Triangulation Peak is located near Detroit, Oregon. It is a well known location to have a perfect view of Mount Jefferson. However, this trail is not as popular as many other trails due to being further South and takes about 2.5 hours to get to from Portland. The trail of Triangulation Peak is about 2.5 miles with little elevation gain. The only climb is only at the last 0.5 mile of the trail.
We left Portland around 7AM in the morning to drive to the trail head. Before we get to the trail head, we drove by Detroit Lake and the camp grounds were complete full. So despite of uprising of COVID-19 outbreak, it did not stop people to enjoy the July long weeend.
After driving by Detroit Lake, we made a left turn into the Forest Road. The first 5 miles of the Forest Road is well paved. The road is a bit narrow but not really a problem for 2 cars to pass by each other. The next 3 miles of the road is on gravel road. The gravel road is well maintained however.
We got to the trail head by 9:30AM in the morning. There were already 4 cars there and the parking space was limited. We were early so able to get a parking space ourselves. The trail itself was narrow but not difficult. However, there was a lot of uproot branches which could trip people over. There were also many bugs flying around in the morning with high moisture in the air.
After about 40 minutes, we got to an intersection. The trail on the right is to the peak and the left path goes further into the mountain. We took the right path and the trail started to climb gradually. After about 15 minutes, we got to the top of Triangulation Peak. From the peak, the view of Mount Jefferson was magnificent. We could also see Broken Top on the very far side. The forest down below also look so tiny and the breeze at the peak just made the morning feel so awesome!
By the time we got back down to the trail head, there was a lot more people coming in. There was not enough parking space for everyone and thus people had to park on the side of the road. Thus it is recommended to come early if possible.
Trillium Lake is one of the most popular lake within Mount Hood National Forest. It is not as big as Lost Lake, but still a very popular place for people to enjoy lakeside activities. Trillium Lake also offers a large number of camp sites and day use picnic area for people to enjoy. It is also a popular destination for fishing lovers. Trillium Lake is about 1.5 hours East of Portland, and thus it gets quite crowded during the summer weekend.
We got to Trillium Lake around 9:30 in the morning and the parking lot was not full yet. Like many hiking trails, Trillium Lake requires day use fee or people like us usually acquire Northwest Forest Pass for the whole year.
The hiking trail around Trillium Lake shore is around 2 miles. There are well maintained board walks along the trail so it's suitable for people with all ages. We also saw a small amphitheater along the trail. As we hiked about 1 mile, we got to a place with a sign indicating the trail ahead has temporarily closed due to lack of maintenance. We did not go forward as we did not want to risk for any injuries.
We then went the opposite direction and saw many people fishing along the shore. Quite a few people caught buckets of fish. Many people were also kayaking and paddle boarding on the lake.
We also saw many Golden Retrievers enjoying their time running around and swimming in the lake. They are lovely dogs. However, the dog that got most attention is a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. He was a fluffy chubby puppy. Everyone loved the adorable dog.
As we were leaving at around 11AM, the parking lot was full and many cars simply parked along the side of the road. We also started seeing Labrador Retrievers coming to the lake to enjoy the sunny weather. Trillium Lake has always been our favourite place to visit during the sunny weekend where we just want to relax and not to do any crazy hike. We definitely recommend it for any fun family gathering.
Tamanawas Falls is located on the East side of National Mount Hood Forest. The hiking trail to this waterfall is often crowded during the summer weekends. The trail is right off the Highway 35 with about 40 parking spaces. The trail is 2 miles long with very little elevation gain. There is also a restroom facility at the trail head for people to use. In addition, as usual, Northwest Pass or equivalent is required to use this trail.
We left Portland around 6:30 in the morning and got to Tamanawas Falls trail head around 8:30. It took about 2 hours to drive to there. When we got there at 8:30 in the morning, there were only 5 cars parked there.
The hiking trail is on soft soil but with a lot of large rocks that we need to step on. Many of these rocks have very smooth surface and can be very slippery, especially near the waterfalls.
Along the trail, we crossed 2 narrow bridges to cross the river. The bridge was very narrow and only allows 1 person to walk through at a time. Since it was not crowded when we went, we did not have to wait for anyone to cross first.
The only elevation gain we encountered is near the very end where we have to climb over this large rocky cliff. This part of the trail was not difficult. However, as mentioned before, some rock surface is quite smooth and slipper. Thus extra caution is advised.
We got to Tamanawas Falls around 10AM. We were overwhelmed by the volume of water coming out of this waterfalls. It was crazy. We were sitting quite far away and could still feel the mist flying over onto our faces. It was a beautiful scenery nonetheless.
While we were there, we saw left over nut shells on the ground and were quite disappointed at people who simply throws away wastes. People should never do that.
As we walk back around 11, we started to see a lot more people on the trail and started to get quite crowded. On the way back, we also saw a tiny little snake on the trail that ran down the hiking trail. Then at the narrow bridge, we actually had to wait to use the narrow bridge because people wanted to take some photos on the bridge.
