Catherine Creek.

Catherine Creek is only a two mile loop, but it's two miles that packs a punch. It's also in the arid, central Northwest high desert, and on this trip we saw a rattlesnake and one of our doggos got a nasty tick stuck in her ear, so be vigilant. The high desert, even if it's in the Gorge, ain't no joke!

On the Washington side of the Gorge slightly beyond White Salmon, Catherine Creek is part of the outstanding complex that also includes Coyote Wall and the Labyrinth. I consider Catherine Creek to be the most hiker friendly of them all, since Coyote Wall is also quite popular with mountain bikers. The whole area encompasses some of my favorite hiking and landscapes I've experienced in my ten years of living here. They are relatively quiet trails compared to the packed trails on the wetter Oregon side, and they are full of views, crazy rock formations, and wildflowers every way you look.

I've now done this hike twice, once in February a few years ago and once earlier this summer, and it was interesting seeing the different flowers in bloom at different times of the year. It's a great hike for all seasons, and doing it in the cooler months might even be preferred--a lot of this hike is exposed, so if it's a hot day, make sure you start early and wear lots of sun screen! 

At the trailhead, there are a couple rocky paths leading up a sunny slope. If you're doing the Arch Loop, which I recommend, you actually want to take the one to the RIGHT, the one marked FR 020. Even though this path is clearly marked, and your trail guide says it's the one you want to take, your instincts MIGHT tell you, "This is a loop hike so let's just start walking up the one on the left because that seems to make sense," not that that happened to me! Your instincts are wrong!

After walking up this pretty field, the trail flattens out for a hot minute and you'll enter a stand of trees and see little Catherine Creek to your right. You'll soon cross the creek on a small plank bridge. This is where we saw our special snake friend, so keep an eye out. Here, the rocky plateau suddenly rises to your right, and this is where you can actually see the arch the loop is named for through the trees. 

Weird arch/monster mouth.

And it's like, fine? It's cool, and I feel like it shouldn't be able to exist like any arch made of rocks that I've witnessed, but it's not overly exciting. The real treasure of the hike is still ahead. On your left during this stretch, there are also some overgrown corrals and wooden structures, which are neat looking but supposedly favorites of rattlesnakes, so if you want to explore them, cool, but that's your own stupid idea. I know I've mentioned rattlesnakes a few times now, but I feel like it's important.

Shortly after this stretch is where the Hill of Doom rises in front of you. This hill is short(ish) but steep, and I refuse to believe that even experienced hikers aren't winded by it. Take some time to catch your breath at the top of it, and then walk into an actual forested patch of trail. It's nice to get a short reprieve from the sun in this peaceful section, but during our most recent summer visit, this was also where we were (unsurprisingly) viciously attacked by bugs and mosquitoes, so I high tailed it out of there.

You'll now see some power lines and a trail junction ahead of you, and you'll want to veer to your right on a narrow track that winds up a small hill. I think of this hill as being the "Haha, You Thought You Were Done Climbing After That Last Bigass Hill You Just Did" Hill. But this one is briefer and less painful than the last. Promise.

And once you finish this climb, you are suddenly on top of the plateau that you were just recently below, and it feels like you are on the top of the world. This is my favorite part of the hike, what I think Catherine Creek is all about. You have expansive views to the Columbia River and Mt. Hood beyond it, and more wildflowers all around. When you see a fence to your right, that is the top of the arch. The fence is there to encourage you to not try to peer into it and die. Listen to fences.

After this, the trail winds down the plateau, crossing a few gullies along the way, until it then plops you back onto the road and you have to walk a few yards back to your car. I am always perplexed when trails end like this, but even this road walk is pretty. And luckily this isn't a very busy road so even though there's not much of a shoulder, you should be just fine.

Lesson learned: Rattlesnakes, they really do rattle!

Highlight: The first hike of the year Kathy, Manda, and I were able to do together.

Catherine Creek in February.

And in June.

