5 Favorites in Hood River
by Kyla Merwin

Photo: Tom McCall Nature PreserveFrom bike racing to wine tasting, wildflowers to whitewater, Oregon Lakes & Rivers highlights our Fave Five in Hood River, from the extreme to the sublime.

The town of Hood River sits on the Columbia River Gorge, at the convergence of the quaint and the dramatic. Which makes it a great hub for adventures – some to take your breath away, others to take pause and simply breathe.

The Land of Sudden Contrasts
By Kyla Merwin

Photo Courtesy of the Lodge at Summer LakeOn December 16, 1843, when John Fremont discovered Summer Lake, and nearby Winter Ridge, he described the two landmasses as, “proximate places of ... sudden and violent contrast."
The vast and rugged land of Oregon’s Outback is full of such contrasts, as it was born over millennia of violent volcanic upheavals and ages of ice and snow. The result is a landscape that stretches as far as one’s imagination and calls to the vast expanses of an adventurer’s heart.

With 500 miles of streams and seven lakes, Oregon’s scenic Outback offers plenty of rich outdoor activities. Put down your shopping bag, close your wallet, and take yourself, friends, or family on an adventure through rugged terrain and jaw-dropping beauty in Southern Oregon’s Outback. Download a FREE MAP of the Summer Lake area, from ODF&W, below.

Oregon Adventures on Willamette River
by Kyla Merwin

Photo courtesy of Willamette Water TrailWe’re heading to the Eugene area this week to explore year-round adventures on the Willamette River, and beyond. With Spring in full bloom, mild days and sublime evenings, this is the perfect time to grab your paddles and a picnic basket for a day jaunt. For those heartier recreationalists, gear up for several days in the ripples and nights on the shore.

The Willamette Water Trail
For a few hours or a few days, 217 miles of the Willamette River beacons paddlers, tent-campers and picnic lovers. The Willamette Water Trail flows through forests, meadows, parks, farms, and cities from as far north as St. Helens, through the rich Willamette Valley to the friendly little town of Creswell, south of Eugene. Managed by Willamette Riverkeeper as a water trail for paddlers, the Trail covers 187 miles of the mainstem Willamette River, and several miles of the river on the Coast Fork Willamette, Middle Fork Willamette, and the McKenzie River.

My Top Five Portland, Oregon Exploits
By Kyla Merwin

Tom McCall Waterfron ParkI love Portland, Oregon: The towering buildings, the hubbub of people downtown, the two rivers that run through it, the urban parks, and the gateway to wild, unruly recreation just beyond its borders.

So I’ve rounded up five of my favorite Portland-area exploits. Whether you live in the big city, are there on business, or have chosen it as your vacation destination, take some time to visit some of the wild sides of the city that proudly calls itself “weird.”

1. Tom McCall Waterfront Park
On the west bank of the Willamette River, in the heart of the thriving city of Portland, Waterfront Park creates a dazzling gathering place for joggers, cyclists, lunchers, skateboarders, basketball players, strollers, and urban explorers of all sorts. More than 36 acres stretch along the river, creating a wide-open space for recreation, respite and revelry.