Pacific Northwest Destinations Archives - Page 2 of 3

Southern Oregon Coast

by Alan K. Lee

The Oregon coast is renowned for its beautiful beaches and dramatic headlands, and nowhere is that more pronounced than on the twenty-nine mile stretch of coastline between the towns of Gold Beach and Brookings. Less well known than Big Sur or the Cape Mendocino area in northern California, the Southern Oregon Coast nevertheless rivals both in terms of the sheer beauty and majesty of its scenery. And since it is far removed from major population centers – more than 300 miles from Portland and almost 350 from San Francisco – it is far less traveled than the northern and central Oregon coastal areas or any part of the California coastline.

So, let’s go! We’ll travel north to south, but it works just as well in the other direction. In Gold Beach, start your day with a cup of coffee or espresso and a scone or maybe a breakfast burrito at First Chapter Coffee House. While you’re there, the attached bookstore and art gallery are worth a look – lots of used books, with a few old and rare volumes. (If you’re starting out in Brookings, try the Bell and Whistle Coffee House at the marina in Harbor, on the south side of the Chetco River.)

If you want to find information on the area, check out the Visit Gold Beach website. The Gold Beach Visitor’s Center at the south end of town is normally a good place to get info. There’s a friendly staff, free wi-fi, and a nice beach where they sometimes hide glass floats for visitors to find. It is open from 9am-3pm Wed-Sun. (If you’re traveling south to north, Travel Oregon’s Brookings Welcome Center, just north of the Oregon-California border, is a good place to get information. There’s also a nice beach there.The Travel Oregon wepage for Brookings is also a good resource.)

Traveling south from Gold Beach, your first stop should be at Cape Sebastian. Take a short hike there to a beautiful viewpoint. Then make another stop at Myers Creek Beach Viewpoint. There’s a nice beach there and good views of the Cape Sebastian headland, Hunters Cove and Hunters Island just offshore.

A little farther south is the Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint with another nice beach and views of another, smaller headland and offshore rocks. Next up is Windy Point and Arch Rock. Windy Point is well named, but there are spectacular views to be seen there. A little south of Arch Rock is the Spruce Island Viewpoint. Then comes Secret Beach, which is not much of a secret anymore. Look for a small turnout with room for only a few cars. The trail to Secret Beach is short but steep and can be slippery if it’s wet. But Secret Beach is one of the more beautiful spots on this stretch of coast – definitely worth a stop if you can find it.

The next viewpoint to the south is Seal Cove, about a half mile south of Secret Beach. Just beyond Seal Cove comes Natural Bridges, and this is one you don’t want to miss. A short trail takes you to a spectacular viewpoint. Take your time, explore the area, and just take in the views. There are some steep, unmaintained trails beyond the viewing platform, and a side trail with a “trail closed” warning sign. The trail is not baracaded, though, and I walked beyond the sign for a ways before coming to a very steep descent that looked less than safe. If you’re both brave and foolhardy, it is possible to get to the top of the bridges. But I wouldn’t recommend trying.

Hwy 101 crosses Thomas Creek a couple miles south of Natural Bridges. At 345 feet above the creek, the Thomas Creek Bridge is the highest in Oregon. It’s not the prettiest bridge on the coast by a long ways, but it’s impressively tall. There’s a short trail to a viewpoint. It’s worth a brief stop.

About a mile south of Thomas Creek you’ll come to a turnout with access to the Indian Sands Trail. This is one I haven’t done for some reason, but from the photos I’ve seen it looks like an interesting combination of sand dunes and rocky headland with at least one natural bridge. Next time I’m in the area I will definitely stop and explore this area.

Whaleshead Beach is a place that I have visited a few times. There’s a large parking area and a few picnic tables – a nice place to have lunch. The road in is short, but a little rough. There’s a sign recommending four wheel drive, but there were plenty of two wheel drive cars in the parking lot the last time we were there, so you can safely ignore the sign, just take it slow. The last time we were there my wife and I spent a couple of hours just wandering up and down the beach taking photos. Fog drifted in and out and the sun broke through from time to time, the light changing from minute to minute. Very quiet, calm, and relaxing place. Nice views of the Whaleshead Island and the other offshore rocks, and the cliffs of Whaleshead just north of the beach, too.

South of Whaleshead Beach you come to House Rock first, then Cape Ferrelo. Both have short trails and viewpoints worth checking out. Then, just north of Brookings, comes Harris Beach. There is a popular state park here with 150 campsites. Being right next to the large campground and on the outskirts of the town of Brookings, Harris Beach is often crowded. But it’s also one of the nicest beaches on the entire Oregon coast, so it’s worth spending some time there despite the crowds. In fact, it’s worth spending a lot of time there. There are actually three beaches, Harris Beach being the most northerly. The others are Rock Beach and South Beach. All are connected at low tide, and can be reached with a little scrambling at high tide.

The towns of Brookings and Gold Beach that bookend this stretch of the coast aren’t the main attractions here, but they’re both worth spending a little time to explore at the end of the day. Brookings is the bigger town, with more to see and do. Gold Beach is smaller and quieter, with more of a lost-in-time vibe. Both have decent dining options. If you’re ending your day in Brookings, try Black Trumpet Bistro, Superfly, or Oxenfre Public House for dinner. Chetco Brewing Company has a good selection of beers and there’s a vegan food truck there. In Gold Beach, try Barnacle Bistro, Port Hole Cafe or The Crow’s Nest.

Accommodations in the area range from typical small town motels for under $100 per night to the world class TuTuTun Lodge on the north bank of the Rogue River in Gold Beach ($295 and up in the summer). There are numerous RV parks in both towns. Besides Harris Beach, there are campgrounds at Humbug Mountain State Park (39 RV and 56 tent sites) on Hwy 101 about 20 miles north of Gold Beach, and Loeb State Park, (48 sites with water and electricity) about five miles east of Brookings on the Chetco River.

The Southern Oregon Coast is truly an unspoiled gem. It’s an all day drive from Portland or San Francisco, but the reward is one of the Pacific coast’s, if not the world’s, most spectacular shorelines. And since you’re in the area, the town of Bandon, about 50 miles north of Gold beach, and the magnificent Redwoods of the northern California coast are well worth exploring, as well.

Originally posted Jan. 17, 2019. Updated February 3, 2021 and October 15, 2022.

All photos ©Alan K. Lee

Bandon, Oregon

by Alan K. Lee

Bandon-by-the-sea

Bandon, Oregon, on the southern Oregon coast, happens to have been my home for the first seven years of my life. Although I did most of my growing up in Salem, I consider Bandon my home town as much or more than I do Salem. I go back to Bandon often, most recently in late August this year (2022).

History

Bandon was founded almost 150 years ago by George Bennett (often referred to as Lord Bennett), an Irish peer from Bandon, Ireland. In its early days, the economy of Bandon, Oregon was primarily agricultural. Bandon has been known for both its cheese and cranberries since the 1880s. The first jetty was also constructed in the 1880s, and Bandon was soon home to a fishing fleet and a robust shipping industry.

One of the things Lord Bennett brought to Bandon from Ireland was gorse, a thorny, thick growing plant with bright yellow flowers. In Ireland it was used for privacy hedges and property boundaries because it is almost impenetrable. In Oregon it went wild and was one of the state’s first invasive plants. Besides being thick and thorny, it is also a very oily plant and burns readily. In 1936 a small forest fire started from a slash burn that got out of hand, spread to the gorse near the town, and then to the town itself, destroying all but 16 of the 500 structures in the town. The fire decimated the community and all but ended shipping to and from the harbor.

In my youth, Bandon was primarily a mill town, with fishing and agriculture secondary industries. Today, the lumber and plywood mills are long gone. There is still a small fishing fleet that operates out of the harbor, Bandon is still one of the leading cranberry producing areas of the country, and dairy farming is still an important component of the economy. But it is tourism that drives the economy today. The three main tourist draws are the beaches, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, and the old town section of Bandon.

The Beaches

The beaches on either side of the Coquille River are dramatically different. To the north, a wide flat beach stretches for ten miles to the Cape Arago headland, interrupted only by Fivemile Point. The north beach can be accessed from Bullards Beach State Park, Whisky Run, located just north of Bandon Dunes, and Seven Devils State Park, another mile or so to the north.

The beach to the south of the Coquille River is a spectacular collection of sea stacks and offshore islands, including Face Rock and Table Rock, that are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. This is rightly regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches on the Oregon Coast.

Access can be had from the south jetty area, from the wayside at the end of 11th Street, and from Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint on the Beach Loop Road. Farther south on the Beach Loop Road are other beach access points at Devils Kitchen and Bandon State Natural Area.

