What a wonderful under the radar waterfall this is...Beaver Falls!…read more Located 6 miles east of Clatskanie, Oregon, this area near the Columbia River is beautiful. Let's get straight to the heart of what Beaver Falls is all about... If you plug "Beaver Falls Trailhead" into Google Maps, you'll have no problem finding it. Then just park along the side of Highway 30 and hike 1/3rd of a mile through the forest to the base of the falls. It's that easy. When I visited on a Thursday in early afternoon of July, there was hardly anyone around which was good for taking quality photos. Best of all, you can swim in the waters. So definitely bring a bathing suit, towel and a pair of water shoes so the rocks won't hurt your feet while entering the pool beneath Beaver Falls. The water is cold but once you jump in and get comfortable, it's a terrific setting. There's also a long rope where you can swing across and splash down below. It's great for kids (and adults too, lol) to have playful times. For me, I was content soaking in the pool and appreciating the surroundings. More info... - It's free to visit. - Cell phone reception works fine. - You can walk underneath the falls! This is a Must-Do. You can capture some amazing moments standing beside Beaver Falls. It's not hard or dangerous and offers a unique perspective. - Beaver Falls is just one of many outstanding waterfalls situated around Oregon and especially near the Columbia River. There's also Lower Lewis River Falls, Panther Creek Falls and Spirit Falls, to name a few. - You can spend a few hours hanging out or as little as 30 - 40 minutes. It depends on your time horizon. But overall, it's really pleasant to be here that I'd suggest bringing snacks, lunch and maybe having a picnic. This Beaver Falls is absolutely so much fun to hang out at. When you can swim in the waters, swing from a rope and even walk underneath the falls, It makes for a worthwhile summer visit.

Great day for a hike and Chehalem Ridge didn't disappoint. Plenty of parking, clean restrooms, and…read moresome very nice views. I'll be going back.

Beautiful park with tree covered trails and wide paths…read more We did the woodland trail then continued up Timber Road and onto the Chehalem Ridge trail. Path was mostly flat with slight inclines here and there until you got to Timber Road, this was really the only tougher incline, mostly because it was out in the direct sun. The scenery was beautiful forrest and ferns, with a couple viewpoints out to the hills in the distance. Directional signage on the trials was pretty good, didn't notice any maps aside from the one at the entrance, but at least you could see when trail intersected and which way to go for each. We came on a Friday afternoon, the parking was plentiful and we almost had the trial to ourselves. There are two covered picnic areas at the trailhead, both had a handful of picnic tables and benches. Beware - we were chased off by yellow jackets while trying to enjoy our lunch. We were there on a pretty warm day, so they seemed to be extra active. Restrooms at the trailhead were spacious and clean.

In planning our trip to Oregon, my boyfriend and I decided to think outside the box and experience…read moresomething different. After searching on Yelp, we stumbled upon Adventures Across Oregon. After reading their excellent reviews, I contacted Ethan and Wendy. They were incredibly prompt to respond through email and phone call and not only did they help us plan an excellent excursion but they also suggested other "must sees" during our vacation. At the start of our adventure with Ethan and Wendy which included fly fishing and hiking, they were on time, full of energy, and made sure we had everything we needed to have a comfortable and FUN day!! The word "passion" does not start to explain their commitment to their "adventurers" as well as their love for their state of Oregon. Ethan is a master fly fisher who helped both my boyfriend and I with much patience and guidance which lead to us catching 6 fish and enjoying every minute of our experience. After refueling with a delicious homemade lunch by Wendy, we were led on one of the most beautiful & lush hikes along the riverside! Ethan & Wendy's love for nature and Oregon was so inspiring that my boyfriend and I changed our trip originally headed into the city of Seattle and continued on our journey exploring Oregon's 7 wonders that Ethan & Wendy helped map out for us. My boyfriend & I are looking forward to a future excursion with Ethan and Wendy! We would highly recommend Adventures Across Oregon, you will not be disappointed and perhaps inspired as we were!!

You will have a terrific time with Ethan. Not only is he a fine fisher but as a host and teacher he…read moreis top-notch. His ability to relate to persons of diverse back rounds and ages is excellent. If you have never fished or have fished a lifetime he will always leave you with a store of new knowledge.

