Outdoor Project

Three Pools on the North Fork of the Santiam River is among the best swimming and cliff-jumping locations in Oregon.  The unique combination of basalt outcroppings and emerald pools have helped to establish Three Pools as a favorite summer getaway.  You will almost certainly see some crowds here on a sunny day, but the area is large enough to provide a little space for anyone who looks.

When the late summer arrives and temperatures rise, it helps to have a favorite refuge from the heat. Portland area residents flock to the beaches of Sauvie Island, the Sandy River, the Clackamas River, or perhaps even the Wilson River. For those on the Washington side the Columbia River, the Washougal River is a close resource and one of the best swimming hole rivers in the Pacific Northwest. Often overlooked by Oregonians, the entire length of the Washougal River is sprinkled with deep pools, and sun-kissed rocky outcroppings.

The Siouxon Creek Trail is one of the best year-round hikes in the Portland area.  During the rainy winter months this low-elevation getaway provides a splendid display of a temperate old-growth forest.  Extensive stands of Douglas fir tower over the giant stumps of western red cedar that used to dominate the forest.  During the intense heat of August and September, the creek provides a string of deep, crystal-clear swimming holes.  Backcountry campsites make the trail an ideal place to overnight.  The many falls along the trail are beautiful in any season, including the broad, 50-foot Chin

Silver Falls State Park has the second highest concentration of waterfalls in Oregon (the Colombia River Gorge has the first), and 10 of these falls are on display throughout this superb and relatively level hike.  Additionally, the trail showcases one of the broadest collections of flora in the state.  For the best views of the falls, start at North Falls Trailhead and walk west on the Rim Trail toward the 177-foot South Falls.  Continue down the Canyon Trail to see the remaining falls and accompanying swimming holes.  The trail ends near the dramatic 136-foot North Falls.  The basalt amph

The town of Neskowin is just north of Cascade Head and is almost unnoticeable from the highway. Unlike many beach towns, Neskowin avoids commercialization and maintains a quiet character that contributes to pristine, uncrowded beach experiences. This area's particularly interesting features are the 2,000 year-old Sitka spruce stumps, the remnants of what used to be a forest of 200-foot trees. At low tide the remains are scattered in the sands on the southern reaches of the beach. This “Ghost Forest” made its debut after violent storms hit the coast between 1997 and 1998.

Cape Kiwanda is the southern headland of the Three Capes Scenic Route, which also includes Cape Lookout and Cape Meares.  It is an extremely popular day-use area, and the unfortunate policy that keeps the beach open to vehicles only adds to the congestion of this natural area.

Drift Creek Falls is an unexpected hike. It's definitely worth the drive despite its location deep in the coastal range. Located just outside of Lincoln City off of Highway 101 or Highway 18, you can reach the trailhead after a 9- or 12-mile journey (depending on the direction you're coming from) down some very windy forest roads and through some unsightly regional clear-cut forests. 

Situated between Depoe Bay and Yaquina Head, Otter Rock and Devils Punch Bowl create some of the Oregon coast’s most dramatic headlands.

Short Sand Beach, also known as "Short Sands" or "Shorty's," has become one of Oregon's most popular surfing and boogie boarding destinations.  Smugglers Cove remains protected from heavy weather, and the breaks are relatively consistent.  And even if you don't surf, the beach is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon.  In fact, the entire park was named for the beach when it was created in 1931, and it wasn't until 1958 that it was renamed after Governor Oswald West.  The popularity of the beach is especially apparent in the peak summer months; try weekdays or winter for more solitude.  T

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is a concentration of cultural and natural treasures not easily rivaled.  It is a year-round bird watcher's paradise, a home to some of the most vibrant and dense tidal pools on the entire coast, and a hangout for harbor seals, sea lions, and even the occasional gray whale.