Quick Escape: Cross-Country Skiing in the Methow Valley
When you long to escape the mist and the moss of the west side for a real winter wonderland, go east. The Methow Valley stretches like a slender finger into the heart of the North Cascades. Snow-capped peaks surround the valley, making for a postcard-perfect backdrop. Rolling hills and quiet pastures flank the winding Methow […]
What to Wear on a Snowshoe Hike
Ready to hit the trails this winter? Having the right clothing on in the snowy backcountry can make all the difference between a miserable, cold day or a warm, comfortable day. This is true everywhere, but it’s especially important in the Pacific Northwest where our snow tends to be heavy and wet, as opposed to […]
CAMP & HIKE: Silver Falls State Park
At Silver Falls State Park, you’re in the best of both worlds–a stone’s throw from Willamette Valley wine country, and inching up the west slope of the Oregon Cascades. And by “cascades” we mean mountains… and waterfalls. Lots of waterfalls. We are spoiled rotten. In the Pacific Northwest where huge swaths of land are protected […]
CAMP & RIDE: Champoeg State Heritage Area
Set on the south bank of the Willamette River just southeast of Newberg is one of Oregon’s best kept secrets. When we stumbled upon Champoeg State Heritage Area during a day of Yamhill Valley wine tasting, I instantly wanted to curl up in one of their adorable yurts and listen to the bluebirds sing outside my window. […]
A Spa in the Woods: Dip into Northwest Hot Springs
It’s the quiet season at Northwest hot springs. Even with a chill in the air these natural pools stay nice and hot.
Six Great Camping Getaways from Portland
We paired six fabulous campgrounds near Portland, Oregon with great nearby hiking trails and post-hike eateries. Keep your camping gear at-the-ready all summer long as you camp your way through these campgrounds near Portland, one sunny getaway at a time. And just so you can make a full trip out of your excursion, we’ve included […]
Go Glamping in Washington with Pampered Wilderness
Are you longing for the nature and tranquility you experience when camping in the woods, but aren’t too keen on the “roughing it” part? Go into the wild in style. A new luxury camping option has just opened its canvas cabin doors. Pampered Wilderness offers two deluxe cabins set in the lush, old-growth forest at […]
Outdoor Experts Share their Favorite Tents
Summer is around the corner and I can almost taste the mountain huckleberries. And that means camping season is around the corner, too. Have you pitched a tent in the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest yet this year? We recently checked in with folks who have — all of them avid explorers of the great […]
Day Hikes and Cheap Sleeps in the Methow Valley
The North Cascades Highway twists and turns around granite peaks before dipping down into Washington’s glacial-carved Methow Valley. Here, open meadows are dotted with ponderosa pine trees that reach for a blue sky, and cast shadows across raging rivers. Early summer is a marvelous season to visit here for outdoor recreation, as it tends to […]
CAMP: White River Campground at Mount Rainier
At 4,400 feet elevation, the White River Campground melts out a bit later than other Mount Rainier campgrounds, but that’s okay. You’ll want to save your trip here for late July or early August anyway when the wildflowers that carpet subalpine meadows 12 miles up the road at Sunrise are in full bloom. Campsites directly […]