Info: From Portland, you can cross the river and take 14 in Washington the whole way, or for a quicker route, take I-84 until Hood River. After crossing the Hood River Bridge--a slightly harrowing affair--turn right, pass through White Salmon and Bingen, and then look for Old Highway 8 on your left. This winds around Rowland Lake, and then you'll see the trailhead on your left. No fees, although it does cost $1 each way to cross the Hood River Bridge.

Post-hike chowdown: Since this is such a short hike only an hour or so away from home, we've just headed back to Portland each time. BUT if I had the time and money to do it right, I would definitely stop by Everybody's Brewing in White Salmon after a good hike in the area.

Strawberry Island.

One of my favorite things about living in the Pacific Northwest is how even after almost ten years of living here and what feels like countless hikes, there are still new gems to find and explore. Strawberry Island, in the middle of the Columbia right at the foot of the Bonneville Dam, feels like one of those places. Before finding it online the night before, I had never even heard of it; the only other souls I saw while I was there were some fishermen on its perimeter; and goddamn was it lovely.

Finding these kinds of little-known treasures is especially joyful these days when so many of the popular areas and hikes are getting overrun as our population booms. I realize I'm part of that population boom, but I am all for trying to limit parking at Dog Mountain, or new rules trying to curb crowds at Opal Creek and Detroit Lake. Too many people is not only irritating, but often dangerous, and almost certainly harmful to the land and wildlife. There are definitely reasons why the areas that are so popular are so popular, but there is so much else to explore! Seriously. Didn't see a single other hiker here.

The trailhead for Strawberry Island is located behind a baseball field in the tiny town of North Bonneville, off of Highway 14 on the Washington side of the Gorge. (Pro tip: If you just type Strawberry Island into your Google Maps--which is technically called Hamilton Island, but Strawberry Island is way more fun to say--it will take you to a parking area near the dam that appears to be primarily for fishermen. While this is also close to the trail, the actual trailhead is most easily accessed in the town.) As soon as you take a few steps, you get the feeling of this hike: wide open fields surrounded by views of the Gorge on either side of you. And it is just utterly pleasant.

This is a nice, peaceful 2.8 mile stroll, almost entirely flat, which made it the perfect walk for my rusty hiking muscles. No crazy drop-offs or rocky terrain also made it easy to walk with two energetic puppers. But it was still a decent enough walk to make you feel like you had accomplished something by the end.

Other pluses of this trail: even in mid-June, there were a ton of wildflowers, and quite a variety, too. And I am a sucker for wildflowers.

Last big plus: The trail is extremely well marked. I started by trying to closely follow the directions on Oregon Hikers Guide, as I often do, but then realized I could just put my phone away and follow the markers, which immediately made the stroll much more relaxing. Even signs for the trailhead are well-marked in town once you get off the highway. Well done, North Bonneville!

Once you complete the first long straight stretch, you can keep going straight through some forestation for a viewpoint of Beacon Rock through some trees. While the viewpoint itself was fine, I mostly enjoyed it for some shade, and for the feeling of being at the very tippy point of the island! There are some benches scattered along the trail, although a few of them are very overgrown. 

Halfway through the loop, there is a slight incline where the trail also gets wider and more gravelly, and here at a higher elevation is where you really get lovely views of both Beacon Rock and Hamilton Mountain on the Washington side.

Here you're walking right alongside the Columbia, and straight ahead you'll see the Bonneville Dam and the parking for fishermen. The trail starts to curve around at this big rock that looks like it's smiling at you, and after that the trail gets slightly more boring, but you're in the final stretch. Once you pass the backyards of a few houses, you'll know you're close to the ball field and the trailhead.

Lesson learned: Bring sunscreen!

Highlight: Feeling like this was exactly the right kind of hike I was looking for for my first hike of the season. Also, getting to take lots of great selfies with the dogs.

Info: From Portland, you can take I-84 to the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks and then turn left towards Vancouver. Drive just a few miles until you see the sign for North Bonneville, by a gas station. Since crossing the Bridge of the Gods will cost you $2, though, you can also just take Highway 14 on the Washington side, which is what I did. Slightly curvier and slower, but still a lovely drive. Once you turn into North Bonneville, turn right onto the main road, following signs for the ball fields. No fees.