Coquille River Lighthouse

The Coquille River Lighthouse is located at the mouth of the Coquille River on the north jetty, across the river from the old town section of Bandon. It was constructed in 1895-96 and began operating on February 29, 1896. In addition to the lighthouse itself, there was a foghorn, a lighthouse keeper’s residence, and a barn. Various improvements were made in the following years, including a boathouse for the lighthouse tender. None of the other structures remain.

In 1939 the Coast Guard took over the lighthouse and deemed it unnecessary. The lighthouse was replaced by an automated light on the south jetty. The lighthouse sat abandoned for 24 years until it became part of the new Bullards Beach State Park in 1963. It was another 13 years before renovation of the lighthouse began, but it finally opened to the public in 1979. In 1991, during Bandon’s centennial celebration, a solar powered light was installed, ending the Coquille River Lighthouse’s 52 years of darkness. Further renovation of the lighthouse was done in 2007. The lighthouse closed to the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic and has yet to re-open, so you can’t go inside, but the road to it and the parking area are open.

Circles in the Sand

Denny Dyke began creating labyrinths on the Bandon beach in 2011 as part of his ministry, Sacred Journeys. The labyrinths are intended as a form of walking meditation. Over the next few years Dyke created hundreds of labyrinths, and he and a team of volunteers continue to create dozens of labyrinths every year, each unique and lasting only until the next high tide.

The Circles in the Sand labyrinths have become true works of art in the decade that Dyke and his team have been creating them. They have also become very popular events, as have other walking labyrinths in other locations.

Golf

If you’re a golfer, you have likely heard a lot about Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. There are now five full length courses: Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, Old MacDonald, and Sheep Ranch.

All of the Bandon Dunes courses are consistently rated in the top 100 courses in the United States, and the 13 hole par three course, Bandon Preserve, is a challenge in itself. A few miles south of town, Bandon Crossings offers a lesser known, much less expensive, and equally challenging course that should be on every golfer’s radar.

Old Town

Bandon’s Old Town area is loaded with restaurants, galleries, gift shops, and outdoor art exhibits. Art lovers will want to visit Second Street Gallery, and everyone should take in the Washed Ashore exhibit, which displays sculptures and other artworks created entirely from marine debris picked up from the beach. Washed Ashore is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about plastic pollution of the oceans and waterways, and to making positive changes in consumer habits.

Good eats abound in Old Town. Start your day at Bandon Coffee Cafe, Jenn’s Joint Coffee Shop, Bandon Baking Company, or Shoestring Cafe. Stop at Face Rock Creamery to sample locally made cheeses and ice cream. Seafood lovers will want to sample the fare at Tony’s Crab Shack and Bandon Fish Market. Pub fare and quality draft beer are both to be had at Foley’s Irish Pub and Bandon Brewing Company. Decent and very affordable Mexican food can be had at La Fiesta. And if more upscale dining is what you’re looking for, try The Loft Restaurant and Bar or Alloro Wine Bar and Restaurant.

Accommodations

There are many hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and other accommodations in Bandon. Useful websites include: Visit the Oregon Coast, Bandon Chamber of Commerce, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Trip Advisor, Airbnb, and Vacasa.

There is a campground at Bullards Beach State Park with 103 full-hookup sites and 82 sites with water and electricity. And there are a number of commercial RV parks in the immediate area.

Getting There

Bandon isn’t exactly easy to get to. It’s about a 2½ hour drive from Eugene, three hours from Medford, and 4½-5 hours from Portland. There are no commercial flights to Bandon Airport. United Express does have daily flights from San Francisco and twice weekly flights from Denver to the Southwest Regional Airport in North Bend, but there are no direct flights between North Bend and Portland or other cities. There is no railroad serving Bandon, and there does not appear to be any bus service to Bandon. But Bandon’s remoteness means that it is less crowded than the northern or central Oregon coast, and the spectacularly beautiful beaches and interesting old town make it worth the trip. And, of course, there is Bandon Dunes, if you’re a golf fanatic.

Consider combining a visit to Bandon with a drive south along the spectacular Southern Oregon Coast and through the Redwoods of the northern California coast, one of the most beautiful and least visited sections of the Pacific coast. My wife and I did just that on our last visit. Give yourself a week or more for that trip because there is just so much to see and do.

Best Times To Visit

For my money, September and October are the best months to visit Bandon and the rest of the Oregon coast. The summer crowds are gone, the high winds that frequently makes the beaches uncomfortable on summer afternoons are less frequent and the weather is often better in the fall than any other time of the year. But there is really no bad time to visit.

Originally posted July 24, 2018. Updated on August 20, 2021 and October 13, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

California Coast Redwoods

by Alan K. Lee

The mild climate and abundant rainfall of the northern California coast makes for ideal growing conditions for conifers, especially for Sequoia sempervirens, the California Coast Redwoods, the tallest trees in the world. Immersing yourself in a old growth redwood forest is a magical experience. You simply cannot walk through a grove of mature coast redwoods and not be awestruck by their massive size and their incredible height. It can truly be a not-of-this-world experience.

My wife and I had the pleasure of spending a few days exploring the redwoods this summer. On our first day, we drove through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park , part of the Redwood National and State Parks complex that is made up of three California state parks that were established in the 1920s, and the connecting lands of Redwood National Park, established in 1968.

We stopped at a number of places in Jedediah Smith Redwoods to do short hikes into the forest. The out and back hikes to the Grove of the Titans on the Mill Creek Trail and the Nickerson Ranch Trail both take you through old growth redwood groves that are really indescribable. There just aren’t words to adequately express the experience. And the short Stout Grove Loop Trail near the north end of the park is equally impressive.

The best way to experience the redwoods is on foot, of course, and there are 18 miles of hiking trails in the park, but the drive through the park on Howland Hill Road is itself pretty awesome, even if you never get out of your car. The road is unpaved, narrow, and winding, so not suitable for trailers or motor homes, but all other vehicles can manage it okay, at least in the summer.

We stayed in Crescent City, but the park has a large campground and four cabins that can be reserved, if you plan far enough ahead. The campground is located on the Smith River on Highway 199 about five miles northeast of Crescent City. In the summer there is a footbridge across the river connecting the campground to the Stout Grove. Reservations can be made through the state parks website.

The next day, we hiked the short trail to Endert’s Beach, just south of Crescent City in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. The park has eight miles of untouched (and mostly inaccessible at this time) coastline, and another large campground. In 2002 a large parcel of previously logged land was added to the park and is currently the site of a large restoration project. You can learn about the project at the Mill Creek Day Use Area, or on the park website.

Near the south end of the park, Wilson Beach is a nice place to take a break and do some beachcombing. A little farther south, at Requa, we took a short detour to the Klamath River Overlook at the far south end of the park. The overlook provides a good view south across the mouth of the Klamath River, a thousand feet or so below.

Back on Hwy 101, if you take the first exit south of the Klamath River Bridge, the Klamath Beach Road will take you to several beach access points, a campground, and the High Bluffs Overlook, which has a picnic area with nice ocean views. From there, you can either loop back to Hwy 101 on Coastal Drive, or continue south to the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, a more scenic and quieter route through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park than Hwy 101.

Along the parkway, we did a short hike on the Ah-Pah Trail. You’ll find a number of other trailheads on the parkway that will also take you deep into the redwoods. We stopped briefly at the somewhat cheesy Big Tree Wayside, then at the visitor center at the park headquarters. Back on Hwy 101 a few miles south of the park headquarters, we also stopped at Elk Meadows Picnic Area, where we hiked to Trillium Falls – a nice hike, but the falls are less than impressive – mostly to kill some time before we headed to Fern Canyon, our afternoon destination.

Fern Canyon is popular enough to require a timed entry parking permit that is available only online. You can reserve either morning or afternoon permits. We had no problem getting a permit the day before we left on our trip, but we were there in the middle of the week. Weekends might be a different story. Parking permits are available on the park website.

The Fern Canyon Trail takes you through a 50 foot deep canyon, its vertical walls covered in a variety of different kinds of ferns. The “trail” is mostly non-existent. You’re essentially hiking the creek bed. There are some makeshift boardwalks, but plan on getting your feet wet. There was also a big logjam that we had to climb over. But that was a small price to pay, because the canyon is wonderfully scenic and utterly unique. I had never seen anything quite like it in all my years of hiking.

We stayed in Eureka that evening. The next morning we started for home. There is another state park a few miles south of Eureka, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, that has the largest contiguous old growth redwood stand in the world (according to the park website), but we didn’t have time to visit on this trip. It was a long drive to our next stop in Ashland, Oregon, and we wanted to get an early start. But we’ll be back, maybe next summer, to continue our exploration of the northern California coast. Mendocino beckons.

Our trip to the redwoods also featured stops in a number of places on the southern Oregon coast between Bandon and the California border. Check out my Bandon and Southern Oregon Coast posts. The southern Oregon coast is sparsely visited, but spectacularly beautiful, and definitely worth a look.

