Outdoor Project

Wildlife refuges and preserves offer a tremendous opportunity to step back in time and see a place as it may have appeared hundreds of years earlier.  Cape Meares offers those opportunities in abundance, and they are just a short hike from the entrance at the parking area.

Imagine the speed and momentum you could bring to your ocean plunge after running down a massive sand dune.  Although it is one of the most popular state parks in the Florence area, and thus subject to crowding, Honeyman State Park is one of the better non-motorized access points for the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.  Comprising 31,566 acres, these dunes are the largest in North America, and though much of the area is open to motorized recreation, a good walk is arguably the more enjoyable way to appreciate the scale and size of this formation. 

This state scenic viewpoint is truly one of the Oregon Coast’s best stops. From the dramatic Cape Creek Bridge at the south end to the tide pools and sea caves towards the north, the cove and beach at Devils Elbow would be worth appreciating even without the addition of one of Oregon’s most iconic structures. Built in 1894, the Heceta Head Light is still the strongest light on the Oregon Coast in spite of its humble appearance. Both the lighthouse and the keeper’s house are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the keeper’s house is run as a bed and breakfast.

Though Mirror Lake is accessible all year, there are some good arguments to be made for why winter is the best season for a visit.  The crowds that access this lake in the warmer seasons are significantly reduced to a few snowshoers and the occasional skier.  Likewise, it would be uncommon to encounter campers around the lake in winter. Any traces of the heavy use the area receives in the summer are blanketed in snow, giving this popular site a more remote and pristine appearance.

If you are into Nordic skiing and want some groomed trails, Teacup Lake near Government Camp is a great place to go. There are 12 miles of groomed trails that range from easy to difficult, and all are designed for skate and classic cross-country skiing. For this trip we skied Lakeside Trail-Nordic Way/Stump Street-Hood River Road-Meadow Trail, but many different trail combinations exist depending on your appetite. Because all of the trails are loops, you will encounter views of Mount Hood on both ends of the trail system.

Located just 9 miles north of Redmond, Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint is a stunning roadside attraction if you are traveling on US Route 97. Basalt cliffs rise steep and high from both sides of the Crooked River, a tributary of the Deschutes.  The two sides are connected by historic bridges that create a dramatic glimpse of central Oregon’s geological and historical features.

These twin falls, each roughly 60-feet tall, are a dramatic drainage for Paulina Lake and the entire Newberry Volcano caldera.  Large boulders scattered at the base of the falls hint at the receding bluff above and the erosive forces of water and ice.

With only a several hundred yard walk from the parking lot on the west side of the caldera, the falls are easily accessed by almost everyone, making it an ideal place for a family to visit.  From the main overlook, a quarter-mile trail leads further west and down to a lower view point.

Of all the lakes in the Cascade Lakes area of central Oregon, few are as spectacularly diverse as Hosmer Lake. The lake has three distinct areas, all of which provide incredible views of nearby South Sister, Broken Top and Mount Bachelor.

The first area is the open southern end where you'll start your paddle. Here the lake is rather exposed and the area is often subject to strong winds.