Post-hike chowdown: This hike was close enough to Portland--around an hour's drive--that I didn't need to stop anywhere to eat, but since this is close to Cascade Locks if you do take the Oregon route, I will once again mention the Eastwind Drive-In, a must stop. Cheesy potato rounds, man. Do it.

Wahclella Falls.

Wahclella Falls is the only hike I've now completed twice. And I might take my dad there when he visits next week and complete it thrice! Although I haven't decided yet. Normally with hikes, as with books and other things, no matter how much I liked one, there are so many amazing and tantalizing OPTIONS out there that it's hard for me to repeat. But Wahclella Falls is so simple and easy and lovely that it's hard to resist.

It's in my beloved Columbia River Gorge, although a little further out from Portland than the cluster of ridiculously beautiful and ridiculously popular hikes in the Multnomah Falls area. To get there, you push on on I-84, past Eagle Creek, until you reach the exit for the Bonneville Dam, roughly 30 miles from Hood River. This is still only an hour or so from Portland. There is not much off of this exit, except for the Bonneville Dam--and if you have an interest in fish ladders and big scary dams, go to it!--and the parking lot for this hike.

It starts off on a wide flat path right along this lovely little stream.

And who doesn't love flat paths alongside lovely little streams?? THEY ARE THE BEST! Although, is "stream" the right word? I always feel flummoxed about the correct river-ish word usage anytime I'm next to a river-ish thing. Is it a stream? Is it a creek? Is it JUST A RIVER?

Anyway.

When you haven't even been walking along this stream/creek/river very long, all of a sudden you are walking by this rather impressive mini waterfall shooting down over some sheer rock to your left. This is mainly impressive because you are literally right next to it, could reach out your hand and get wet, and it almost feels bizarre. This picture doesn't really do it justice, but believe me--it is RIGHT THERE!

WHATTUP, WATERFALL RIGHT IN MY FACE!

Wahclella is a balloon trail, meaning, it looks like a balloon--starts off as a straight trail with a loop trail at the end. Once the peaceful, stream-following path (seriously, so peaceful!) diverges off into the two trails leading to the left and right side of the balloon, it does start to get slightly steeper, and rockier, and thinner, but it still isn't too horrible. While it's a loop, and you can start it whatever way you want, I recommend heading left. This trail goes up, and up, and up away from that river-ish thing. Most of the time through the trees you can see the trail on the other side which you will be following back around in a little bit, and it seems pretty far below you at times.

Oh hey, gurl! We're going to be walking where you are soon!

There's also one brief set of stairs on this path. I always really enjoy these things on a hike: 1) stairs, 2) bridges, and 3) if you're really lucky, a boardwalk over soggy or sensitive vegetation. Boardwalks are the best! But stairs and bridges are always good too. They're good landmarks and help break up the hike, and also makes you wonder each time, "Who the hell built these things?"

As with all good waterfall hikes, the best part about coming up to the Main Event is that you can HEAR it before you see it. And Wahclella Falls, as with most waterfalls in the Gorge in the spring, was really roaring this day. It's also surrounded by a semi-circle of huge rock walls and a great little waterfall pool, all of which elevate the sound of cascading water. (Such a great sound! Although kinda scary sometimes too!) The waterfall was so full this day that most of the rocks around the whole area--which you do have to somewhat trickily navigate to make your way to the other side of the stream--were pretty soaked. But I was able to precariously set up my camera and successfully self-time a picture of Kathy, myself, and my mom. Success!

Such a great waterfall.

While somewhat rocky, this whole area around the waterfall and its pond also has a decent amount of open area, and it just screams, "I'm the perfect place for a pic-a-nic!" If you feel inclined to bring along a pic-a-nic basket. I haven't, in either of my two times there, but I've envisioned it.

After scrambling over some rocks you walk over a small but sturdily built bridge to the other side of the pond, to start your walk around the other side of the balloon to get back to the string.

