Explore Wild Oregon
Oregon is blessed with some of the most beautiful and inspiring landscapes in America. From the majestic silhouette of Mount Hood, to the rushing whitewater and wild salmon of the Rogue River, Oregon is truly a special place!
Oregon Wild works to protect our state’s wildlands and helps Oregonians get outdoors to enjoy them. Every year we lead dozens of free hikes, snowshoe and kayak trips, service trips, and enjoy camp-outs around the state. Join us by getting involved, getting outside, and help to preserve our incredible state for all Oregonians and future generations. The people who get to know Oregon's wild places can do so much to help keep them pristine. Get to know your Oregon by exploring the suggested trips below, or sign up to be an Evergreen supporter to join our hiking club!
*There are important considerations for getting outdoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in March of 2020. CLICK HERE to see our best practices for venturing outdoors.
Northwest Oregon | Coast and Coast Range | Central Oregon Cascades | Eastern Oregon | Crater Lake | Southern Oregon
Check out wheelchair accessible destinations in Oregon (pdf) and Washington.
Suggested hikes and outdoor adventures:
*Note: Our book Oregon's Ancient Forests: A hiking guide includes the hikes listed below that are denoted with a "*"
| Great for kids | Shorter, flat well-graded trails |
| Easy | Little elevation gain, well maintained trails |
| Moderate | Substantial elevation gain, more difficult trails |
| Strenuous | Steep, poorly maintained trails, bridgeless stream crossings |
| name | difficulty | distance | elevation gain | season | attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crabtree Valley* | Moderate | 2-6 miles | 200-600 feet | late spring through fall | Some of the largest trees in Oregon |
| Larch Mountain | Moderate | 7 miles | 1,300 feet | late spring, summer, fall | Old-growth, close to Portland |
| Lost Lake* | Great for kids | 3 miles | 20 feet | spring, summer, fall | Family friendly, great view of Mount Hood |
| Salmon River | Easy | 4 miles | 600 feet | Year round | Ancient forest along beautiful river |
| Tamanawas Falls | Easy | 4 miles | 300 feet | spring, summer, fall | Beautiful falls on the East-side of Mount Hood |
| Lookout Mountain | Easy-Moderate | 2-3 miles | 500 feet | spring, summer, fall | Great view of Mount Hood and the Cascades |
| Vista Ridge | Strenuous | 8 miles | 1,100 feet | July and August | Scenic views of Mount Hood, amazing wildflowers in August |
| name | difficulty | distance | elevation gain | season | attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Dellenback Dunes Trail | Easy | 2.7 miles (one way) | 100-500 feet | All year | Hike over shifting coastal sand dunes |
| Kentucky Falls Trail* | Moderate | 2.2 miles | 800 feet | All year | Old growth hikes to incredible Kentucky Falls |
| Sweet Creek Falls | Easy | 2.5 miles | 160-640 feet | All year | Enjoy 11 waterfalls in 3 short miles |
| Mary's Peak* | Moderate-Strenuous | 6 miles | 1,700 feet | May and June | Wildflowers and potential views of both the Pacific Ocean and Cascade peaks |
| name | difficulty | distance | elevation gain | season | attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mckenzie River Trail* | Easy-Strenuous | 26.4 miles | 1,700 feet | All year | Day hike or backpack by old growth conifers, lava flows, and spectacular waterfalls |
| Fall Creek Trail (mostly closed for needed maintenance) | Moderate | 13.7 miles | 300 feet | All year | Explore swimmingly holes, a lush old growth forest, and ecosystem recovering naturally from the 2003 Clark Fire. |
| Middle Fork Willamette Trail* | Moderate-Strenuous | 27 miles | 3,300 feet | All year in lower elevation sections, June-October in higher elevation | Wind through an old-growth forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock, red cedar and alder |
| Clear Lake* | Easy | 5.5 mile loop | 200 feet | May-October | Huge springs, lava crossings, and a beautiful old-growth forest of Douglas fir and mountain hemlock |
| Lookout Creek* (access may be limited due to nearby fire) | Moderate-Strenuous | 7 miles | 1,400 feet | June-August | Wander up and down through towering forests and into cool, mossy groves |
| Mount June and Sawtooth Ridge | Moderate | 5 miles | 1,000 feet | June-July | Magnificent old-growth forest, grassy meadows bursting with wildflowers and impressive rock bluffs |
| Three Pyramids* | Moderate-Strenuous | 7 miles | 1,800 feet | June-July | Take in a spectacular old-growth forest, trailside and cliff-top wildflowers, alpine meadows, and stunning a mountaintop view |
| Brice Creek/Trestle Creek Falls* | Moderate | 4 miles | 1,000 feet | June | Spend a summer evening along rocky banks with towering trees |
| Snowshoeing near Bend and central Oregon | Varies | Varies | Varies | December-April | See link |
| name | difficulty | distance | elevation gain | season | attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Lakes* | Moderate | 3-6 miles with longer options | 1,200 | late spring, summer, early fall | Beautiful lake, trout fishing, waterfalls, and rugged cliffs in the Strawberry Mountains Wilderness |
| Buckhorn Meadows | Easy-Moderate | 2.7 miles (one-way) | 1,000 | June to November | Quick access to Wildcat Basin and other trails into the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness |
