John Repplinger, Science Librarian

Salem is uniquely situated an hour from the coast and an hour from the Cascade Mountains with many hikes in close proximity to Willamette University. These are just a few hiking gems you can explore, including the Seven Wonders of Oregon!

Silver Creek Falls is open year-round and close to Salem. Walk behind waterfalls to cool off in summer or watch the power of the falls during the rain season.

Willamette Mission Park is about four miles north of Keizer, and it has miles of trails to explore in the 1,300 acre park. It includes woodlands, wetlands, rolling meadows, and working farmlands. It is ideal for biking.

Multnomah Falls, east of Portland, has great fall colors and frozen ice in winter. Nearby is Crowne Point and the historic Columbia River Scenic Byway that has several other waterfalls along an 8 mile stretch.

Visit the Bonneville Lock and Dam or watch wind surfers.

Hike the Pacific Crest Trail. It runs through Washington, Oregon, and California. Mount Jefferson's Pamelia Lake is an access point.

Mary's Peak, south of Corvallis, is a great spring and summer hike that has wonderful overlooks of the Willamette Valley.

McKenzie River Trail and Tamolitch Blue Pool trail along a blue river and it is picturesque. The trail is also repeatedly voted #1 mountain bike trail in the US. 

The Painted Hills are one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon, along with the John Day Fossil Beds.

Hike to the top of Smith Rock or rock climb in several areas. The hike to the top takes most of the day.

Crater Lake is Oregon's only National Park. Bike or drive the volcano's rim. Hike Watchman Peak and climb up the old fire watch tower, explore the old lava dome, or boat over to Wizard Island. Hike along the Pinnacles and Godrey Glen trails.

The Wallowas, dubbed the Little Switzerland, is in NE Oregon and is a wonderful place for camping, hiking, and playing in a lake. 

Hells Canyon, the deepest canyon in North America, is in NE Oregon near the Wallowas. Drive or boat along the Snake River, view ancient petroglyphs.

Drift Creek Falls and Suspension Bridge is south of Lincoln City. This is a fun, short hike. Access is available near Lincoln City or Highway 22.

Ecola State Park is a great place to explore along the beach, and nearby is Cannon Beach, a quaint little coastal town known for the cannon balls that wash up along the shore line.

Cape Lookout is a coastal hike on a small peninsula (4.7 miles) where you can see a slight curve to the Earth. Even in the fog the trail offers interesting views of twisted trees. The Netarts Spit Trail is nearby.

Mount St. Helens, another Northwest must! Visit the observation center for an unbeatable view of the live volcano, and  visit nearby Ape Cave, a chilly two miles long lava tube.

The Oregon Caves National Monument, dubbed the "Marble Halls of Oregon," is a popular place in the summer. You can take guided tours of the twisting passages and lava tubes, including "spelunking" (off-trail caving)  of the Siskiyou Mountains. 

The Oregon Redwoods are located along Oregon's south coast of the Rogue River and Siskiyou National Forest. This near-tropical zone has towering giant redwoods where you can hike and explore. 

Mount Hood is the United States largest night ski area, and is a great place to explore any time of the year. There are the ski lifts for skiing, snowboarding, and inner tubing in the winter. Drive up to Timberline Lodge during summer and fall to view gorgeous foliage. 

The Alvord Desert is a dried up lake bed in southeast Oregon. Similar to Death Valley, its frequently used for sail racing along the 37 miles long stretch (east to west) and 20 miles wide. Best time to visit is in the fall.