Once over the bridge, the stream is full of HUGE boulders, but is also relatively shallow and calm, and it's a perfect place for wading around, or letting your dogs wade around. If your dog isn't old and arthritic like ours, and can go on hikes. :(

Continuing on the trail, this side is almost the opposite of the trail you were just on. Instead of being surrounded by trees, you're out in the open, a huge wall of rock to your left. This is my favorite part of the trail. The landscape is so interesting and wonderful, and since it's not as steep, you also really have the chance to look around and enjoy it.

What was so lovely about this walk too as opposed to the first time I walked it was that the trail this time was covered in little pinkish purple wildflowers EVERYWHERE. On this side of the trail, they peeked up on the riverbank and between every rock near the cliff wall, and there were LOTS of rocks, and lots of flowers.

Too quickly, you're at another bridge, which connects you back to the main, more forested part of the trail which will lead you back to the parking lot. This bridge is a lot higher than the little one near the falls, and the view of the steam from it is pretty awesome.

There is one tricky part once you're over the bridge, where the trail seems to fork, and you swear you're back at the fork at the beginning of the balloon, and should go left--but going left actually just leads you to a kind of scary edge-of-a-cliff dead end. After going right and switchbacking just once or twice, you're back at the actual fork.

It's only a mile to the falls and a mile back, so all in all this hike shouldn't take more than an hour. But there's so much bang for your buck to it. I think it's the perfect waterfall to take visitors, or people who aren't in the mood for a mega-hike. The fact that apparently not as many people know about it is just an added bonus.

Lesson learned: There's no restroom at this trailhead, which was okay since it is a relatively short hike and we could survive until we drove to Hood River for lunch. However, peeing before you leave for a hike, or stopping somewhere before the trailhead where you CAN pee, just in case? Always a good idea.

Highlight: I did this hike the first time by myself, so it was really fun to take Kathy and my mom there. And, the aforementioned wildflowers.

Info: Heading east on I-84, take exit 40 for the Bonneville Dam. At the stop sign, take a right. There are actually two different trailheads here--head right for the parking lot for Wahclella Falls. The Northwest Forest Pass is required here; if you don't have it you can drop off a $5 fee in an envelope in a box at the entrance. Since there's not actually a forest ranger patrolling here or anything, these fees, as with most state parks and forests in Oregon, operate on trust. Since I have a guilty conscience, we paid the $5, but it's up to you if you want to take the chance. Hikers and dogs only.

Post-hike chow-down: The closest town to this hike is Cascade Locks, just slightly further east on I-84. There you'll find a number of solid American-food-esque burger joints, inns, and pubs, along with the East Wind Drive-In, a classic type of American institution. Kathy and I vet their burgers and their milkshakes. Limited seating inside, but it's the perfect type of food to grab and eat on the banks of the Columbia River, just feet away. You can also take the path we did this day, and drive on for 30 miles to Hood River, where the aforementioned Full Sail awaits, along with many, many other brewpubs and more diverse restaurants.

Deschutes State Park River Trail.

Here's a not-so-secret: I have a love affair with Oregon rivers. I met my #1 love, the Rogue, this summer in Southern Oregon, but after that, my #2 so far is the Deschutes. (This may or may not be influenced by the fact that I am also really in love with Deschutes beer.)

Kathy and I headed out to Deschutes State Park yesterday, on the Columbia River Gorge way out past The Dalles, to celebrate a few things: 1) our six year anniversary this week, and 2) the miracle of both having all day on Veteran's Day off in the midst of our crazy schedules. I truly am grateful and in awe of veterans, and thank them even more for allowing us one of the most perfect days ever. While the Deschutes is best known for traveling through the heart of Bend, a magical city in Central Oregon (where that wonderful beer also originates!), this state park is located much farther north, where the Deschutes empties into the mighty Columbia.