| Malheur River Trail* | Moderate | 7.6 miles (one-way) | 800 feet | May to December | Traverse steep canyon walls before dropping to scenic river banks of the Malheur Wild and Scenic River, lined with old growth pine, larch, and fir trees |
| North Fork Umatilla* | Easy to Moderate | 5.4 miles | 350 feet | spring through fall | A lush riverside hike in the Blue Mountains |
| South Fork Walla Walla River Trail* | Moderate | 6.6 miles | 1,880 feet | June to November | Deep canyon hikes through forests and meadows |
| Wenaha River Trail | Moderate to Strenuous | 31.3 miles | 3,000 feet | June to November | A rugged and scenic canyon that offers great places to camp and panoramic views of the Wenaha drainage |
| Chimney Rock | Easy | 6 miles | 500 feet | April-December | Chimney Rock overlooks a bunchgrass landscape that has been etched by the beautiful cliff-rimmed canyon of the Crooked River |
| Mill Creek and Twin Pillars* | Strenuous | 11.6 miles | 1,900 feet | May-November | Travel along (and occasionally ford) Mill Creek, passing douglas fir, ponderosa pines, snowberry, and bunchgrass along the way |
| Walton Lake Loop | Easy (great for kids) | 1 mile | 100 feet | May-October | Walk around Walton Lake, enjoying old growth ponderosa pine and mountain meadows |
| Black Lake | Easy (kid friendly) | 1.2 miles (one way) | 200 feet | July to October | Short hike with great views of Van Patten Peak |
| Maxwell Lake | Strenuous | 7.6 miles | 2,400 feet | Late-July through October | Rock meadows and open slopes to one of the few alpine lakes within the Wallowas that doesn't require an overnight trip |
| name | difficulty | distance | elevation gain | season | attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Lakes | Moderate | 11 miles | 100 feet | late spring through Sept. | High elevation lakes for swimming |
| Soda Mountain | Strenuous | 5 miles | 2,000 feet | spring through fall | A biological jewel - diverse topography and plant life |
| Mount McLoughlin Trail | Strenuous | 10 miles | 4,500 feet | June-September | Summit hike that winds through rocky terrain |
| Collings Mountain Trail (Bigfoot Trap)* | Moderate | 7 miles | 1,000 feet | All year | Views of the Siskiyou Crest and Applegate Lake, passing inactive Big Foot Trap as well as a number of mine adits |
| Illinois River Trail* | Moderate | 28 miles | 2,700 feet | May-July for the best wildflowers | Wildflowers, old-growth forest, pristine water, rugged cayons, a variety of wildlife and more |
| Gearhart Mountain* | Strenuous | 12 miles | 1,920 feet | August-September | Other worldly terrain of stratified volcanic rock with ponderosa pines, white firs, and scattered alpine meadows |
| Yamsay Mountain | Strenuous | 17.2 miles | 2,100 feet | July-November | Pass through coniferous forest on the way to a summit that offers views from the Three Sisters to Mount Shasta |
| name | difficulty | distance | elevation gain | season | attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Mountain* | Moderate | 9.3 mile shuttle hike | 820 feet | late spring-fall | Beautiful wildflowers, Lake of the Woods, Fish Lake, and impressive lava flows |
| Garfield Peak | Moderate | 3.4 miles | 970 feet | mid summer-fall | Panoramic views of Crater Lake along the rim trail and climb to a 8,060 foot summit |
| Grizzly Peak* | Moderate | 7.4 miles round trip | 750 feet | late spring through fall | Outstanding views of the Rogue Valley, the Cascades, and summertime wildflowers along the trail |
| Indigo Lake | Easy | 3.8 miles round trip | 600 feet | mid summer-fall (depending on snow) | Old growth trees, high mountain meadows and beautiful views of intense blue waters |
| Mt. Bailey | Strenuous | Upper Road: 5.4 miles round trip, Lower Road: 9.8 round trip | 2,330 ft, (3180 ft from lower road) | late summer-fall | Beautiful views of Mount Thielsen, rater Lake and Mount Shasta are visible to the south along with Three Sisters and Diamond Peak to the north. |
| Mt. Scott | Strenuous | 5 miles round trip | 1,200 feet | late summer-fall | Switchbacks through open pumice fields and forests, this is the highest point in Crater Lake National Park |
| Natral Bridge and Rogue Gorge* | Easy | 8 mile loop hike | 300 feet | spring-fall | The trail gently rolls along the wild and scenic Rogue River through lava basalt featuring scenic river and waterfall views |
| Pelican Butte | Strenuous | 9 miles | 440 feet | winter-spring | Best known for its cross-country skiing, views of Mt. McLaughlin to the South and Crater Lake to the North |
| Plaikni Falls | Easy | 2.2 round trip | 135 feet | summer-fall | Old-growth hemlock, a field of wildflowers and a view of the lush and serene waterfall |
| Tenas Falls | Strenuous | 10.3 miles | 2,000 feet | Summer-September | Climbs through Douglas-fir to a lookout with views of Tolo Peak, Mt. Thielsen, Mt. Bailey and peaks along the rim of Crater Lake |
| Rough Rider Falls | Moderate | 8 miles round trip and shorter shuttle option | 400 feet | late spring-fall | The trail follows the Upper Rogue River trail follows the Rogue River providing views of two beautiful waterfalls |
| North Umpqua Trail (some stretches closed due to recent fires) | Strenuous | 79 miles | 5,000 feet up and down | Various depending on section | 12 different trailheads offer great opportunities for hiking, backpacking, biking, horseback riding, fishing and more. |
Mount Hood photo by Cheryl Hill.