Posted October 3, 2022

All photos ©Alan K. Lee

Snoqualmie Valley

by Alan K. Lee

The beautiful Snoqualmie Valley runs from just east of Seattle, Washington southeast to Snoqualmie Pass at the crest of the Cascade Mountains. The valley’s proximity to Seattle and its eastern and southern suburbs makes the Snoqualmie Valley quite literally Seattle’s backyard. We’ll touch on some of the many recreational opportunities in the Snoqualmie Valley and in the Snoqualmie Pass area, but we’ll focus first on the two areas we visited on our most recent visit, Twin Falls on the South Fork of the Snoqualmie, and Snoqualmie Falls on the main stem.

Snoqualmie River

The middle and south forks of the Snoqualmie River arise near Snoqualmie Pass, which is only about 45 miles as the crow flies from downtown Seattle. The middle, south, and north forks of the river all come together to form the main stem of the Snoqualmie River just above the magnificent Snoqualmie Falls.

To say that the river is a very popular destination for people looking to escape the city is a bit of an understatement. On summer weekends it can seem like half the population of the metro area can be found along its banks or in the surrounding mountains. But there are dozens, probably hundreds, of hiking trails and other attractions, so the crowds disperse to some extent. But we were last there on the Fourth of July, and Snoqualmie Falls was a madhouse that day. Nevertheless, my wife and I still enjoyed our time there, and we had done a hike earlier in the day that was much less crowded. More on that below.

Snoqualmie Falls

Less than an hour’s drive from most of the Seattle metropolitan area, Snoqualmie Falls gets a lot of tourist traffic. More than 1.5 million people visit the falls annually. Most of the visitors are day trippers, but Salish Lodge sits on the north bank of the river at the top of the falls, so there are still many people in the area mornings and evenings. You’re not going to find solitude here.

The falls have been used to generate electricity since the turn of the 20th century. The first power plant was built in 1899. Power Plant #1 is largely inconspicuous because it is entirely underground, the first underground power plant built in the country. Power Plant #2, built in 1910 on the north bank of the river just downstream of the falls, is much more conspicuous, with three large pipelines running above ground down the slope to the plant.

So, this is not prime wilderness. But with a 268 foot vertical drop, Snoqualmie Falls is more than twice the height of Niagara Falls. And fed by the abundant winter and spring rains and the spring and summer snow melt from the Cascade Mountains, the volume of water flowing over the falls can be an awesome sight.

The Fourth of July might be the worst possible time to visit the falls. It took us some time just to find a parking place, and the viewing areas at the top of the falls were elbow to elbow. After waiting our turn to get photos at several view points, we hiked down to the base of the falls. There were fewer people at the bottom than the top, but it wasn’t uncrowded by any means. My advice would be to go on a weekday, if possible, come early in the day if you can only come on a weekend, and avoid holiday weekends completely. But despite the crowds (and the heat), we enjoyed our stop.

The falls are just a few miles off of Interstate 90, near the town of Snoqualmie. Take Exit 25 and follow Snoqualmie Parkway to the falls.

Twin Falls

Earlier in the day, we hiked to Twin Falls on the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. This is a relatively easy, family friendly hike. The Washington Trails Association rates the hike Easy/Moderate. We had two of our grandkids with us (age four and six), and both made the 2.6-mile round trip without much difficulty. Twin Falls is a little less than ten miles east of Snoqualmie Falls. For a more complete description of the hike with more photos, click here.

There are many other hikes in the Snoqualmie Valley that offer a variety of difficulty levels for all types of hikers. According to the Washington Trails Association, the Mount Si Trail is the most popular hike in the state. It’s not a trail for everyone, though. The eight-mile round trip gains a staggering 3150 feet in elevation. The WTA rates it Hard. No kidding. But, despite the difficulty, upwards of 100,000 people make the trek every year.

The Snow Lake Trail on Snoqualmie Pass offers a slightly shorter and easier hike (7.2 miles round trip with 1800 feet of elevation gain, rated Moderate/Hard). I was captivated by the photo above that I saw many years ago on the internet. Snow Lake is incredibly beautiful, as you can see.

For those of you with young children (or grandchildren) in tow, there are many kid-friendly trails in the Snoqualmie region in addition to Twin Falls, including Franklin Falls, Lodge Lake, Oxbow Loop, Mirror and Cottonwood Lakes, and many others. Check the WTA website for more family friendly hiking options.

As well as hiking, the Snoqualmie Valley offers many other outdoor activities, from mountain biking, fishing, boating, and camping in the summer to cross country and alpine skiing, snow shoeing, and snowmobiling in the winter.

And if outdoor activities aren’t your thing, there are still options for you. For a luxury hotel experience, you can’t beat the Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls. The nearby town of North Bend has some nice restaurants and an interesting history. Fans of the David Lynch TV series, Twin Peaks, may recognize parts of the town. The series was partially filmed in North Bend.

If you’re interested in sightseeing, but don’t want to (or aren’t able to) hike, the Summit at Snoqualmie ski area operates several chair lifts in the summer that will take you up to scenic viewpoints. Adult tickets are $20, and senior and youth tickets are $15. There are also a variety of bars and restaurants at the resort.

If you’re visiting the Seattle area, you’ll surely want to take in the Seattle Center and the Space Needle, but also take the short drive up the Snoqualmie Valley to get a taste of the outdoor experience that Seattleites value so much.

Posted August 29, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee, except as noted

Seattle Aquarium

by Alan K. Lee

The Seattle Aquarium is a fun-filled and educational experience for the whole family. The aquarium’s displays and exhibits focus on the marine life of Puget Sound. You’ll explore tide pools, see salmon, halibut, lingcod, and other fish living in Puget Sound, marine birds like the tufted puffin, black oystercatcher, and pigeon guillemot, and marine mammals, including sea otters, harbor seals, and fur seals.

The aquarium is managed and operated by the nonprofit Seattle Aquarium Society under a long-term agreement with the City of Seattle. The aquarium’s mission, Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment, guides the aquarium society’s activities, which extend beyond the aquarium.

The Seattle Aquarium Society runs a variety of public programs that give people the chance to explore and learn about beach ecosystems, salmon migration and life cycles, and other aspects of the local marine environment. And the society runs summer camps for kids and distance learning programs in addition to their hands on programs.

The Seattle Aquarium is located on the waterfront in downtown Seattle north of the ferry terminals. There are many other nearby attractions, such as the Seattle Great Wheel (two blocks to the south), and Pike Place Public Market, one of Seattle’s iconic institutions (two blocks to the east). After visiting Pike Place, continue on another quarter mile east and catch the Monorail (another iconic Seattle institution) at 5th and Pine for a quick ride to the Seattle Center and the Space Needle.

Other attractions near the aquarium include The Seattle Art Museum, just three blocks from the aquarium, and the Seattle Public Library, less than half a mile away. (Take the elevator or escalators to the 10th level of the library for some of the best views of downtown Seattle).

My wife and I spent the recent Fourth of July weekend exploring Seattle and vicinity with my step-daughter and her family. The grandkids had a great time at the aquarium, riding the Great Wheel and the Monorail, and seeing the sights from the top of the Space Needle. Seattle is truly a great place for the whole family. And the environment surrounding Seattle, both terrestrial and marine, is beautiful and often awe inspiring. Look for an upcoming post on this site on the Snoqualmie Valley, just a short drive east of Seattle. The abundance of close at hand natural areas perfectly balances the urban environment, making a visit to Seattle an even more attractive trip for everyone.

Posted August 27, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Quinault Rain Forest

Rainfall in the Quinault Rain Forest is measured in feet, not inches. Average annual rainfall is about 12 feet. Some years see 15 feet. All that rain combined with a mild climate results in a lot of vegetation. Ferns cover the ground. Moss hangs from tree limbs. There are trees everywhere. And the trees are big. The largest Sitka Spruce in the world grows on the shore of Lake Quinault. The world’s largest Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and Mountain Hemlock are all found in the Quinault Valley. And the Quinault Rain Forest is also home to the largest Yellow Cedar and Western Hemlock trees in the United States.

The Quinault Rain Forest lies in the southwestern corner of Olympic National Park, the adjacent Olympic National Forest, and the Quinault Indian Reservation in western Washington. It’s less than a four hour drive from either Portland or Seattle, but it seems a world apart, and more than a little stuck in time. It looks much as I remember it from when I first visited as a child more than a half century ago. Cell phone service and wi-fi availability are spotty. There are no big resorts and no towns of any size. Urban America is nowhere to be found.

The pandemic has kept all of us from traveling as much as maybe we’d like. That certainly applies to my wife and I. Most of our vacation plans for 2020 had to be cancelled. And just when the parks and recreation areas were beginning to reopen, wildfires in western Oregon and Washington shut them down again. But the Olympic Peninsula was largely unaffected by the fires. So, my wife and I decided that the Olympics would be an ideal, and much needed, escape from Portland, and in September 2020 we headed to the Olympic Peninsula. Our first stop was Lake Quinault.