I love the Columbia River Gorge for so many reasons, and for the first year or two that I lived here jaw-dropping waterfalls occupied most of those reasons, but after exploring it more I'm in even more awe of its diversity. The hour-long drive from Portland to Hood River is one I could never tire of, even if it is on a big highway like I-84. Yeah, it's a highway, but it's one that's deliciously sandwiched between wide expanses of the Columbia on one side and towering green cliffs and hills on the other. On this Portland to Hood River expanse it is all about luscious green-ness, waterfalls and slabs of rock covered in moss and towering fir trees every which way you look, with hills constantly receding into varying shades of blues in the distance, dream-like.This section is home to the famous Multnomah Falls, among many, many others; a wonderfully twisty-turvy section of the historic Columbia River Highway, Route 30; and the stunning overlook spot, the Vista House at Crown Point.

And then you pass Hood River. And almost as soon as you drive out of city limits, it's like you're in a completely different landscape altogether.

The river is still there, wide and steady to your left, but there are less trees and less moss, less green altogether, more brown rolling hills. It's an arid, desert-y kind of feel, but not quite the desert, just...different. You've left the hippie-loving western side of the state, and are suddenly closer to the Wild Wild West. It's a difference you not just see, but you feel. As majestic as all the stuff before Hood River was, this landscape actually seems bigger, in a way, and you accordingly feel smaller. It's totally different but still totally the Gorge, and still totally amazingly beautiful. And yes, that was a lot of totally's. This is the way the crazy Oregon landscape makes me feel! You can practically see the dreamy stars in my eyes! Snap out of it, Jill!

The trail we embarked on (from the furthest parking lot of the park) is a narrow single track which hugs the river, which is wide and pretty peaceful at this conclusive juncture of its life. The trail is pretty flat and on-level with the river at first, with a spattering of sparse, spindly trees surrounding the river, the trail and you, and then slowly, increasingly makes its way to slightly higher ground, with the river slightly further below you and the trees--or any real vegetation at all--becoming even sparser. And everywhere, it is quiet, quiet. Every now and then you look back where you came from, and all you see in every direction are big, dusty, quiet hills.

Peaceful quiet is definitely the thing I remember most from this hike--we didn't see another soul the whole time we were out. Even though I-84 isn't too far from the start of the trail, even whirring traffic noises from that fade out pretty quickly, and it's just you, the birds, and the river. We eventually turned around to head back a little earlier than I anticipated (the trail keeps going for quite a ways along the river), because it was starting to get dark and also starting to rain a little, and unlike other well forested hikes I'm used to, there wasn't any real cover from the wetness out here. But it still felt good to stretch our legs a little, and to breathe some drier Central Oregon air. Central/Eastern Oregon, I want so much more of you! Oregon Rivers, you and I are not over yet!

Lesson learned: If I want to actually complete these hikes, we really have to start out earlier. And also come more prepared with snacks. Also, the farther out from Portland/cities you go, the less populated the trails will be. While this is nice in a way, it's also a reaffirmation for me that I shouldn't do these trails alone.

Highlight: The random, bright sprinklings of fall color (red bushes! yellow leaved trees! purple flowers!) mixed in with all the shades of brown.

Info: Heading east on I-84, Deschutes River State Park is located off of Exit 97, on Rt. 206. There are a few different trails in the park, including a wider one for bikers, but to get to the River Trail we took, you have to first walk through a small field at the end of the last parking area. Horses (yeah, horses!) allowed with reservation. Restrooms and picnic tables available near parking lot.

Post-hike chow-down: If you're heading back Portland-way after the hike, you should probably stop in Hood River for a meal at Full Sail Brewery, because their beer and food are delicious, and their brewpub is small and fun and, during the day, you can watch windsurfers on the Columbia while you eat. On this trip we were going to try and branch out and eat at the smaller Double Mountain Brewery, which is actually right around the corner, but it was crowded and no one helped us after we stood around confusedly for ten minutes, so we walked out. Which ended up being okay, because we remembered how much we completely love Full Sail, so it's never a bad option. But, still, Double Mountain also came recommended. Both are located on Columbia Street, Hood River (Double Mountain technically on the corner of Fourth); open daily for lunch and dinner. Full Sail also offers free brewery tours daily.