Get out oregon

distance: 7.7 miles

elevation gain: 1300 feet

difficulty: medium

crowded: on weekends

hike type: loop

driving distance from Portland: 40 minutes

This hike can get crowded, because of it's short proximity to Portland. Especially in the summer. Might I add though, that I did this hike on a Sunday in November and didn't pass another person.  (we did start at 6:30 in the morning and it was raining, but still no one else.) There are two directions to go at the start of the trailhead. If you start going up the upper you will start with an uphill climb, but then the hike feels mostly downhill after that. It's actually kind of weird how much I felt we were going downhill. Anyway The trail offers many beautiful views of the gorge, and if you go in fall, the deciduous trees that make up a large portion of the forest, will be bursting with fall color. Just another reason to go in the fall. 

distance: 1.9 miles

elevation gain: 10 feet

difficulty: easy

crowded: yes

hike type: loop

driving time from Portland: 1 hour 30 minutes

Trillium Lake is a very popular day use and camping destination. With Mount Hood as the backdrop behind the lake, it's not hard to see why. A 2 mile loop circles the lake and makes for a nice, quick hike, but the best view is right at the beginning near the parking lot.

distance: 27 miles

elevation gain: 5,795 feet

difficulty: difficult

crowded: moderate

hike type: loop

driving time from Portland: 3 hours 15 minutes

This is a really fun backpacking trip. We did it in three days, which was a good amount of time. There are many different terrains to experience on the trail. The first day we walked through the remains of a wild fire. The first night we camped near Golden Lake on the side of a river. We explored a little farther up the river near the campsite to an alpine lake. The water was freezing. The second day we passed Green Lakes. The lakes are very popular for day hiking and there are some campsites around the lake. We didn't camp here, but we did stop to eat lunch and swim a bit in the lake. After that, we continued on to our campsite. The third day we started out with a very steep climb up to the top of a ridge with views of many distant mountains. Another alpine lake is hidden on the top and it's pretty amazing. We walked along the ridge for a few miles before descending back to the car. 

*closed due to fires

distance: 3.8 miles

elevation gain: 500 feet

difficulty: easy

crowded: yes

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 40 minutes

*Due to the eagle creek fires this trail is currently closed*

Eagle Creek to Punch Bowl Falls is a crowded hike on weekends. The trail follows a cliff for most of the way and there are hand rails to prevent you from falling. At two miles you reach Punch Bowl Falls. The Falls are very pretty, and there is a good view of it from the trail. You can kind of swim in the river in the summer. It's not super deep, but it is calm and a good way to cool off on a hot summer day after the hike.

distance: 6.2 miles

elevation gain: 1,620 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: moderate

hike type: out and back

Driving distance from Portland: 4 hours

Paulina Peak is an amazing hike in Central Oregon. The The trail is steep and Central Oregon can be hot, so bring water. From the top there are 360 degree views. You can see many mountains including Mount Shasta in California and the Three Sisters near by. You can also see Paulina lake and volcanic lava flows from the top. There is a road leading to the summit that cars can use, so you can drive to the top but please don't do that!

distance: 3.8 miles

elevation gain: 1,000 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: yes

hike type: loop

driving time from Portland: 3 hours

Located in Central Oregon, Smith Rock is one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon. Smith Rock is a very popular destination for hiking and rock climbing. The hike up Misery Ridge is steep and there is no shade, so in the summer the trail is very hot. Once you get to the top of the ridge, there are great views of the Crooked River,  Monkey Face Rock (a free standing pillar very popular for rock climbing) and many major peaks in the Cascade Range. You then continue down the other side of Smith Rock, and walk around following the river back to the start.

distance: 2.5 miles

elevation gain: 1,171 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: no

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 1 hour

*due to the recent fires this trail is currently closed*

Wind Mountain is on the Washington side of the Gorge. Just west of Dog Mountain, the much shorter hike to Dog Mountain still provides great views of the river. However, the trailhead is difficult to find.

*closed due to fires

distance: 6 miles

elevation gain: 2,770 feet

difficulty: difficult

crowded: not too bad

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 40 minutes

Munra point is one of the steepest hikes in the Gorge, but the climb is worth it. The tough scramble leads to one of the most amazing views of the Gorge has to offer. To get to the summit you have to scale a wall of rocks, but when you reach the top the climb becomes worth it. There are three ridges that come together in the middle and there are good places for a lunch break, and 360 degree views.

distance: 2 miles

elevation gain: 606 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: no

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 1 hour 30 minuetes

Ecola State Park is located near Cannon Beach. The trail winds through beautiful forest and provides gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. The Three Arched Rocks are visible from the trail. The trail leads to a nice beach with picnic tables. It's a great place to hang out for a little before continuing to head forward or heading back to the trailhead.

*closed due to fires

distance: 4.8 mile

elevation gain: 1,450

difficulty: moderate

crowded: yes

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 40 minutes

*due to the recent fires this trail is currently closed*

Angel's Rest is maybe the most popular hike in the Gorge besides Multnomah Falls, and I almost didn't include it on this website for that reason. However, it's a great hike with much to offer. The summit is a long, rocky spine surrounded by three sides of cliffs, with 270 degree views, and the river below adds to the experience. The ease of the hike and the short distance from Portland makes this a popular hike for families.

distance: 3.6 miles

elevation gain: 1,050 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: no

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 45 minutes

*due to the recent fires this trail is currently closed*

This trail starts at the Eagle Creek trailhead, but not on the Eagle Creek trail. There is a 100-foot pedestrian suspension bridge that you must cross to reach the trail. Turn right after the bridge and you're on your way to the top! As you reach the top you will start to see power lines above leading from the Bonneville Dam down below. This is a great option if you are looking for an easier hike in the Gorge and would like to get away from the popular trails like Angel's Rest.

