It’s an unprecedented time. However, the gathering bans and general lockdown of services due to the growing coronavirus pandemic shouldn’t keep you from caring for both your physical and mental health.
Author and Hiking enthusiast, Bill Sullivan says “hiking is about the best thing you can do, not just physically — although we all need to get out and move more — but it’s mental. Everyone needs to get out in nature and reset their minds to the real world, and forget a lot of our troubles back in the city.”
While shops may be closed, and events are canceled, there are so many beautiful miles of Oregon hiking trails out there, just waiting for your time.
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Wildwood Trail
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The Wildwood Trail starts near the Oregon Zoo, and it twists and winds all over the place heading roughly North West. Being one of the best trails in the Portland area, and kicking off within the city limits, it’s a must for Portlandians.
Salmonberry Trail
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Just a little over an hour west of Portland, the Salmonberry Trail on the edge of Tillamook State Forest is filled with abandoned train tracks, tunnels, and absolutely stunning forest scenery.
Lost Lake
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The beauty of Lost Lake is not… lost on Oregonians. It’s a breath-taking vista of trees, mountains, and a gorgeous body of water. However, it’s the trail around the lake that brings us here today. As we look for reasons to get outside and capture some exercise and zen, we can’t think of a place better than the Lost Lake trail.
Angel’s Rest
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It’s a long way up, but you might be hard-pressed to find a look of the Columbia River Gorge like the one at the summit of Angel’s Rest. The trail is just a short 30-ish minute drive from Downtown Portland, and provides the difficulty in the climb, and the Instagram-slaying vistas.
Devil’s Rest
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You can’t have an Angel without a Devil, right? Whether you start from Multnomah Falls, or the Wahkeena Falls entrance, the path to Devil’s Rest is a hard one, but worth every single second of it.
For your own safety, please make sure you are prepared before heading out on your next adventure. Information on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe while on your hike is available from OregonStateParks.org and PortlandOregon.gov. Always remember to leave no trace, pack out what you pack in, stick to designated trails, and refrain from feeding wildlife — and please note that irresponsibly-taken selfies (even if they look great for the ‘gram) can be fatal.