Packed with acres of natural attractions, Oregon has many scenic places to take visitors. Year round, the weather is mild, but the winters can be rainy in this coastal state. Despite the damp, however, Oregon provides travelers with a plethora of popular outdoor destinations such as Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, and the Oregon coast.
Oregon's tallest mountain, Mount Hood, is surrounded by the Mount Hood National Forest and overlooks the Columbia River Gorge. The mountain has four ski areas, including a year round ski and snowboarding facility at the historic Timberline Lodge. The mountainous terrain offers hiking and mountain biking opportunities. Lakes and rivers in the over 1 million acre Mount Hood National Forest gives fishermen a chance to try for trout and salmon, or visitors a chance to kayak or raft the Sandy and Clackamas Rivers. Mount Hood is located 20 miles east of the city of Portland and the northern Willamette River Valley.
The Columbia River Gorge cuts through the only sea-level route to the Cascade Mountain Range. The gorge is 80 miles long and about 4,000 feet deep with the canyon walls in Washington State and Oregon. Winding down the Columbia River Gorge is the Historic Columbia River Highway, also referred to as the "King of Roads." The narrow and winding 70-mile drive, which starts in Portland, passes by dozens of waterfalls and stone walls.
From Astoria in the north to Brookings in the southern tip of Oregon, the coastline along the Pacific Ocean wraps along 363 miles of the state. The public coastline has a wide variety of scenery for visitors to see along the shore, including cliffs, evergreen forests, dunes and sandy beaches. Towns, lighthouses and viewpoints around spread along the coastline.
Among 77 waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Columbia River is the 620-foot Multnomah Falls in Troutdale, the third tallest waterfall in the United States. The flow of the fall, which is fed by underground springs from Larch Mountain, is usually at its highest during winter and spring. Visitors can hike 1.2 miles up to the top of Multnomah Falls and continue on the 6-mile Wahkeena Loop Trail or go up to the top of Larch Mountain.
Oregon Caves National Monument spans about 480 acres in southern Oregon and includes the Oregon Caves. One of the only marble caves in the world, the Oregon Caves were carved inside the Siskiyou mountain thousands of years ago. Cave tours are typically closed during the winter months. Tours are usually offered in late March through the end of November. Visitors can also check out the forest of Port Orford Cedar and one of the largest Douglas fir trees in Oregon.