It's a great little trail to have a talk and take a walk. Not a lot of physical challenge. There…read moreare some spots that have a incline nothing that should be too difficult. You many options once inside. The trail keeps splitting and twisting. There good news is they all seem to end up in the relative same position at the top of the hill. The cemetery I would imagine used to have some good views. All the houses and development have made that less than available. Don't look for places to just chill or have a picnic at the top. Pretty sure the home owners have made all that go away. Still a good walk to think and or have a good conversation Enjoy

This trail is basically a hill climb and descent with two endpoints. I felt like Will Teasle…read morelooking for John Rambo in the woods on this hike, having to pause every so often to catch my breath. Coming from Orlando where an 8 mile hike will have 16 feet of elevation gain, this was a new challenge for sure. I'd do it again for exercise, but it wasn't very scenic or interesting.

Recently did this 40-mile bike ride and it was a spectacular ride! A friend and I decided to ride…read moreon a gloomy + rainy day which ended up being worth it! It wasn't crowded at all and the views were still great. It was a full day, as we arrived around 10:30 am and were back in the car around 5:30 pm, so expect to take the whole day to enjoy this ride and to stop at the town of Vernonia. I love how this trail had multiple bike hubs and came in handy to put some air in my tires about 15 miles in. It was generally all family-friendly riding, with only a couple of hills where we did walk our bikes, but you can ride uphill if you are looking for an uphill challenge. But do note, that there were considerable amount of uneven spots/small potholes on the trail which my friend didn't remember on her last ride here so just be prepared for that. Luckily, most of them are marked! I will also agree with other reviews - about first 10 miles from Banks was a noticeable workout. We decided to grab some burgers in Vernonia and stretch our legs - which I totally suggest to do. We did see that a neighbor on our way to Vernonia had some free grapes and apples for us, which was such a sweet treat and extra fuel. I will suggest this to all my newbie and more advanced biker friends looking for a workout with a view!

This is a fine trail, but the reviews that mention great views must have never been anywhere with…read moretrees and forests. There are no overlooks or valley views, just forests and a few grass fields. We just completed another section on our e-bikes. We will end up making three visits to complete the trail. Parking at Banks is very limited. Parking in Vernonia is unlimited. Someone has been marking roots and bumps with paint and it was greatly appreciated on our bikes. Our first visit was on a hot sunny day and was not near as enjoyable as yesterday in a cool drizzle. Not real rain, just threats of it.

Im not sure how successful folks are with catching fish in this large pond, but sitting by the dock…read moreis very peaceful. The lake is centered around the shopping mall so there are a few restaurant that overlook the lake. There are also ducks that live there.

Came here today with fishing friend who did some actual fishing. Nothing was caught (fish 1 -…read morehumans 0), but it was really OK, and I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in my camping chair and watching the fish jump in the air and the world passing by. A few other people were down on the dock casting for fish, others sat on the various rock formations sort of zoning out, and it was a real pleasure to see the children and parents sharing something they really loved. If the youngsters aren't interested in the fishing, they can come down and feed the ducks - such fun. The water is so clear you can see down to rocks and plants on the bottom and also nearest the dock flashes of the goldfish as they glide along (these goldfish eventually grow into some very large carp). There are evidently some sturgeon as well along with the rainbow trout, and also lots of ducks and other water birds (a few still with babies). Oh yes, lots of dragonflies - flashes of black and fiery orange red - add to the charm. People who fish welcome you right into their society and talk readily about their fishing experiences and how the big one got away and even why. This is a terrific family experience and for those who want to come out alone. The best time is to come early, before 7, and especially after the lake has been re-stocked, if you want to catch some fish. But like I said, it's a wonderful experience whether fish are caught or not. Give it a try. And remember if you don't catch any fish, you can hike back up to the shopping center above and get some breakfast. Not a bad day at all, in fact a damn fine one if you ask me.

Celebrating 12 years of f-cking, s-cking, and occasionally eating Turducken (very rarely)…read more My girlfriend looks thrilled about it eh? We went to the Meating Place Cafe to get some food (I recommend the Turkey Cranberry sandwich with Mama Lil's Peppers) and then headed to Henry Hagg Lake (I also recommend) to eat, hike, and swim.

It's a decent sized lake with great views. There's ample parking and easy access to view the lake…read more Saw a bunch of people boating and fishing in it. Really worth going on a clear day and spending time in the sun laying down in the green grass. There's also a restroom nearby so that's a plus.

