Cook, Washington

Just 96 miles south of Seattle, and 50 miles northeast of Portland, Mt. St. Helens and its wild, rugged beauty awaits you.Starting at the Norway Pass Trailhead parking lot, walk a dusty and sometimes ashy trail through recovering forest, low brush, wildflowers and blown down, sun bleached logs. T...

Spending a day on the lower Deschutes is as rewarding as it gets for a fly-fisherman. The canyon is incredibly beautiful, and the fish are some of the most colorful and athletic you can catch.The mighty Deschutes River is a stunning, blue-ribbon river where people come to fly-fish from around the...

After parking in the lot near the mill, walk across the bridge. This is the first good viewpoint for photography. Next, I recommend walking under the bridge, this is my favorite spot for taking photos. The whole area is free to walk around, you can even walk in the mill and then walk up stream do...

Mount Tabor City Park is located in the heart of southeast Portland and is situated atop an extinct volcano. It’s comprised of more than 190 acres of beautiful Douglas Fir forest and features several relatively easy routes to the top: the easiest being the road you can drive (but what’s the fun i...

While thousands of visitors come to witness the raw power and devastation left behind from Mount St Helens' famous 1980 eruption, few wander past the groomed paths surrounding the Johnston Ridge Observatory. It is beyond these paths where you come across the more commonly designed backcountry tra...

The Boundary trail is amazing. It's 54 miles long and runs for the most part along a ridge in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. You can climb various peaks and viewpoints right off the trail, but this trip report is for climbing Coldwater Peak and hiking up to Harry's Ridge Viewpoint on the way. H...

Sitting 400 feet above the city with views of Mt. Hood and Portland doesn't sound to bad right?? Mount Tabor is located in Southeast Portland and is a once active volcano. There are 196 acres of park for you to explore. In order to photograph the best pictures of Mt. Hood I highly suggest gettin...

Take three or four nights and check out some of the most epic views in the Pacific Northwest. Though you can do a shorter or faster route, I highly recommend you consider the 19-mile loop from the Snowgrass trailhead through Cispus Basin and Cispus Pass (6400'), and then back down Nannie Ridge. D...

From roughly May to September, both star gazers and photographers alike travel to the darkest locations in order to capture something truly magnificent- the galactic core of the milky way. The Loowit Viewpoint is unlike any around due to the perfect combination of it's remote location, higher ele...

The Laurelhurst Park Loop in Portland, Oregon, is known for its scenic beauty, ease of access, and dog-friendly paths. This urban trail features a peaceful loop around a serene pond, lush greenery, and towering trees, making it popular for leisurely walks, jogging, and family outings.  The par...

The hike is relatively easy. I'd say intermediate due to the incline at the beginning. Also intermediate due to it being an backpacking camp adventure. A friend of mine and I backpacked in to shoot the sunset and sunrise. We went a little early in the season so it was also to scout for future ad...

The trail has a number of ups and downs as you pass the many ponds and ash/rock/mud hills (hummocks) on your way towards the North Fork Toutle River. There is abundant wildlife in the area including birds, beaver and elk.This is also a great place to park and extend your day of hiking on the Boun...

The Coldwater Lake Recreation Area has restrooms, telephones, and a picnic area. Make sure you have already acquired your permits for camping in the Mt. Margaret back country.Follow trail #211, which runs along the entire 4.5 mile length of Coldwater Lake. It is a beautiful and fairly flat hike w...

Each trail is well maintained and easy to navigate through the area.  All trails are either packed dirt or gravel depending on which trail you’re on. The Douglas-firs, hemlocks, ferns, Oregon grape and many other native tree and plant varieties grow in the area that make the area abound with wild...