Furthermore, due to the corona virus outbreak, there were people wearing mask on the hiking trail and people stand far from each other on the trail.
Overall, this was a nice easy hike for family of all ages. We definitely recommend this hiking trail, but make sure to come as early as possible.
Dalles Mountain Ranch is located near Dalles, Oregon as its name suggests; however, the exact location is actually on the North side of Columbia River in Washington State. Is is about 90 miles East of Portland and takes about 1.5 hours of driving to get there. Dalles Mountain Ranch trail is part of Columbia Hill State Park. The trail is open to hikers, and bike riders and horse riders. The Mountain Ranch trail is located at the Northern part of Columbia Hill State Park at the end of a gravel road.
We decided to visit Dalles Mountain Ranch near the end of May and hoping that the wildflowers are still in bloom, although we knew that the chance was very slim. Wildflowers along the Columbia Gorge are usually in full bloom in the beginning of May.
We got to Dalles Mountain Ranch by 8:30 in the morning and we were the only one there. The day use fee is $10 or you can get a Discovery Pass which is $30 for the whole year. The parking lot isn't very big but we were guessing that not many people actually come here.
When we got off the car, it was extremely windy outside. We could barely walk against the wind. Since we already drove 2 hours to get here, we still decided to do a loop hike around Dalles Mountain Ranch trail.
As we walked down the trail, we could see very abandoned farmstead along the side. THe green grass on the hill with abandoned barn was quite a scenery to enjoy. When we got to the intersection point of the 8 miles loop, we found that the West side of the loop got blocked off. That was the path towards the Dalles Mountain Ranch car. The path has now been cut off with fence and there were groups of cattle in there. We were not sure why it got blocked off, but we were extremely disappointed. We had no choice but to go the other way but could not complete the loop anymore. In addition, all the wildflowers were pretty much gone.
It was not the best hike that we wanted due to the loop is no longer available, no mountain ranch car, and no wildflower. We should have done more research on this when we went for a hike. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant weather for hiking along Columbia Gorge other than being a bit windy.
Silver Falls is located within Silver Falls State Park in Oregon. It is about 1.5 hours South of Portland and it is truly a marvelous gem of Oregon. There is a total of 10 water falls within Silver Falls State Park. Most notably the North Falls and the South Falls. There is a total of 4 water falls where people can go behind the falls to view the water fall from a different perspective.
Oregon has been in a self lock down mode for over 2 months and started slowly opening up the state parks for visitors. Thus during the Memorial Day long weekend, we decided to pay a visit to Silver Falls and it would be our first outdoor activity over the past 3 months.
We got to Silver Falls State Park around 9AM and the parking lot was about 30% full. We expected that the parking lot will fill up very quickly within the next 2 hours. Unfortunately NW Forest Pass and Discovery Pass do not work here. Thus a day fee is $5 needs to be paid at the pay station.
We started our hike from the South Falls. The first part of the trail takes people all the way down to the bottom of the valley to view the water fall. People can choose to take the path that goes behind the water falls, or there is a different path that leads to the front of the water falls. We then made our way towards North.
After about 30 minutes we got to the Lower South Falls. The amount of water that came down the cliff was huge. The trail goes right behind the water falls and very close to the water. We were soaking wet when walking behind it. The trail was partially flooded as well but we were able to step on the rocks to avoid getting our shoes wet.
After another 1.5 hours, we finally got to North Falls. We could hear the thunderous sound of water pouring down the cliff to the pond below. It was just an amazing sight. The trail behind the North Falls was dry and wide. It was very easy to walk on.
Getting back to the South Falls was a lot easier from here. The Rim Trail at the top of the valley is a much shorter trail that is only 2.5 miles and we were able to get back within an hour.
Overall, Silver Falls is a great place to go to during a sunny weather and enjoy the outdoor. The park is open all year round and thus it could be interesting to visit during the winter when snow falls.
Hole in the Wall Falls is one of the waterfalls along the Columbia Gorge in Oregon. At Hole in the Wall Falls, stream of water flows through a whole on the cliff wall. To get to Hole in the Wall Falls, the closest access point is from Starvation Creek. Starvation Creek is about 1 hour East of Portland and it is right off the highway I-84. From Starvation Creek parking area, Hole in the Wall Falls is only 0.5 miles away and the trail is completely paved. So it is very family friendly.
We went to visit Hole in the Wall Falls during the early Spring season near the end of March. The trees along Columbia Gorge did not have any leafs yet and we could still see patches of snow along the mountain top. Although it was early in the spring, the temperature was getting warmer up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
We got to Starvation Creek parking area around 9AM in the morning and we were one of the only 3 cars there. We were thinking that maybe it was due to the Coronavirus outbreak and thus people chose to stay home, but we were proven very wrong later.
