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Portland Family Outdoors
Ziplining

September 27, 2012

If you haven’t been, ziplining is the act of getting all harnessed up, hitching yourself to a long steel cable via a pulley attached to your waist, whispering a plea of mercy to your deity of choice, and then willfully jumping into the abyss. You then go whizzing, sorry, zipping through the air along the [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
Indian Heaven

September 10, 2012

Located within the ever-impressive Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the 20,782 acre Indian Heaven Wilderness manages to live up to its lofty title. The sub-alpine volcanic plateau is home to about 175 swimmable/fishable lakes, vast wildflower meadows, and in late summer and early fall, huckleberries! Lots and lots of huckleberries—more huckleberries than you can shake a [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
Tamanawas Falls

August 27, 2012

As Cold Spring Creek flows away from the eastern side of Mt. Hood, it tumbles over a 125-foot cliff to form a thundering wall of water known as Tamanawas Falls. The easy 4-mile out and back, 500-foot elevation gain hike is one of my family’s favorites. Known for its stunning color in fall, its formidable [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
The Clackamas River Trail

August 13, 2012

The Clackamas River is yet another Mecca for outdoor loving families in the Portland area. Camping, whitewater rafting, fishing, and of course hiking, are all popular activities along the length of the Clackamas. One way to get a prime sampling of the river’s beauty is by hiking the Clackamas River Trail to Pup Creek Falls. [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
Waterfalls of the Lewis River

July 30, 2012

Deep within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington, the Lewis River tumbles over three major waterfalls on its journey to meet up with the Columbia River. Once a favorite fishing spot for native tribes, the clear glacial waters of Lower Lewis River Falls cascade over step-like basalt notches into a massive, deep green pool. [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve

July 16, 2012

Just more than a mile south of Main Street in Hillsboro, sits one of the Pacific Northwest’s best wetland viewing and information areas. The 725 acres that make up the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve are a combination of meadows, woods and open waters. The Preserve is a great in-city destination for the family. Kids of [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
Drift Creek Falls

July 3, 2012

For some Portlanders the Coast Range slips under the radar. They eagerly drive right through it on their way to enjoy the riches of the Oregon Coast. While I can understand, I don’t necessarily condone. There are some things hidden off the beaten path or tucked away from the major thoroughfares that are worth a trip [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
The Johnston Ridge Observatory

June 19, 2012

Summer is upon us. The kids are out of school, the days are longer, warmer, and occasionally even cloud-free. It’s the time of year when just traveling around town you’ll catch glimpses of Cascade peaks covered in snow. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll smile and say to yourself, “Soon”.  You’ve no doubt seen [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
Saddle Mountain

June 4, 2012

The aptly named Saddle Mountain is the highest peak in northwest Oregon. The summit offers views that stretch from Astoria and the Pacific Ocean, to the Cascade peaks of Mt. Rainier, Adams, St. Helens, and Hood. The 6-mile, 1700-foot elevation gain hike to the top is a definite sweat-breaker and a favorite during the peak [...]

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Portland Family Outdoors
Falls Creek Falls

May 7, 2012

While the name might not be all that descriptive or inspiring, Falls Creek Falls is the sort of cascade that can make even the most experienced Northwest hiker take pause. Comprised of three tiers that tumble a combined 200 feet, Falls Creek Falls is a bona fide five star spectacle. Though only two of the [...]

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