We treated ourselves to a stay at the historic Lake Quinault Lodge, one of the iconic grand lodges of the American West. The original Lake Quinault Lodge was built in 1904. The Boathouse annex was built in 1923. The original lodge burned down in 1924 and the current main lodge was constructed in 1926 on the site of the older lodge. Two additional annexes have been added since then. The existing lodge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Rooms at the lodge are a little pricey, but you’re paying for the history, charm, and iconic nature of the lodge more than for the amenities provided. There are no TVs in any of the main lodge rooms, no fridges, or microwaves, no phones and no cell phone service. But that’s all part of the charm. The Boathouse and the other two annexes offer a few more amenities. Some come with fireplaces, the Lakeside Rooms are billed as family friendly, and the Boathouse Rooms are pet friendly. Our room in the main lodge came with all we needed, a comfortable bed and a view of the lake.

Services at the lodge were limited by the pandemic during our stay. The swimming pool, sauna, and game room were closed. The restaurant served take out meals, but the dining room was closed (outside seating was available and you could eat in the main hall or in your room). However, all services have been restored to pre-pandemic levels.

Some people undoubtedly come to Lake Quinault Lodge just to relax and enjoy the lodge and the setting, which I fully understand. On our second day there my wife launched her folding kayak from the beach in front of the lodge and spent an afternoon paddling Lake Quinault. Canoe rentals are available at the lodge if you don’t bring your own. I spent that afternoon relaxing in an Adirondack chair on the beach with a good book.

A somewhat cheaper alternative to Lake Quinault Lodge is the nearby Rain Forest Resort, which has a 16 room lodge, cabins (some with hot tubs), an RV park, and a restaurant. The world’s largest Sitka Spruce grows a short walk from the resort. Other options are the Quinault River Inn on Hwy 101 in Amanda Park, and Lochaerie Resort on North Shore Road. And there are three campgrounds on the south shore of Lake Quinault, and two (one a walk-in) on the north shore.

Lake Quinault Lodge, the Rain Forest Resort, or any of the three south shore campgrounds make an ideal base for exploring the area. Hikers have a variety of options, from the half mile Rain Forest Nature Trail Loop to a loop of about seven miles that takes you to Gatton Creek Falls, Cascade Falls, the Cedar Bog, the Rain Forest Nature Trail, and along the lake shore. Cutoff trails make shorter loops of various distances possible. Other hiking trails are a short drive from the lodge.

Two stops along South Shore Road worth making are Merriman Falls and Bunch Falls. Both are just east of Lake Quinault and both are right by the road, so no hiking required.

One hike that everyone should do is the Maple Glade Trail at the Quinault River Ranger Station on North Shore Road. It is spectacularly beautiful, and like the Rain Forest Nature Trail, it’s an easy 0.5 mile loop. But, unlike the Rain Forest Nature Trail, which takes you through a coniferous forest of Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar, the Maple Glade Trail immerses you in a Bigleaf Maple forest. There the ground is covered in ferns and other low growing shrubs and the maples soar overhead, but in between is mostly open and airy. The effect is like being in a gigantic room carpeted with ferns and roofed with a canopy of maple leaves.

The Maple Glade Trail can be extended by taking the connecting trail to the Kestner Homestead. There you’ll find the Kestner house, barn, outbuildings, and a cool old rusted delivery truck.

There are also much longer hikes that can be taken into the Olympic National Park from the Quinault Valley. The most famous, and probably most hiked, is the Enchanted Valley Trail. It’s a 13 mile hike along the East Fork of the Quinault River to reach the Enchanted Valley, so it is not a casual outing. Most people do it as a 3-5 day backpacking trip. My backpacking days are behind me, but the Enchanted Valley is one of the hikes that I regret having never done.

Those of us that live in western Oregon and Washington can be a bit blasé about the rain forest. We live in the middle of one, after all. But we shouldn’t take it for granted. The Quinault Rain Forest is a beautiful and spectacular reminder of what once stretched uninterrupted from the Redwoods of Northern California to the vast forests of southeast Alaska. If you have never experienced the grandeur of the coastal rain forest of the Pacific Northwest, you owe it to yourself to visit at least once. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Originally posted October 26, 2020. Updated and re-posted August 11, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Leavenworth, Washington

by Alan K. Lee

In the 1960s Leavenworth, Washington reinvented itself as a Bavarian-themed tourist town, modeled on the Danish-themed town of Solvang, California.

In the early part of the 20th century, Leavenworth was a thriving community, its economy fueled by the railroad and the timber industry. But by the 1950s the timber industry was in decline and the Great Northern Railroad regional office was long gone (to nearby Wenatchee). Even the railroad tracks had been relocated. By then Leavenworth had been losing jobs and population for decades. Leavenworth’s leaders looked for ways to revitalize the town, and tourism seemed to offer the best chance of boost the economy. So, they set about renovating the whole town.

The entire downtown area now resembles a Bavarian village, but the transition went beyond just the architecture of the town. Leavenworth has also adopted Bavarian culture in a variety of ways. Leavenworth’s Mai Fest and Oktoberfest were modeled on their Bavarian counterparts, German cuisine is featured at many of the town’s restaurants, such as Munchen Haus, and Bavarian-style pubs like Gustav’s are scattered throughout the town.

Even if not authentic and a bit kitschy, Leavenworth is still a beautiful, unique (at least in the Northwest), and charming small town that many people adore. Its mimicry of Bavarian culture has been very successful in attracting tourists, and today the town is again thriving. The town is crowded with tourists on summer and fall weekends, and accommodations are often booked up months in advance.

The immensely popular Oktoberfest has been tremendously successful in bringing tourists (and their money) to the town every fall. Its popularity, though, has brought with it alcohol-related and other problems that led the town to consider making changes to the festival. The 2021 festival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the town leaders rejected the proposal of the festival’s organizers for the 2022 festival. That led the festival organizers to move the 2022 Leavenworth Oktoberfest to nearby Wenatchee. However, the City of Leavenworth decided to retain a smaller, more spread out and more family friendly celebration (being called Oktoberfest 2022) on the same three weekends as the festival in Wenatchee. Confusingly, the two concurrent festivals are being run by different organizations, the Leavenworth Oktoberfest is not taking place in Leavenworth, and the Oktoberfest that is taking place in Leavenworth is not called the Leavenworth Oktoberfest. But that just means we now have a two for one opportunity to experience something akin to an authentic Bavarian festival.

There’s more to Leavenworth than Oktoberfest and all the faux Bavarian trappings, too. Leavenworth is located in a spectacular natural setting, and that by itself is reason enough to visit. Leavenworth has become a year round outdoor recreational mecca. Spring, summer, and fall offer abundant hiking, camping, fishing, rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Winter brings Nordic and alpine skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, sleigh riding, tubing and sledding, snowmobiling, dog sledding and even ice climbing opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast.

To really experience what Leavenworth is all about, you need to spend more than just a day there. Leavenworth is a little off the beaten path, about 130 miles east of Seattle on US Hwy 2, but it is worth an extended visit, at least once. Many people, though, find themselves returning again and again, my wife and I among them. And if you choose to visit Leavenworth, consider also visiting the fjord-like 50 mile long Lake Chelan about 50 miles north of Leavenworth.

For much more information on Leavenworth, Washington, the Two Wandering Soles Leavenworth blog post has a ton of info on the town and the area’s recreational opportunities. (The site doesn’t appear to have been updated recently, so some of the information may be out of date, but there’s so much there that it’s well worth checking out.)

Originally posted February 18, 2020. Updated and re-posted July 25, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Silver Falls State Park

By Alan K. Lee

Silver Falls State Park was voted Oregon’s favorite state park by an Oregonian/OregonLive readers poll. And no wonder. With more than ten waterfalls, six of them more than 90 feet in height, and four that you can actually walk behind, Silver Falls is a waterfall lovers paradise. And who doesn’t love waterfalls?

Silver Falls State Park is located in the Cascade Range foothills about 20 miles east of Salem. To get there from the Portland area, head south on I-5 to Woodburn and take Oregon Highway 214 through Woodburn, Mount Angel, and Silverton to the park. From Salem, take Oregon Highway 22 east for about 12 miles and follow the signs to the park. Day use parking permits cost five dollars and can be purchased at either the North Falls or South Falls parking areas. Twelve month passes cost $30 and 24 month passes $50, available on the park website.

The park was created largely through the efforts of one man, photographer June Drake. He grew up in nearby Silverton, and waged a twenty year campaign, from 1906 to 1926, to get the federal government to declare the area a national park. When that ultimately failed, he convinced the Silverton and Salem Chambers of Commerce to buy options on some of the land, to be later sold to the state, and purchased 160 acres himself that also became part of the park. Silver Falls State Park was created in 1931 and was dedicated on July 23, 1933.