On our way back home from McMinnville, we went through Beaverton to check out Bald Peak State…read moreScenic Viewpoint, which was a nice stop while in the area. I recommend checking out if you're around, with a viewpoint that looks out to Willamette Valley. On a Monday in the early afternoon, we stopped by Bald Peak State Scenic Viewpoint which has a lower parking lot area and on the upper area is where cars can park along the side for a quick stop. From the lower parking lot is a short walk to the upper area, where most people stop by to see the views of Oregon's wine country. There were a few picnic tables and some people had brought out their camping chairs and staked a spot to chill. It's a quiet, serene area that's high up to see the area. But if you're looking for a hiking trail, there isn't much of that here. It truly is just a viewpoint where you can stop and check out.

Beautiful view from this small park on top of this mountain. Restrooms with 2 pit toilets are in…read moreone of the lots. Took a nice picture from one of the picnic tables, but I immediately had my feet surrounded by yellow jackets! I scooted out of there, and back to the car to wait for my daughter, who took the dog down the short trail. It was a far drive (nice drive) for not much and a bee attack! Boo!

This was a much better time of year of course as far as water flow, as compared to our last visit…read morewhen it was a trickle. Its a beautiful (albeit short) walk in from the trail head...but truthfully it's quite a drive back in there just for this falls...especially when you consider how many stunning falls we have in the PNW.

5 star hike, minus one star for noisy conditions…read more Less than 1 hour from Portland, this trailhead is about 17 miles west of Banks. The turn off, Beaver Dam Road, from Hwy 6, is well marked and you get lots of warning. Immediately on the right is a road crew area. There is a trailhead on the other side of that, but you can't park there. If you go straight though, and then make a left at the T, you'll come to a large parking area with potties, info, and another trailhead. You can see it as point of origin on the map I posted, this is where I set out for my 8.2 mile hike. I ended it at the trailhead by the work area. You could also turn right at the T and drive to any number of trailheads, including one that makes getting to University Falls a shorter walk. I prefer the long way. I took to the trail on Jan 3, during a break in the rain. It was very wet. Often there was water running directly down the trail, and it got deep enough to slosh over the toes of my boots. Mud was often 3" deep, or more. Large puddles on the trail you just have to walk through. No going around. Not a big deal since I had my waterproof hiking boots and merino socks. Just wanted you to know your converse high tops aren't going to cut it. It was about 45-48 degrees, and the sun broke thru a couple of times. Not very windy, so my merino base and lite mid were just right. Kept my shell open most of the hike. It was beautiful, truly. The river was kind of raging, all churned up mud and white rapids. The trail was well marked and easy to follow up and down the groves of trees. The two waterfalls were breathtaking, especially University Falls, which was as full as any photo I've seen. The water was definitely higher than usual. I loved every bit of the trail. And now the minus one star. There was constant noise from motorcycles and firearms. I don't want to editorialize about dirt bikes and hand cannons, but it was hard to immerse myself in nature with the omnipresent noise. There was no place on that trail where I couldn't hear it. The dirtbikes are thankfully not on the hiking trail. There is a separate trail system for that, and the tracks do cross sometimes so keep an eye out. For mountain bikes, you'll hear the dirtbikes. I have no idea where the shooters were, but they were close. No comment, not looking to have that discussion. It's just good to know before you get there what it will be like. Enjoy the photos. Here is a link to this location on AllTrails so you can check it out more if you think you'd like to give it a try. If you are in for dirt biking, I think you'll love it. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/university-falls-trail--4&ved=2ahUKEwiX-K-ikYHuAhWNv54KHb9VAMEQFjAQegQIKRAB&usg=AOvVaw3sWGn85abOsy97LikFomke

3.9 mi, 1050 ft elevation gain, 1hr 22 minutes…read more Plenty of shaded parking was available. There is a porta potty and a trash can at the main trailhead. Lots of out of state folks here doing this hike- I'm sure it would be quite packed on a weekend. The trail itself was a bit overgrown and narrow in parts. Beware of game trails, I missed a turn and found myself a ways down a game trail before turning around. The view at the top is amazing, definitely don't just view from the lower trail. If you're able- climb up the rock face to see the view from the peak. It's so worth it!

A short but challenging hike, especially the last 100 feet. But the view from the top is…read morespectacular!