GO: Cape Perpetua Scenic Area
If ever you have needed a heavy dose of scenery, this place will deliver. It’s one of the Oregon Coast’s top attractions for a number of reasons, and its rugged, beautiful scenery tops the list. The Cape Perpetua Scenic Area is over 2700 acres in size and sits just two miles south of the awesome […]
Q: Things to Do Around Sunriver Resort in Oregon?
Dear TripFinder, A friend of ours couldn’t use their condo in Sunriver, OR next week, so they’ve offered it to us. We’ll be there for three nights–my husband, 13 year old daughter, and myself. We don’t usually do the resort thing, but I’m sure it will be fun, and it looks like a good base […]
A River Begins: Hike to Metolius Springs
How do rivers begin? Well, snowmelt from mountaintops gathers into little gullies that form streams. And then those join to feed bigger streams, that then flow into rivers. Right? The mighty Metolius River in Oregon defies this basic geology lesson. It literally springs out of the shadow of a mountain. The mountain is called Black […]
Feed the Salmon Babies at the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery
Plunk! Plunk! In one quick second, two small fistfuls of small brown pellets were hurled into a small pond where dozens of mid-sized brown trout scrambled to snag a tasty morsel. We were in Central Oregon near Camp Sherman on the Metolius River, where we’d stumbled upon an unlikely family-friendly destination–a state-run fish hatchery. Fish hatcheries are longtime residents on […]
CAMP: Smiling River Campground, Central Oregon
Location: Metolius River near Camp Sherman, Deschutes National Forest campground website | (541) 549-7700 | Reservations Campground type: national forest Rates: $16 per night (reduced to $12 off-season) Details: There are 37 sites here for tents, trailers and RVs to 30 feet; no electrical hookups, though. Smiling River is one of five campgrounds set along the beautiful, spring-fed Metolius River. […]
CAMP: Pine Rest Campground, Central Oregon
Pine Rest is a small forest service campground near Sisters, Oregon, set along the gorgeous Metolius River in the shadow of Black Butte. It’s one of a string of campgrounds along the fish-filled river, though unlike the other four campgrounds in the immediate vicinity, Pine Rest is for tent campers only and includes just eight campsites. […]
State Park Cabins in Oregon, from Rustic to Deluxe
Picture this. After an unexpectedly chilly night spent sleeping on the hard, bumpy ground at a local state park, you skip your morning shower (too cold!) only to get rained on from the sky while eating instant oatmeal, shivering in your gortex. It’s car camping in the Northwest! And if you’ve had an overnight experience […]
Storm Watching on the Oregon Coast
There’s a basalt outcropping on the Oregon Coast south of Depoe Bay that’s called Cape Foulweather. It was named by Captain James Cook as he searched for a passage to the Atlantic Ocean. As we know, that quest didn’t exactly work out for him, but he sure got something right. Winter storms on the Oregon […]
GO: Fort Stevens State Park Campground and Yurts
Get splashed! Fort Stevens State Park is your front-row seat for watching the Columbia River join the Pacific Ocean. Its offerings to campers are unique, diverse and fun. Where else can you swim in a freshwater lake in the morning, then while away your afternoon beachcombing near an old shipwreck? Walk along the six miles of hiking […]
HIKE: Multnomah Falls – Wahkeena Falls Loop
The 620-foot Multnomah Falls is the highest of the 77 named waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Gorge. And here’s another fun fact about this geologic wonder–it’s the second highest continually-flowing waterfall in the country. The upper and lower falls that comprise Multnomah Falls are the first and most impressive cascades you will encounter […]
