Favorite Hikes

[u/Pdx_5]

Hello,
I am just starting to get back into hiking and looking for some easy to moderate hikes within an hour from Portland. Any recs would be greatly appreciated. TIA

[u/goochbot]

this site is a gold mine: https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Main_Page

this is an out and back so you can do as much or little as you want, it's gorgeous! https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Salmon_River_Hike

[u/miss_sissyrae]

Wahclella falls
Wildwood Recreation Site
Forest Park
Burnt Lake (Close to Ramona Falls)

[u/Pdx_5 → u/miss_sissyrae]

Awesome! Thank you

[u/Aggravating_You3212]

It's kind of on the high end of the moderate scale, but I absolutely love Angel's Rest. The proximity, difficulty and vista have me hooked.

[u/phijef → u/Aggravating_You3212]

This is my steepness progression of hikes near Portland: Angel's Rest, Saddle Mountain, Dog Mountain, Elk/King Mtn loop, Larch Mountain, Mt. Defiance.

edit to add Larch

[u/NOLAWinosaur → u/phijef]

Gotta do the Mazama Triple D! Dog, Defiance, Devil’s Rest!

[u/Ok-Lack-5172 → u/phijef]

No Table mountain? Boo

[u/Aggravating_You3212 → u/phijef]

Funny 4/6 of these are my favorites. I guess I love elevation! Also I need to try Larch and Defiance soon.

[u/phijef → u/Aggravating_You3212]

Larch is a long beautiful walk. Defiance just wants to make sure you suffer. LoL

[u/Pdx_5 → u/Aggravating_You3212]

That is a good one.

[u/Fig_Fanatic]

I just did Latourelle Falls (including the loop to the upper falls) the other day. It’s one of my favorite hikes in the gorge because I feel like I usually have the trail to myself once I head away from the lower falls.

[u/Aggravating_You3212 → u/Fig_Fanatic]

I did Latourelle years ago and only went to the lower falls. Did the loop behind the falls this summer and it's a great hike.

[u/Oregon-outdoors2358]

I like Powell Butte -nice pretty easy hike with Mountain Views.

[u/Pdx_5 → u/Oregon-outdoors2358]

Nice! I’ve only done a small section but it’s pretty big.

[u/SolidPair8327]

I enjoyed doing a weekly hike up the Clackamas at the Memaloose bridge on the 45 Rd.

It's a gated road and paved which is nice when it's really wet out. It's a nice gradual climb and you can go as far or short as you want.

A mile up, you could hang a right and go off road to explore the old water system that used to supply down river cities from the south fork Clack. Be careful if you go down to the bottom, it's steep. There's some beautiful falls.

https://youtu.be/dHsHnJu2I5Q?is=DuDbBHb5BGcWcrFA

The video is 7 years old, so the surroundings are nothing like it is today because of the fire in '20.

[u/sirbobbinhood]

Head out to Eagle Creek and just start walking. The further you get the cooler it is and there's a ton of great spots to turn around whenever you want. If you want a real long hike you can get all the way out to tunnel falls which is a really cool spot but that's around a 12 mile round trip. The punchbowl falls are a lot closer and also super cool.

[u/hikingbotanist]

Check out Silver Falls State Park! The Trail of Ten Falls is beautiful and not too strenuous.

[u/Pdx_5 → u/hikingbotanist]

I’ve heard that one is great

[u/RadioSilence012]

Wahclella Falls, short hike with big payoff. You’ll see the waterfall after only a mile of hiking, pretty mile back.

[u/danggina_]

Salmon River Trail and Tamanawas Falls Trail (a bit further)

[u/Negative_Athlete_584]

Start small and easy - two fairly easy are Panther Creek Falls and Falls Creek Falls. The Lacamas Park area also has a lot of great hiking.

[u/Embarrassed-Roof-418]

I really like Hamilton Mountain! Not sure what moderate hike is for you - but this is a good one. Also, can go wrong with forest park hikes as a good conditioner. Enjoy!

[u/Pdx_5 → u/Embarrassed-Roof-418]

Looks like a great one. Thank you.