Your Portland, Oregon, Backpacking Adventure Begins Here Spend a night or a weekend in the wilderness. Experience the mountains, coast, old-growth forests, gorges, and canyonlands of Oregon and Washington. Local authors Becky Ohlsen and Douglas Lorain guide you to a spectrum of one- and two-night backpacking trips―from short hikes to extended treks of 20 miles. Explore the Columbia River Gorge, Coast Range, Clackamas River country, Mount Jefferson, and southern Olympic Mountains. Take in the majestic views of the Pacific Northwest’s signature volcanic peaks: Mount Hood, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Rainier. The Portland area is a short jaunt from boundless backpacking opportunities, so get away from the city hubbub to rejuvenate in nature. Inside You’ll Find 58 featured trips within more than 3 hours of Portland, plus 40 bonus trips - Detailed trail descriptions, permit requirements, and more - Easy-to-follow maps with directions to backcountry campsites - Author ratings for each trip’s scenery, difficulty, and solitude - Advice for beginner backpackers and tips for backpacking with children - Author recommendations on which trips are great for kids or are dog-friendly Becky Ohlsen has lived in Portland since 1995. She is a freelance writer and editor who has contributed to a variety of publications, including the Pulitzer Prize–winning newsweekly “Willamette Week,” “The Oregonian,” “Portland Monthly” and Lonely Planet, for which she has written several guidebooks about Scandinavia and the Pacific Northwest. She is also the author of new editions of “Backpacking Oregon,” “Best Tent Camping: Oregon,” and “One Night Wilderness: Portland,” all published by AdventureKEEN. Douglas Lorain moved with his family to the Pacific Northwest in 1969, and he has been obsessively hitting the trails of his home region ever since. Spurred by an unquenchable thirst for new trails to explore and a great enthusiasm for backpacking, he has now hiked more than 30,000 miles through every corner of the American Northwest and many thousands more in other western states and Canadian provinces. Despite a history that includes being bitten by a rattlesnake, being shot at by a hunter, being charged by grizzly bears (twice!), and donating gallons of blood to mosquitoes, Lorain claims that he wouldn’t trade one moment of it because he has also been blessed to see some of the most beautiful scenery on Earth. His books for Wilderness Press include “Afoot & Afield: Portland/Vancouver,” “Backpacking Idaho,” “Backpacking Oregon,” “Backpacking Washington,” “Backpacking Wyoming,” “One Best Hike: Mount Rainier’s Wonderland Trail,” “One Night Wilderness: Portland,” and “Top Trails: Olympic National Park & Vicinity.” Lorain is a photographer and recipient of the National Outdoor Book Award. His photographs have appeared in numerous magazines, calendars, and books. Silver Star Mountain Ratings: Scenery 8, Difficulty 7, Solitude 6 - Round-Trip Distance: 12.5 miles - Elevation Gain: 2,600 feet - Optional Maps: Green Trails Bridal Veil (No. 428) and Lookout Mountain - Usually Open: Mid-May to mid-November - Best Times: Mid-June to Mid-July; October - Agency: Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, 360-449-7800, fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot - Permit: None Highlights As seen from Portland, Silver Star Mountain is that long, brownish ridge to the northeast that frustratingly blocks the view of Mt. Adams. But once you’re standing on this ridge, nothing obstructs the views, and you can see not only Mt. Adams but pretty much everything else for 50 miles in any direction. And it’s not just the views that make a visit here worthwhile. In 1902, the massive Yacolt Burn swept over this peak, killing nearly all the trees. The forests never grew back, so despite its relatively low elevation, the peak has an open, almost alpine appearance, with plenty of sunshine to nourish thousands of acres of wildflowers in June and July. Those same alpine-like meadows turn a burnished red-gold in the fall, which also means cooler temperatures and no bugs. Most hikers who visit this area make it a dayhike. But a campsite near a little-known spring just southwest of the summit allows backpackers to spend the night, watch a terrific sunset, and even see the lights of Portland twinkling far below. Several routes lead to the summit, and every one of them is outstanding, but most require a high-clearance 4WD vehicle to access. The main Silver Star trailhead has become impossible to reach without 4WD, so we’re recommending the longer and even more scenic trail that starts from the Bluff Mountain trailhead to the east (still not a great road, but manageable if you drive carefully). Getting There From the intersection of State Highways 502 and 503 in downtown Battleground, Washington, drive 5.7 miles north on Highway 503 to a junction. Turn right on N.E. Rock Creek Road, which soon becomes Lucia Falls Road, and proceed 8.6 miles to a junction. Turn right on Sunset Fa