view or Mt. Jefferson, among other classic Cascades peaks, from the summit of a glacier-carved mountain on this 5-mile out-and-back.

This 6.5-mile, figure-8 hike crosses old nut orchards, then follows a lazy river en route to the largest black cottonwood in the United States.

You can thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ big dam idea for the views on this scenic 7.6-miler above the shores of 3,500-acre Detroit Lake.

No time to hike the whole PCT? This 7.4-mile section in Mt. Hood National Forest offers some of the best done-in-a-day views in the long path's northern half.

Escape to a luscious enclave of rolling hills covered by mature hardwoods and trickling streams just seconds from the city on this 6-mile out-and-back.

Bag the highest peak in the Coast Range on this 6.1-mile out-and-back where wind, sun, and altitude create several unique ecosystems.

Located in the heart of urban Portland, this 3.9-mile hike follows an unspoiled forest canyon and ends at the city's highest point, yielding views of four iconic volcanoes.

Seek quick refuge from busy streets of Portland on this 5.3-mile loop across wooded slopes to a summit showcasing three snowy peaks.

This aggressive 6-mile climb leads to the highest point in the Coast Ranges. Shaded Alder groves, wildflower meadows, and views of volcanoes and the Pacific Ocean await.

This 4.2-mile hike tours the only state park in Portland, following Tryon Creek to forest floors teeming with beautiful trilliums during the springtime.

This 5.3-mile loop into old-growth forests and along whispering streams offers a true wilderness escape only a few miles from downtown Portland in Forest Park.

Earth, wind, and fire are all present on this 3.6-mile dayhike to a secluded waterfall and overlooks above the Columbia Gorge.

Sea cliffs, wildflower meadows, secret waterfalls, and little elevation gain make this coastal old-growth 4-miler a sweet dayhike at any time of year.

This 4.2-mile out-and-back leads to a beautiful cascade that, despite its misleading name, tumbles 50 feet from mossy cliffs.

Hundreds of lakes and numerous campsites dot a 6,000-foot plateau on this 28.7-mile leg.

Spend up to a week on this 28-mile stretch, which yields more consistent views than the densely forested remainder of the PCT in Oregon. "Take time to bag the Sisters," advises Jack Haskel, our PCT map contributor. "There are great off-trail routes from basecamps on the trail."

Looking for a spectacular dayhike near Portland? Most thru-hikers follow this alternate path, which passes a dozen large cascades, including walk-behind-it Tunnel Falls. "For a ways," says Jack Haskel, our PCT map contributor, "the trail is blasted out of 200-foot cliffs with only some cables to hold onto."

OR 66 to OR 140: Trek through grassy slopes around Old Baldy into the lava fields of Brown Mountain on this 34.2-miler.

OREGON BORDER to OR 66: Pass under thick white firs on this 40.8-mile leg in the Siskiyou Mountains. Bonus: Watch the sunrise over Shasta from the Grouse Gap shelter.

OR 140 to OR 62: More than 200 lakes provide primo camping and swimming holes on this 45.3-mile stretch. At the beginning, scale 9,495-ft. Mt. McLoughlin for superb views.  

OR 62 to OR 138: Crest the breathtaking caldera of Crater Lake on this 22.4-mile trip that ends in the flats of the Pumice Desert.

OR 138 to OR 58: Travel past the jagged spire of Mt. Thielsen on this 58-mile leg in the mountain hemlock slopes of Diamond Peak Wilderness.

OR 58 to ELK LAKE: Find secluded lakeside campsites beneath towering cliffs on this 40-mile stretch in the Three Sisters Wilderness.

ELK LAKE to OR 252: Skirt the glacier-draped Three Sisters on this 26.6-mile trip full of excellent ridgetop campsites, aspen-lined lakes, and fields of black volcanic glass. Tip: Wear durable boots.

FR 4220 @ BREITENBUSH LAKE to TIMOTHY LAKE: Knobby buttes dominate this 31.4-mile trip through a landscape of glistening lakes offering big views of Mount Jefferson.

TIMOTHY LAKE to TIMBERLINE LODGE: Giant stands of Douglas fir and lodgepole pine dominate this 23-mile leg which finishes on the airy slopes of Mount Hood.

TIMBERLINE LODGE to CASCADE LOCKS: Swift creeks, several waterfalls, and long photogenic views near Mt. Hood highlight this 41-mile segment.

This moderate 14.4-mile trek meanders through meadows teeming with wildflowers and delivers epic vistas one of North America's largest volcanoes.

Editor's Note: Wildfires forced our map contributor to abandon the PCT and jump ahead to the next section. We hope to collect details on this 57-mile section soon.

Escape the city grunge on this 5.5-mile loop past river views and 500-red Douglas firs in Oxbow Regional Park.

Hike to the western terminius of the Lewis and Clark expedition on this 5-mile loop to the Pacific coast.

This 3.6-mile dayhike is a fast way to get your wildlife fix: birds strut the riverside, deer hide in the cedars, and beavers build elaborate dams.

Paddle to an old military fort and visit several quaint Down East islands on this 6.8-mile trip around the rocky fingers of Maine's coast.

Explore reclaimed wetlands, two islands, and a hawk preserve on a 5.3-mile figure-8 loop in a pastoral getaway just outside the city of Salem.

Visit four waterfalls amid huge Douglas firs and boulders carpeted in shaggy moss on this 3.4-mile lollipop loop in the Columbia River Gorge.

Watch waves crash and boom, migrating gray whales spout, and huge spruces sway on a 5-mile out-and-back to an incredible oceanside overlook.

This 3.9-mile loop provides a quick escape from the city, offering miles of sandy shoreline, wooded trails, and magnificent vistas.

Don't miss the wildflower show--it's easy to catch a city bus to the start of a 4.2-mile stroll in Tryon Creek State Park.