The trails in Rooster Rock State Park on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge offers an easy stroll in all seasons, rambles through groves of maple and oak--not to mention of of the only officially sanctioned clothing-optional beaches in the state.
The snowshoe route at Artist Point in Washington's North Cascades offers a stunning panorama, including magnificent views of the the glaciated peaks of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan. Find out more in Craig Romano's latest Get Outside! column.
Hike to the top of Washington's Index Town Wall, a moderately difficult trail that takes you to the summit of an imposing granite cliff, with views of the town of Index and peaks of the Wild Sky Wilderness as your reward.
The Balch Creek Gulch trail is one of the most fascinating routes in Portland's 5,000-acre Forest Park. In this wilderness within the city limits, you'll encounter old-growth Douglas-fir, a wooded ravine, and a historic stone house built by the WPA.
The Boundary Bay Dyke Trail in BC's Fraser River Delta offers some of the best birdwatching in British Columbia. More than a million migrating birds can be found on this coastal walk, including shoerbirds, waterfowl, raptors, and owls. It's also a great place to spot harbor seals and orcas.
Easily accessible, the Lower South Fork Skokomish River Trail makes for an ideal Olympic Peninsula outing any time of the year. The well-built trail meanders through old growth Douglas-fir forests, and offers fantastic views of of the river, as well as opportunities to spot Roosevelt elk.
Oregon's Twin Lakes/Palmateer Point trail offers fantastic views of Mount Hood, placid lakes, and a hike through forests of mountain hemlocks, noble firs, and silver firs. Though it's busy in summer, hikers in autumn are more likely to find solitude at this spot in the Mount Hood Wilderness.
A classic hike in British Columbia's sprawling Manning Park, Frosty Mountain is the park’s highest summit. The trail offers fantastic views of peaks on both sides of the Washington-BC border, as well a rare opportunity to spot 2,000-year-old alpine larches, which turn golden in early October.
The challenging Glacier Basin trail off Washington's Mountain Loop Highway takes you past a mining ghost town and up a steep track to a gorgeous alpine basin. It's a workout, but the payoffs include solitude, old growth forests and a fascinating trip through Cascadia history (including a town where Donald Trump's grandfather was justice of the peace!)
Mount Defiance in Oregon is the highest peak in the Columbia River Gorge -- and a rigorous, challenging hike for those who choose to hike the steeper trail to its summit. You'll be rewarded with incredible views of Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams.
