Walking Oregon & the Redwoods

Day 1

En route to Portland, OR

Today is a day of travel. We’ll rendezvous in a Portland hotel near the airport in preparation for a full day of activities tomorrow.

Day 2

Portland - Mt. Hood, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon 10 km, trail rating: 2+

Our adventure begins with a drive down the historic Columbia River Highway, winding by waterfalls and through lush rainforests to Multnomah Falls Lodge for breakfast. After breakfast and a nature walk in the Gorge, we’ll continue on a scenic drive through the fruit orchards of the Hood River Valley to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. The Magic Mile ski lift gives us incredible “top of the mountain” views. Our hotel this evening is the lovely Resort at the Mountain.

Day 3

Mt. Hood - Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Sunriver, Oregon 10 km, trail rating: 1

This morning, we wind our way south through Oregon’s high desert with stops for a walk along the Deschutes River in the Bend area and at some of the lava flows and cinder cones that dot this interesting region. Then on to Crater Lake National Park (second deepest lake in North America) for a stay in the Lodge with stunning views down into the crater.

Day 4

Crater Lake Nat’l Park - Ashland, OR
Crater Lake National Park and Union Creek, Oregon 10 km, trail rating: 3+

The highlight of today is a two-part walk. Part one hugs the rim of Crater Lake with more wonderful panoramas of this special place. After a unique boat trip out to Wizard Island, we’ll continue down the western slopes of the Cascades for part two of our walk, this time along a scenic stretch of the Rogue River. We overnight tonight in Ashland, home of the Oregon Shakespearean Festival.

Day 5

Ashland - Crescent City, California
Ashland, Oregon 10 or 11 km; trail ratings: 3 or 1+

Our walk of the day is an interesting stroll through the charming mountain town of Ashland. After the walk, we’ll stop to explore a piece of Oregon history in delightful, 19th-century Jacksonville, site of the Northwest’s first gold rush in 1851. From Jacksonville our route continues south across the California border through the extraordinary stream and forest scenery of the Smith River National Recreational Area.

Day 6

Crescent City - Gold Beach, OR
Redwoods National Park, California 10 km, trail rating: 2+

This special day begins with a walk deep into Redwoods National Park. “Awesome” is one of many superlatives for describing these massive trees. After the walk, we turn north and follow the coastline up into Oregon for a night in Gold Beach.

Day 7

Gold Beach - Bandon, OR
Bandon, Oregon 11 km, trail rating: 1+

A trip up the Rogue River on one of the jet boats has been a favorite with past travelers. We’ll stop for a home-style lunch in Agness before returning through pristine Rogue River Canyon with good chances to spot wildlife. From Gold Beach we continue north along the scenic southern Oregon coast to Bandon. After checking into the hotel, we’ll enjoy an evening seaside walk in Bandon.

Day 8

Bandon - Lincoln City, Oregon
Winchester Bay, Oregon 10 km, trail rating: 1+

After a morning drive around Coos Bay and the Oregon Dunes, we’ll arrive in Winchester Bay for a walk that features the marina, a lighthouse, a lovely little lake, and of course, the Oregon beach. Following time for lunch, our route hugs the coastline for more spectacular views and stops at points of interest.

Day 9

Lincoln City - Portland, Oregon

After two days of coastal beauty, we turn inland, bound for the Portland airport. It’s hard to say goodbye to this beautiful state.