The park as we know it today was shaped by the efforts of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) during the Great Depression. From 1935 to 1942, 200 WPA and CCC workers built roads, parking areas, trails, bridges, and buildings, and planted trees to reforest areas that had been logged or burned. Many of the buildings, including the South Falls Lodge and Nature Store, are still in use today, more than 80 years after they were built.

The park includes a campground with 91 campsites (48 with water and electric hookups) and 14 cabins, an extensive day use area, including a cafe and nature store, near South Falls, a new day use area near North Falls, equestrian trails, bike trails, the Trail of Ten Falls that takes you to all of the falls, and 35 miles of backcountry trails.

Smith Creek Village, near the backcountry portion of the park, has a restaurant, small cottages and cabins for rent, larger multi-bedroom lodges with kitchenettes and full bathrooms, and event spaces that will sleep up to 75 guests.

The newly opened North Canyon day use area is part of a planned North Gateway that will include a visitor center and a new 50 unit campground, both scheduled to open in 2025.

The waterfalls are the main attraction of the park, of course, and the Trail of Ten Falls is one of the finest hiking trails in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t know of anywhere else that you can see that many waterfalls, and actually get behind four of them, on a single hike. Silver Falls State Park is truly unique.

There are a variety of hiking options in the park, from a less than one mile loop that takes you from the top of South Falls down into the canyon and behind the falls then back to the starting point, to the full Trail of Ten Falls that takes you to all of the falls to the 35 miles of backcountry trails away from the waterfalls. And the backcountry offers both mountain biking and horseback riding trails.

For a detailed description of the Trail of Ten Falls, click here. And one of the shorter loop hikes is described in my A Winter’s Hike at Silver Falls post.

The best times to visit Silver Falls are in the early spring when the falls are at their full force and in the fall when the reds and yellows of the maples and alders contrast with the deep greens of the conifers. Summer weekends can be very crowded, so come early or visit on a weekday if you can. But even on weekdays you will find plenty of company. Winter has its own charms, and you might even find some solitude then. The trails can be slippery when wet and are dangerous when icy, so check the weather forecast before you go.

Whether you’re out for a picnic, a short walk, a long hike, an overnight stay in a cabin, tent, or RV, a horseback ride, or an outing on your mountain bike, Silver Falls State Park has it all.

Silver Falls State Park is one of the truly outstanding places in the Pacific Northwest to lace up your hiking boots and experience nature at it finest. Silver Falls is one of the gems of the Pacific Northwest, and not to be missed.

Originally posted June 30, 2018 by Alan K. Lee. Edited and most recently updated August 2, 2023.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Powells Wood Garden

by Alan K. Lee

My wife and I recently paid a visit to Powells Wood Garden in Federal Way, Washington, just north of Tacoma. We had seen a set of photos taken at Powells Wood that were quite beautiful, so we decided to take a side trip on our recent weekend visit to Gig Harbor and check it out in person.

What we found was a beautiful three acre botanical garden containing eight “rooms” separated by manicured hedges, and an adjacent 35 acre natural area preserve. We spent several very pleasant hours exploring the botanical garden and the nature preserve. It was a nice way to unwind after the drive up from Portland.

The botanical garden is small, but it’s a nicely constructed set of gardens and a place that any flower lover will enjoy.

The adjacent natural area is a maturing second growth forest with many large conifers, a small stream, and the typical temperate rainforest understory of native shrubs and ferns. Several trails loop through the preserve. We hiked most of the trails that afternoon and saw only a few other people.

Powells Wood Garden is located at 430 S. Dash Point Road in Federal Way. The garden is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Admission is $7 per person (children 12 and under are free). Tickets can be purchased online on the Garden’s website . Reservations are not required and tickets can also be purchased on site.

If you visit Powells Wood Garden, you might also want to stop in at Dash Point State Park, a few miles west of Powells Wood. The main attraction at Dash Point is the 3000 feet of Puget Sound shoreline. But there are also miles of hiking and mountain biking trails and a campground with 141 campsites.

While Powells Wood Garden is probably not worth a trip to Tacoma on its own, the Tacoma area has a lot of other attractions, not the least of which are the Museum of Glass and the Tacoma Art Museum, both part of the Tacoma Museum District.

And across the Tacoma Narrows from the city of Tacoma, the charming small town of Gig Harbor is well worth a visit, as well. Gig Harbor has a beautiful waterfront and the community has done a good job of preserving its history as it has grown from a small fishing village into a bedroom community of Tacoma. It’s one of our favorite towns in the Northwest and one we return to often.

If you find yourself in the Tacoma area and you’re interested in flowers, gardens, or natural areas, pay a visit to Powells Wood Garden. It’s definitely worth seeking out.

Posted June 12, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

by Alan K. Lee

I visit Tryon Creek State Park in southwest Portland often, as it is only a few miles from my home. I go to connect with nature and escape the noise and hustle and bustle of the city. The park is an urban oasis where it’s easy to forget that you’re in the middle of a major metropolitan area. That is a major draw and the park is a much beloved, and much used, place. But the park is big enough (658 acres) that it seldom feels overly crowded.

Bigleaf maples cover a large part of the park and, as a photographer, I appreciate the extraordinary quality of light under their canopy. The light can change dramatically from season to season, day to day, and sometimes moment to moment. I find the interplay of light and shadow always beautiful, endlessly fascinating, and often challenging to capture with the camera. It is one of the things that continues to draw me back to the park.

The park, now officially called Tryon Creek State Natural Area, is a transitional second growth forest. What is now the park was logged at least once between 1870 and 1960 to provide fuel for the iron smelter that once operated nearby and to produce ties for the railroad industry.

Today, the forest has regrown. While still not a mature old growth forest, the new forest contains many large Douglas firs, western hemlocks, western red cedars, bigleaf and vine maples, and red alders.

Nearly 300 different forest plants and flowers grow in the park. Blacktail deer, raccoons, coyotes, red foxes, beaver, and more than two dozen other mammals roam the park. More than 70 species of birds have been seen in the park. And cutthroat trout, coho and chinook salmon, and steelhead can be found in Tryon Creek.

The area was saved from development in the late 1960s and early 1970s by a combination of dedicated citizens, the Friends of Tryon Creek, Multnomah County, and the State of Oregon. Tryon Creek State Park was officially dedicated on July 1, 1975.

Many, if not most, of the park’s visitors come to hike the nearly fifteen miles of hiking and mixed use trails. Some bring their horses to ride the three and a half miles of equestrian trails. There is also a three mile paved bike path running through the park and a paved all abilities trail. The Nature Center, with a friendly staff, interpretive exhibits, a small store, and public restrooms, is a popular starting point for many visitors.

The park is jointly managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of Tryon Creek. The park’s mission has always included adult and youth environmental education programs, including day camps, a junior ranger program, school field trips, guided tours of the park, and special events. It is not uncommon to encounter large groups of children, and sometimes adults, in the park.

Many of the events and programs sponsored by the park were cancelled or available only online during the majority of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Nature Center was closed and entrance to the park was limited at times. While we’re still living with Covid, most, if not all, of the park’s programs have been restored, and the Nature Center is open again.

The main parking area and the Nature Center are located at 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd in Portland. The park is currently open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. (closing times vary with the season). For more information, check the park’s website or call 1-800-551-6949.

And finally, this reminder from the Friends of Tryon Creek:

“It is important to ground ourselves and acknowledge the people whose land we are utilizing; the Clackamas Chinook, the Wasco-Wishram, the Willamette Tumwater, the Multnomah, and other Chinookan peoples, as well as the Tualatin Kalapuya, the Cayuse, the Molalla and other tribes and bands of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. It is important to acknowledge the original inhabitants of the land now known as Tryon Creek State Natural Area, and to recognize that we are here because of the sacrifices that were forced upon them. We also remember that we are guests of this land and must do our best to honor the original peoples, through authentic cultural narratives and continued stewardship of the water, the land, and plants that make up this forest community.”

Originally posted July 29, 2020. Updated and re-posted May 25, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens

by Alan K. Lee

Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, in Woodland, Washington, draws thousands of visitors every year, especially in the spring during Lilac Days when the many varieties of lilacs are in bloom.

My wife and I first visited the Lilac Gardens in 2018 during a weekend trip to Mount St. Helens. We had done a long hike on the mountain the previous day (see my previous posts on our Harry’s Ridge and Lava Canyon hikes), and needed a day to recover, plus the weather had taken a turn for the worse. So, we looked for other things to do in the Kalama or Woodland areas. Visiting the Lilac Gardens seemed like it would be a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. And that it was, even though the lilacs had long since finished blooming.

The Lilac Gardens have a long and interesting history and many people come to the Gardens because of Hulda Klager’s influence on both the local area and on the development of both botanical gardens and plant propagation techniques.