distance: 2.6 miles

elevation gain: 1,270 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: no

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 1 hour

*due to recent fires this trail is currently closed*

This hike is great. It is never crowded and provides amazing views of the Gorge. Although the hike is short, it is very steep and rugged which makes it seem longer, especially considering you are gaining almost 1,300 feet in less than a mile and a half. But it is worth it! The summit provides views and many wildflowers. 

distance: 4.4 miles

elevation gain: 680 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: moderate

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 40 minutes

This hike is close to Portland and a great way to experience multiple waterfalls. You start the trail at the 176-foot Horsetail Falls. At .2 miles, turn right onto the Gorge Trail that takes you to the 80 foot Pony Falls. The trail leads you behind this waterfall and you can feel the spray of water and see the falls crash in front of you. After a little while, several trails to the right lead to amazing viewpoints at the edge of cliffs. After crossing a metal footbridge over Oneonta Falls, you quickly arrive at the junction with Oneonta Trail. Turn left here and continue up to Triple Falls.

Distance: 2.2 miles

elevation gain: 840 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: no

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 1 hour 10 minutes

This short hike through forested slopes of the Cascades is a great hike with views across the valley. The vertical faces of rocks and the pinnacles at Castle Canyon can only be seen from the trail. 

distance: 1.4 miles

elevation gain: 280 feet

difficulty: easy

crowded: sometimes

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 45 minutes

*closed due to recent fires

At Elowah Falls, McCord Creek crashes down. The short hike has a bit of an elevation drop to reach the falls but is a great hike for beginners and kids. If you're looking for a longer hike, consider combining this hike with upper McCord Creek Falls.

distance: 7.5 miles

elevation gain: 2,000 feet

difficulty: difficult

crowded: moderate

hike type: out and back

driving time from Portland: 1 hour

Hamilton Mountain might be my favorite hike in the Gorge. It's on the Washington side on the Gorge, about an hour away from Portland. The trail is easy to find and well maintained. I did this hike in winter, but in spring there are lots of wildflowers. There are two huge waterfalls: Hardy Falls (which you will hear and see after about a mile), and Rodney Falls. After Rodney Falls the trail gets steeper as you continue to the summit. The top of Hamilton Mountain offers great views of the river and the Oregon side of the Gorge. A Washington Discover Pass is needed for this hike.

distance: 6 miles

elevation gain: 2,300 feet

difficulty: difficult

crowded: yes, in the summer

hike type: loop or out and back

driving time from Portland: 1 hour

Start at the North Neahakani Mountain trailhead and head up the steep switch backs through a meadow until you enter old growth forest. This hike offers wonderful views of the coastline and Devil's Cauldron below. This hike is popular in the summer, so my family did it in on an early fall morning. We were mostly alone, but a thick layer of fog hid our view of most everything when we reached the summit.

distance: 2 miles

elevation gain: 400

difficulty: easy

crowded: yes

hike type: out and back

driving distance from Portland: 40 minutes

*closed due to recent fires

This is a must- do, easy hike in the Gorge. Park at the Munra Point parking lot and start down the Wahclella Falls trail on along on a closed road. At the end of the road, the trail narrows and around a blind bend is a bridge crossing Munra Falls. After a gain in elevation and a few downhill switchbacks and two more bridges, you will come up to the huge 50 foot waterfall. It's a great hike for kids, and I did this hike in the middle of a huge snow storm so it was a perfect difficulty because of the snow. There were lots of huge icicles and frozen waterfalls that were really amazing. This is a crowded hike in the summer but it's a great hike for snowy winter adventure.

distance: 3.6 mile

elevation gain: 1,020 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: moderate

driving distance from Portland: 1 hour 30 minutes

*due to the recent fires this trail is currently closed*

This short but fairly steep hike is a great Eastern Oregon escape. The trail starts at Rowena Crest Viewpoint, the home of the often photographed horse shoe bend road. There are two hikes starting here, but take the the one marked Tom McCall Point. There are many views of the Gorge throughout the entire hike. Although it's not far, it is fairly steep.

distance: 3.6 miles

elevation gain: 590 feet

difficulty: easy

crowded: on weekends

hike type: out and back

riving time from Portland: 1 hour 30 minutes

This is a nice short and easy hike up near Mount Hood. The almost 2 mile hike to the falls is easy and along a nice river. The one thing to be aware of is, although dogs are allowed there is a large rock slide that is blocking most of the trail right now. You can scramble and climb your way over them pretty easily, but dogs will have a much harder time making it over the rocks.

Distance: 5.7 miles

Elevation gain: 1,200 ft

Difficulty: moderate

Crowded: moderate

Hike type: there and back

Driving distance from Portland: 1 hour and 30 minutes

This is an amazing hike. At above 4,000 feet on a clear day, you can see many peaks of the cascade range including Mount Hood, Mount Adams, and Mount Saint Helens. The trail has snow in the winter and late into the spring, but still can be accessible. The road leading up to the trail is very rough and hard to find so make sure you have a good car and good directions!  

distance: 7.2 miles

elevation gain: 1118 feet

difficulty: moderate

crowded: yes

hike type: loop

driving time from Portland: 1 hour 30 minutes

This hike is a beautiful trail through Oregon's largest state park. The park is 9,000 acres and has over 24 total miles of hiking and biking trails. Being located just outside of Stevenson Oregon, the park is heavily trafficked but very well maintained. The trail of ten falls is the trail I recommend. This hike is perfect for the family and the loop will take you past ten waterfalls. The falls range from 27 to 178 feet tall, and four of them you can walk behind. Also, dogs are not allowed on all the trails at Silver Falls so be sure to check the the trail you plan to do before packing your pup in the car.