Recharge with our Favorite Hikes in the PNW
There are so many things the Pacific Northwest is known for, one of those being the endless hikes around the Portland area.
Have you ever wanted to explore a new hike, but not sure where to go? The options can be overwhelming, that’s for sure!
Well, this is Rebekah here to share a few of my favorites, so let’s go for an adventure!
Neahkahnie Mountain
One of my favorite hikes along the coast line has to be Neahkahnie Mountain, in the cute town of Manzanita (if you haven’t been this is your sign to go). Side note: Manzanita has an amazing farmer’s market on Friday evenings- they have everything from fresh fruits and veggies, to henna tattooing, tarot card reading, smoked fish, and freshly baked breads.
Neahkahnie might only be a 2.1 mile, but the switchbacks can creep up on ya, that’s for sure.
This one starts on a gravel trail, but eventually you are submerged into the forest, with sounds of a creek in the distance. As you feel the misty ocean breeze, you’ll be accompanied by towering trees and blooming flowers when in season.
Once you finish the last mile and all the gnarly switchbacks, you’re left with a breathtaking view of the Neahkahnie Mountain, perfect for those “to die for” selfies. It’s a little hard to beat the Oregon Coast Trail, buuuuut there’s something to be said about waterfall hikes; which leads me to the next one.
Silver Falls
Silver Falls has to be another one of my favorite hikes because there is something for everyone!
Consisting of ten waterfalls and 24 miles of trails you can’t go wrong spending a day or even a weekend at the falls.
There’s something magical about walking behind a waterfall and being encompassed by the rushing water and mist falling on your face. Even though this is an extremely popular place outside of Portland, you can follow the crowd or hike amongst yourself since the trails are endless. Not to mention there are the most adorable rustic cabins you can rent to make a whole weekend or overnight trip out of it! I stayed the night after a full day of hiking and loved how peaceful and quaint this place was..definitely would go back.
Beaver Falls
Alright folks, so this last one is a more secluded, short and sweet trail just 60 miles outside of Portland in Clatskanie, called Beaver Falls. I came across this one while getting coffee at my local Starbucks. The barista was chatting about my day and when I told her we were going to find a new hike she recommended Beaver Falls.
I instantly felt like I was somewhere tropical, hearing the rushing water I knew we had found a hidden gem. You definitely have to watch where you are going, as this one gets a little steep, narrow and rocky; but it’s still completely manageable, even for kiddos.
Once my fiance, myself and the kids got to the bottom of the trail, we hiked up, around, and behind the waterfall. We ended up crossing through the creek and spent some time admiring nature, looking for those perfect skipping rocks beneath our toes.This was the perfect day trip to spice up the summer. The crowd was on the smaller side, and there was plenty of parking. You definitely have to know about this spot because we for sure drove right by the trailhead, which is nice as it keeps the foot traffic light.
Beaver Falls would be a good afternoon picnic spot to lounge in the water, just make sure you bring some chairs, and maybe your favorite book. Those are just a few of my favorite hikes in the area, but I’m always on the lookout for new ones. If you want to share your favorites please drop a comment below, or let us know next time you’re in the studio!
As always, don’t forget the sunscreen 🧴
🏔 Happy trails,
Esthetician Rebekah