Hulda Thiel was two years old when the Thiel family emigrated to the U.S. from Germany. After spending a decade in Wisconsin and Minnesota, her parents purchased a farm in Woodland in 1877, when Hulda was thirteen. The Lilac Gardens occupy four acres of that original farmland.

Hulda married Frank Klager in her teens. She was always interested in gardening and raising flowers, but it wasn’t until 1903, when she was nearly forty, that she became interested in plant propagation and hybridization. She first started working with lilacs in 1905, and by 1910 had created more than a dozen new varieties. Over the course of her long life, she developed about 250 different varieties.

In 1920 Hulda began opening her garden to the public during the spring bloom, and continued doing so until 1948, when a spring flood destroyed the original gardens. Despite being in her 80s, she spent the next two years tirelessly rebuilding her gardens, and was able to re-open them in 1950. She continued to open her gardens to the public until her death in 1960. Known as the Lilac Lady, Hulda’s life story was the basis for Jane Kirkpatrick’s novel Where Lilacs Still Bloom.

After Hulda’s death, her family put the farm up for sale. The local garden society succeeded in having Hulda’s gardens declared a state and national historic site to prevent them from being bulldozed for a proposed industrial site.

The Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens have been owned and operated by the non-profit Hulda Klager Lilac Society since 1976. Each spring when the lilacs are blooming the society sponsors Lilac Days, when the society sells lilacs, operates a gift shop in what was the farm’s barn, and opens the restored Klager farmhouse to the public.

In 2019 my wife and I re-visited the Gardens on Mother’s Day weekend at the tail end of the Lilac Days celebration. Despite being past the peak of the bloom, there were still may lilacs in bloom, and the Gardens have many varieties of other flowering plants, as well. Even the previous year, on our first visit at the end of summer, there were many flowers in bloom. We toured the family farmhouse, wandered around the Gardens for some time, and took literally hundreds of photos. It was another very pleasant day.

The Lilac Gardens are on the western edge of Woodland, Washington. Woodland is located on I-5 about twenty-five miles north of Portland, Oregon. Lilac Days run from mid-April through Mothers Day each year.

2022 Update: Unfortunately, the Lilac Gardens closed at the end of Lilac Days this year due to the still ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and are not scheduled to reopen until Lilac Days in 2023. Go to the garden website for more information.

Originally posted May 14, 2019. Updated and re-posted May 18, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

The Oregon Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The Oregon Garden, located in Silverton, Oregon, consists of more than 20 specialty gardens covering 80 acres. While it was created about 20 years ago primarily to promote the Oregon nursery industry, the Garden has grown into one of the premier botanical gardens of the Northwest.

The Oregon Garden is spectacularly beautiful in the spring, but it has plenty to offer in other seasons. The photos shown here were taken in September, for example, and there were a lot of plants still in bloom, as you can see. Even in winter, the garden is worth a visit.

Flowers take center stage here, but there’s much more to the Oregon Garden than just flowers. Wetlands that are the final stage of Silverton’s wastewater treatment process and a formal water garden are also part of the larger Garden. As are a conifer garden, oak grove, and a 15 acre working demonstration forest. You can also find many agricultural products, such as berries, hops, and grapes, growing in the garden in artful settings.

Stained glass window by Judy Kunkle, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Copper and glass sculpture by Lauren Wingert, Albany, Oregon

Throughout the Garden you will find art works by local artists.

The Gordon House. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

The Gordon House, Oregon’s only surviving Frank Lloyd Wright designed house (and the only one in the Northwest open to the public) is located immediately adjacent to the Garden.

Oregon Garden Resort. Photo from the Oregon Garden Resort website.

The Oregon Garden Resort, featuring 103 guest rooms, restaurant, and spa, is also located adjacent to the Garden.

Start your tour of the gardens at the Visitor Center, where you purchase your tickets. Pick up a free map of the gardens and check out the gift shop. The Visitor Center also houses the Little Leaf Cafe (soups, sandwiches, and other lunch items). And there is a retail nursery located adjacent to the Visitor Center where you can purchase plants grown by the garden staff and volunteers.

The Oregon Garden is open daily, except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. Hours are 10-4 (10-3 in winter). Adult admission prices are $8 Nov-Feb and $12 Mar-Oct. There are discounts for seniors (60+), students (12-17), children (5-11), and veterans. Children under five are free. Go to the garden website for a schedule of events and other information.

The Garden is ADA compliant and all mobility devices are allowed in the Garden. There is a 1.4 mile paved path that runs through most of the 20+ specialty gardens. There is also a tram that takes guests on a 25 minute narrated tour of the Garden. Tickets are $3, sold on a first-come first-served basis.

Take your time and enjoy the beauty of the Garden. There are plenty of benches in the gardens to sit and relax. There’s enough here that it wouldn’t be hard to make a full day of it. And you can bring your dog. There’s even a pet friendly garden.

If you are making a day of it, dining options include the Little Leaf Cafe and the Garden View Restaurant and the Fireside Lounge at the Oregon Garden Resort. Or you can bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it in one of the designated picnic areas. A variety of dining options are also available in downtown Silverton.

And if you’re visiting from outside the area, a trip to nearby Silver Falls State Park should also be on your itinerary. There aren’t many other places where you can see ten waterfalls on a single hike, and the trail will actually take you behind four of them. It’s one of Oregon’s premier attractions.

Originally posted October 6, 2019. Updated May 12, 2022.

Hoyt Arboretum

by Alan K. Lee

Hoyt Arboretum, in Portland, Oregon, was founded in 1928 to conserve endangered tree species and help educate the community about the value and wonder of trees and the natural environment.

Today, the arboretum features more than 100 collections of trees and plants, organized by taxonomy and geography, spread over 189 acres in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills. There are more than 2300 species native to six continents represented in the arboretum collections.

The arboretum features a small visitor center, a covered picnic structure, and 12 miles of hiking trails, including a portion of the 30 mile long Wildwood Trail that connects Washington Park to the Pittock Mansion, the Portland Audubon Society sanctuary, and Forest Park, the nation’s largest forested city park. The arboretum also makes a number of outdoor areas available to rent for weddings or other private events.

The visitor center is a good place to begin your visit to the arboretum, especially if it is your first visit. It is open daily from 10:00 to 3:00. You can pick up a free map there, which I have found to be very useful. You can also download a map from the arboretum’s website. The arboretum’s trails are well signed, but there are many intersecting trails and an almost limitless number of possible loops to hike, so having a good map is definitely a plus. The visitor center staff are also friendly and can answer any questions that you may have. The center also includes restrooms and a small gift shop.

Many of the trees and plants throughout the arboretum are labeled and there are interpretive signs describing the featured collections. And, if you want information on specific trees and plants, you can access the arboretum’s online plant directory.

As an educational institution as well as a conservatory, arboretum staff regularly conduct public tours, sponsor educational events, and offer a variety of classes to the public.

Hoyt Arboretum is just one of a number of attractions in Washington Park, making it one of the true centerpieces of what makes Portland such an attractive place to live. Besides the arboretum, Washington Park is also home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, the World Forestry Center, the Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the International Rose Test Garden.

More information on the arboretum, directions, and parking and public transit information can be found on the arboretum’s website (linked above).

Hoyt Arboretum is one of my favorite places in the Portland area. Whether you want to learn more about the environment, are interested in the plants and trees in the arboretum’s collections, want to find a quiet and peaceful retreat, or just want to stretch your legs, Hoyt Arboretum is a great place to spend a few hours. Add in the other attractions in Washington Park and you can easily make a day of it.

Originally posted April 8, 2020. Updated July 15, 2020 and May 5, 2022.

Connie Hansen Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The Connie Hansen Garden in Lincoln City, Oregon is one of the smallest botanical gardens in the Northwest, at just 1¼ acres, but don’t let the size fool you, it’s also one of the best.

Connie Hansen grew up in Oregon, but moved to California to attend the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned a degree in botany. She moved back to Oregon late in her life, after her husband’s death and her retirement from the faculty of UC Berkeley.

She began creating her garden in 1973 and she tended and continually expanded it for the next 20 years. After her death in 1993 a group of neighbors and local gardeners formed the Connie Hansen Garden Conservancy to preserve the magnificent garden that she had created. The Conservancy is a not for profit corporation run by a dedicated group of volunteers.

The garden is located at 1931 NW 33rd Street in Lincoln City. It is open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. The Garden House, Hansen’s former home, now houses a small gift shop where you can find gardening supplies, books, and souvenirs. There is also a small art gallery. It is open from 10:00 to 2:00 Tuesday and Friday through Sunday from March to mid-December.

The Conservancy conducts spring, summer, and fall plant sales, and there are usually plants for sale at other times as well. Garden memberships are available through the conservancy website for those that want to support the garden.