We started heading West along the hiking trail and just within a minute we saw Cabin Creek Falls. It was right along the trail and there was no way to miss it. We continued on without seeing any other hikers and got to Hole in the Wall Falls after 10 minutes. Hole in the Wall Falls has been here since 1938. The hole on the cliff seems to be man made because it was very round. There is a bridge the crosses the creek and also allow people to get closer. There was also a picnic table for people to enjoy the view and food at the same time.
We were thinking that today's hike was way too short and decided to venture further West. We continued on and the elevation start to climb. After about 10 minutes, we came to Lancaster Falls. Lancaster Falls is essentially splashing water down onto the trail. We have never been this close to a waterfall before. It was a very cool experience.
Overall, the hike to Hole in the Wall Falls was quite easy and short. It was nothing exciting but a good short hike to start the season and enjoy the fresh air. The trails at Starvation Creek also lead to many different places which we will probably choose to explore in the future.
Tillamook Creamery is a famous cheese factory located by the Oregon Coast. It originally started as a factory that only produces cheese, but slowly expanded into other dairy related territories such as ice cream and butter. Tillamook Creamery is also open to public to visit its assembly line and offer food and related products in its visitor area. Tillamook Creamery is only about 1.5 hours West of Portland and it was recently renovated in 2018, thus we wanted to visit the newly renovated creamery.
We left Portland around 9AM in the morning and it was raining really hard outside. The rain did not stop us from going to Tillamook Creamery, but we initially wanted to head to the coast to have some fun first before heading to the creamery. So since it was raining, we just headed straight to the creamery.
The drive to the creamery was simple and easy. We got there around 10:30AM and the parking lot was not even half full. We could tell Tillamook Creamery looked so different now with a much better looking exterior and much more tourist like. As we entered the facility, the ceiling was quite high and the hallway wall has a historical timeline of the creamery.
The left side of the creamery is where the food is. This is where we could get food and ice cream. The cafeteria is much larger than before with the entire wall of glass allowing natural light to come through. The lunch hour starts at 10:45AM, and we got the classic grill cheese with tomato soup and fries. The grill cheese was not so special but did taste good. The tomato soup was extraordinary. We liked it very much. It also had cheese curd in it.
The second floor of the facility is where tourists can overlook the assembly line and see how cheese is made. From the top, we could see assembly line workers at each station doing the inspection and packaging. Most of the process are automated but still required some manual inspection.
Before we left, we went to grab ice cream. The ice cream was very creamy with some special flavors. Some people chose to grab an ice cream blend, like milk shake, but we saw people having a hard time sucking up the creamy drink due to the thickness.
Overall, the newly renovated facility is much more tourist friendly and offers a lot more things to do and look at. It is definitely a great place to go after having a fun day at the coast.
Mirror Lake is a very popular trail for snowshoeing in Oregon. This is due to its close proximity to Portland and the trail is only about 2 miles long with little elevation gain. Mirror Lake trail head is located right by Skibowl off Highway 26, and it is only about 1 hour East to Portland. Due to the winter storm over Pacific Northwest, there has been a good amount of snow over the mountain and it was perfect for snowshoeing.
We left Portland around 7:30 AM in the morning when the sky was still a bit dark, but we wanted to get there early due to the long weekend and we expected a lot of cars heading to Mount Hood. As we were about 10 miles out from Mirror Lake trail head, the traffic stopped and was moving extremely slow. We were not sure why. As we moved along further, we realized it was because people were pulling over to the side to put on chains. We were driving an all wheel drive SUV and Mirror Lake trail head was only about 3 miles out, we did not bother to put on the chains.
We were able to get to Mirror Lake trail head quite easily without worrying about the snow on the road. However, the parking lot at Mirror Lake trail head was full and we had to find a parking space at Skibowl. We were extremely lucky to find a parking spot and it was only 9:30AM in the morning. There were so many people at Skibowl.
As we got off the car to purchase the parking pass, many people were simply just wondering around and we found out that the power was out at Skibowl's lift. Thus people were waiting for the power to recover.
We put on our snowshoes that we rented from REI for $18 per day and headed towards the Mirror Lake trail. As we walked further in into the trail, it was just beautiful. There were so much snow on the pine trees and it was a winter wonderland. From time to time, huge chunk of snow would fall down from the tree trunk. We were hit multiple times while we were on the trail.
It took us about an hour to get to Mirror Lake. The Mirror Lake was simply frozen and the snow accumulated on top of it. We did not walk onto the frozen lake of course as it would be dangerous.
Along the trail, we also saw many dogs enjoying the snow. However, we saw many dog poops along the trail, which was disappointing. We expected better from dog owners to take good care of these kind of things.
Overall, it was a great experience and we absolutely lover the snowshoeing at Mirror Lake. We recommend to get to Skibowl at least by 9AM in the morning to guarantee a parking space.