The Connie Hansen Garden is one of the hidden gems of the Oregon Coast. It is both a beautiful and tranquil oasis and a lasting tribute to the woman who spent 20 years of her life creating it. Pay the garden a visit the next time you’re in the Lincoln City area. I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Originally posted June 17, 2021. Updated and re-posted April 27, 2022.

Leach Botanical Garden

by Alan K. Lee

Leach Botanical Garden in southeast Portland may not leap to mind when you think of Portland area gardens, but pay it a visit and you will find that it truly belongs in the top tier of Portland botanical gardens. The beautiful and serene set of gardens feature more than 2000 varieties of plants, including 125 species of ferns.

What is now Leach Botanical Garden was once the home of John and Lilla Leach. They purchased the property in the early 1930s and built a cottage on the south shore of Johnson Creek in 1932. Four years later they built a larger house on the north shore.

Both the Stone Cabin and the Manor House still stand. The Manor House now houses the garden’s gift shop and is a popular wedding venue and event space. (The part of the garden south of Johnson Creek, including the Stone Cabin, is currently closed to the public).

Lilla Leach was an amateur botanist and discovered five plants previously unknown to science. One, Kalmiopsis leachiana, is named after her, and the southwest Oregon wilderness where she discovered it is now known as the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Over the years she planted many native plant species, some of them rare, on the estate they called Sleepy Hollow.

John and Lilla lived in Sleepy Hollow until John’s death in 1972. The Leaches willed the property to the City of Portland, and the city created Leach Botanical Garden after Lilla’s death in 1980 to preserve her botanical garden.

Originally four acres in size, the botanical garden has been expanded, most recently in 2021, and now covers some 17 acres and includes an aerial tree walk (part of the 2021 expansion) that extends out over the slope leading down to Johnson Creek and the Manor House.

The garden is located at 6704 SE 122nd Avenue and is open to the public Tue-Fri 10am-5pm and Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. The garden is closed on Monday. Reservations are not required, but are recommended. Walk up tickets are available, but may be limited during busy periods. Reserved tickets can be obtained on the garden’s website.

There is currently no admission charge, but donations are encouraged and go to support operation of the garden and the garden’s educational programs. You can also register for a garden tour on the website, which is currently the only way to visit the Stone Cabin and the historic Outdoor Kitchen on the south side of Johnson Creek..

If you’re visiting Portland, consider paying Leach Botanical Garden a visit. Pair it with a visit to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in inner southeast Portland, and to the International Rose Test Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, and the Portland Japanese Garden, all in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills, for an immersive experience in the Rose City’s garden culture. If you enjoy the peace and beauty of botanical gardens, you won’t regret it.

Posted April 25, 2022

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

by Alan K. Lee

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in southeast Portland, Oregon is an internationally recognized garden containing many rare rhododendrons, azaleas, and related species. It’s a beautiful and (sometimes) quiet island of serenity in the midst of the city, and it’s one of my favorite places in Portland..

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is spectacularly beautiful in the spring blooming season, but its attractions are not limited to that season, and not just to rhododendrons and azaleas. The garden is beautiful the year round. And it’s nearly surrounded by Crystal Springs Lake, making it a haven for waterfowl and other birds. More than 90 species of birds can be found in the garden, including Bald Eagles, which can often be seen flying over the lake in search of fish or unwary waterfowl.

The garden covers 9.5 acres, divided into two areas, called The Island and The Peninsula. Originally owned by William S. Ladd (1826-1893), twice Mayor of Portland in the 1850s, and called Crystal Springs Farm, the City of Portland acquired the the Island portion of the Garden in the 1920s.

In the first half of the 20th Century, The Island was the site of Shakespearean plays produced by Reed College, which adjoins the garden. But by 1950 the site was largely abandoned and overgrown. In that year the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society established a display and test garden on The Island. The area now known as The Peninsula was donated to the garden in 1977 by Portland landscape architect Wallace K. Huntington. Volunteers from the Friends of Crystal Springs (the Portland Chapter of The American Rhododendron Society) and the Master Gardeners program now maintain the Garden.

The garden is open year round from 10:00-4:00, except Wednesdays, when it opens at 1:00. Admission is $5.00 Tuesday through Sunday. No admission is charged on Mondays, and children 10 and under are always free. (Covid-19 update: There are no Covid-related restrictions as of April 2022. Face masks are recommended, but not required).

In the (pre-pandemic) past the Friends of Crystal Springs have hosted rhododendron shows and plant sales at the garden. Check the garden website for current information and event schedules. The garden also hosts weddings and other private events, so a potion of the garden may be closed to the public on spring and summer weekends.

The garden is located at 5801 SE 28th Avenue. The small parking lot fills up early in spring and summer, and there is no on street parking on 28th or other nearby streets, so come early if you’re coming by car (and do not park in the Reed College lot across 28th from the garden). Or take the bus (Tri-Met bus #19 Woodstock).

The garden is often crowded on weekends and Mondays, especially in the spring and summer. Visiting from Tuesday through Friday will avoid the worst of the crowds. But even during peak visitation the garden is well worth visiting. The colorful foliage makes fall a good time to visit, also. And on a winter morning you might have the Garden all to yourself.

Whether you are a garden lover, birder, photographer, artist, or just looking for a beautiful place to spend some time in, Crystal Springs is a place you’ll love. For my money, only the Portland Japanese Garden tops Crystal Springs among Portland area gardens.

Originally posted July 16, 2019. Updated and re-posted April 14, 2022.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The Lan Su Chinese Garden, an urban oasis in the middle of downtown Portland, Oregon, is regarded as one of the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China itself. It is also one of the most beautiful places in the city, and one of my favorite places in the city.

The garden came about through Portland’s sister city relationship with Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province, China. Suzhuo is noted for its Ming Dynasty gardens, and Lan Su Garden was created by artisans from Suzhou following a 2000 year old tradition that melds art, architecture, and nature into a harmonious and serene whole.

Entering the garden, you come first to the Courtyard of Tranquility. The courtyard (and the whole garden, for that matter) is designed to be a peaceful and soothing place to escape the problems of everyday life, and it succeeds in that remarkably well. It’s surprisingly quiet, and once inside it’s easy to forget that you are in the middle of a busy city.

From the courtyard, you pass through the Hall of Brocade Clouds, traditionally the place where a family entertains guests, and then onto the Terrace. This is a great place to just sit and take in the view. Most of the garden can be seen from the Terrace. The various pavilions and the Tea House (the “Tower of Cosmic Reflections”) are beautifully reflected in the central pond known as Lake Zither.

From the Terrace, wander at will through the Painted Boat In Misty Rain pavilion, past the Rock Mountain and Waterfall, across the boardwalk to the Moon Locking Pavilion, Scholar’s Study and Scholar’s Courtyard, and the Knowing the Fish Pavilion. Take some time to visit the Tower of Cosmic Reflections teahouse where you can enjoy a cup of tea and learn a little about the Chinese social art and culture of tea.

Throughout the garden you will see Lake Tai Rocks. These large, fantastically shaped rocks were imported from China – 600 tons of them. The rocks were formed underwater through the erosive action of Lake Tai’s acidic waters, and are highly prized by landscape architects.

The garden exhibits more than 100 species of trees, shrubs, and plants native to China, including the Pacific Northwest’s largest collection of lotus. The plants found in the garden were not imported from China due to import restrictions, but were found in botanical gardens and nurseries in the United States and transplanted to the garden.

Part of the mission of the Lan Su Chinese Garden is to promote better understanding of Chinese art, history, tradition, and culture. Classes and demonstrations of Chinese calligraphy, brush painting, paper folding, poetry, music, horticulture, wood carving, and other arts such as kite making, are held throughout the year at the garden. And public tours of the garden led by trained docents are held several times a day.

The Lan Su Garden is small, taking up only one city block, but it is one of Portland’s premier gardens (along with the Portland Japanese Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, among others). You can tour the garden in an hour, but the longer you linger, and the more times you visit, the more you come to appreciate the beauty, tranquility, and harmony of the garden, and understand the philosophy and outlook on life that led to its creation.

Lan Su Chinese Garden is open from 10:00 to 4:00 daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $12.95 for adults, $11.95 for seniors (62+), and $9.95 for children 6-18 and college students. Children five and under are free. There are currently no Covid-19 restrictions. You can find more information about the garden at the Lan Su website.

Posted March 12, 2020. Updated April 8, 2022

Portland Japanese Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The serenity and transcendent beauty of the Portland Japanese Garden make it one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest. Located in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills, the garden overlooks downtown Portland, but it is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The tranquility that the garden aspires to is somewhat compromised by the 450,000 annual visitors that it attracts, but the beauty of the gardens make it more than worth visiting despite any crowds.

Former Japanese Ambassador to the United States Nobuo Matsunaga has called the Portland Japanese Garden “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.”

The Portland Japanese Garden came out of the sister city relationship between Portland and Sapporo, Japan, which was created at least in part as an effort to heal the wounds of World War II. The garden website says it best: “Born out of a hope that the experience of peace can contribute to a long lasting peace. Born out of a belief in the power of cultural exchange. Born out of a belief in the excellence of craft, evidence in the Garden itself and the activities that come from it. Born out of a realization that all of these things are made more real and possible if we honor our connection to nature.”

The site, once the location of the Washington Park Zoo, was dedicated in 1961. Construction of the garden began in 1963, and the garden opened to the public in the summer of 1967. Designed by Professor Takuma Tono of Tokyo Agricultural University, the garden originally consisted of five different garden styles spread over 5.5 acres.

Over its more than half a century of existence, the garden has evolved and more than doubled in size. The Kashintei Tea House was built in Japan in 1968, dismantled, and shipped to Portland. But it wasn’t until 1980 that it was reconstructed on its present site. It was dedicated on May 18, 1980, the same day that Mount St. Helens erupted.

The most recent expansion, completed in 2017, added a new entrance and entry garden, a courtyard garden, a bonsai terrace, and a Cultural Village consisting of three new buildings designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma: the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center; the Garden House; and the Umami Cafe. Today, the Portland Japanese Garden consists of eight gardens covering 12 acres.

Each year the garden presents Art in the Garden, a series of works by a variety of Japanese artists (or works inspired by Japanese design or tradition) “to explore the ideas and aesthetics integral to the fabric of life in Japan.”

The garden is located within Washington Park, but is operated by a non-profit organization. In addition to maintaining the garden, the organization operates the International Japanese Garden Training Center, which teaches the traditional skills and techniques for creating Japanese gardens (the only program of its kind outside of Japan), offers tours and teaching materials for schools, offers a variety of classes and workshops for the public, and conducts public tours of the garden. The organization also operates the Bill de Weese Chabana Research Garden, the only garden of its type in North America.

The garden is open Wednesday through Monday. Summer hour are 10:00 to 5:30. Admission is $18.95 for adults, $16.25 for seniors (65+), $15.25 for students (with ID), and $13.50 for youths (6-17). Children under six are free. Group tickets (for 15 or more people) are offered at a discount. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the garden’s website. Individual garden memberships are available for $60. Dual memberships (two people) are $85 and household memberships are $110.

Covid-19 update (April 2022): The garden is open to everyone, and masks are required only on the garden shuttle that runs from the parking area up the hill to the old garden entrance. (You do not have to take the shuttle and masks are not required if you walk). Some of the paths are one way only, and entrance to the Umami Cafe requires proof of vaccination. all garden staff are fully vaccinated.

The Portland Japanese Garden is, in my opinion, a must see for anyone visiting Portland. And you’ll probably also want to visit the International Rose Test Garden, located across the street from the Japanese Garden entrance.

Other gardens featured on this site include Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, Butchart Gardens, Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, Lan Su Chinese Garden, and the Connie Hansen Garden. Those and other Northwest gardens have been or will soon be featured on this site. Check the Recent Posts list or click on the Upcoming Posts tab at the top of this post for gardens to be featured this spring.

Originally posted August 13, 2018. Updated December 20, 2020 and April 4, 2022.

Butchart Gardens

by Alan K. Lee

Butchart Gardens, located on the Saanich Peninsula of Vancouver Island about twelve miles north of Victoria, draws visitors from around the world. The Gardens brochure is printed in 22 languages! Butchart Gardens is a National Historic Site of Canada and was designated a World Heritage Site in 2004.

Jeanette (Jenny) Butchart created the gardens in the early 20th century. Her husband, Robert, owned a cement manufacturing business. He was drawn to Vancouver Island because of its abundant limestone deposits, a key ingredient in Portland cement. Near the turn of the 20th century he purchased the site of what is now Butchart Gardens and began mining limestone and manufacturing cement. In 1904 the Butcharts built their estate on land adjacent to the quarry. Shortly thereafter, Jenny Butchart hired Isaburo Kishida to design and build the Japanese Garden at the estate.

When the limestone deposit was exhausted and the quarry closed in 1909, Jenny Butchart set about transforming the quarry into the Sunken Garden, which was completed in 1921. Five years later she replaced the estate’s tennis courts with the Italian Garden. In 1929 the Rose Garden, designed by Butler Sturtevant, was created where the kitchen vegetable garden had been. The Mediterranean Garden was added later, completing the five gardens present today. All told, Butchart Gardens covers 55 acres, and include some 900 varieties of plants in the five gardens.

Ownership of the Butchart Gardens remains in the family. In 1939 the Butcharts gave the Gardens to their grandson, Ian Ross, on his 21st birthday. After World War II, Ross set about turning them into the internationally renowned attraction they are today, and he ran the Gardens for more than fifty years. The Gardens are currently owned and managed by Ross’s daughter, Robin-Lee Clarke.

Numerous improvements and additions to the Gardens have been made over the years. In 1953 Ian Ross added lighting to illuminate the Gardens at night, and in 1964 the Ross Fountain was installed in the lower reservoir in the Sunken Garden. The two large totem poles next to the Fireworks Lawn were erected in 2004. In 2009 Robin-Lee Clarke added the Children’s Pavillion and the Rose Carousel.

Two full service restaurants at the Gardens, the Dining Room and the Blue Poppy Restaurant, give visitors a choice of indoor dining options. A Coffee Shop, Gellateria, and, during the summer, Annabelle’s Cafe, located in the Children’s Pavillion, add to the dining options. And on summer Saturday’s you can purchase gourmet picnic baskets in the Italian Garden. Beer and wine are available as well.

Nightly concerts, held at the Gardens in July and August, give visitors another way to experience the Gardens. And during that same period, Saturday evenings feature a fireworks display after the concert. Many people are drawn to the Gardens in the fall, especially to the Japanese Garden, for the fall foliage. During the month of December the gardens are illuminated for their Magic of Christmas celebration. Spring brings an abundance of flowers. The Gardens have something to offer almost year around, and they are much less crowded in the off season. Ticket prices vary by season. Check the Butchart Gardens website for more information.

There have been a few reviews that have called the Gardens overpriced and under-whelming, but that’s definitely a minority opinion. And I’m siding with the majority here. Butchart Gardens may not be my favorite garden, but in my opinion the Gardens reputation and World Heritage Site designation are well deserved. And the Gardens are so beautiful that the cost of admission and the crowds shouldn’t dissuade anyone from visiting. If you have never been to Butchart Gardens, they should be on your bucket list, if they aren’t already. And now is as good a time as any to start planning a trip to Victoria and Butchart Gardens.

Originally posted September 4, 2018

Most recently updated April 18, 2024

International Rose Test Garden

by Alan K. Lee

Portland, Oregon is known as the Rose City, and has long had a love affair with roses. The Portland Rose Society has been in existence for more than 130 years. Portland’s premier festival is the annual Rose Festival, held in June every year since 1907. And one of the city’s best, if not the best, botanical gardens is the International Rose Test Garden.

The International Rose Test Garden was conceived in 1915 as a safe haven during World War I for hybrid roses grown in Europe, and rose hybridists in England began sending roses to Portland in 1918. Over the years, other hybridists have sent roses to Portland from all over the world.

The primary purpose of the Garden is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. The Garden is home to a variety of formal rose evaluation programs in designated test beds. Rose companies send potential variety introductions for evaluation. How each variety performs determines if it makes it onto the
commercial market.

Today, the International Rose Test Garden covers 6.9 acres in Portland’s West Hills, has more than 600 varieties of roses, and has more than 10,000 individual rose bushes. By any measure, that’s a lot of roses, and that draws a lot of people to the garden, not just from the Portland area, but from around the country and other parts of the world.

The Rose Garden is located in Washington Park, west of Portland’s downtown. Admission is free. To get there from downtown, take Burnside Street west, turn left onto Tichner Drive, then right onto Kingston Avenue. The Rose Garden will be on your left, behind the public tennis courts. Parking is limited, though, and will be hard to find on a summer weekend. Come on a weekday, if possible, and come early in the day to have the best chance to find a spot. Or consider parking in the downtown area and taking the Washington Park free shuttle.

If you want a souvenir of your visit, or information on growing roses, check out the Rose Garden Store, located just south of the garden itself. Proceeds from the store go to support the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.

Washington Park has enough attractions in addition to the Rose Garden that you can easily make a day of it. Directly west of the Rose Garden is the Portland Japanese Garden, one of the finest Japanese gardens outside of Japan itself. It’s also home to the Oregon Zoo, the World Forestry Center, the Portland Children’s Museum, the Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Hoyt Arboretum. And for hikers there are a variety of trails, including the Wildwood Trail which runs for more than 20 miles through Washington Park and Forest Park, the largest forested city park in the country.

The International Rose Test Garden is one of Portland’s top attractions for obvious reasons, and a place all visitors to Portland should see before they leave.

Posted March 16, 2022