Four Seasons in Hoyt Arboretum

Photos from a year of walking the 189 acres in Portland’s Washington Park—plus a guide to the best trails for each season.

When to See Tide Pools in Cannon Beach

Low tides and volunteers offer a chance to learn more about all the life teeming beneath the waves.

7 Prettiest Tulips at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival

Highlights from the annual tulip festival held in Woodburn, Oregon.

Growing Among the Mushrooms

Mushroom foraging with a guide taught me something about chanterelles—and myself.

Along the Water’s Edge

Maya Lin’s Confluence Project traces cultures, history, and ecology across the Columbia River basin in Washington and Oregon. Here’s what it taught me about homeland, heritage, and waterways.

Ponder the Trees

Forest bathing is a Japanese concept that boasts mental, physical, and spiritual benefits—as well as a good excuse to return to a childlike curiosity about the world around you.

Best PNW Hikes: Catherine Creek

Catherine Creek Recreation Area features several hikes that provide sweeping views of the Columbia River Gorge — and wildflowers.

Lost Among the Trees

Deep in the Sandy River Delta, Maya Lin’s bird blind connects past and present through the animals found all around us.

The Gathering Place

Located near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, the Vancouver Land Bridge merges rivers, land, people, and trade.

Shifting Sands

A trip to the Oregon Dunes unearthed the influence for Frank Herbert’s Dune—and a love of stories and nature passed down from fathers and places.

The Story Behind Oregon’s Popular Hood Strawberries

The understory forest dweller and popular PNW native has inspired many tales—tall and otherwise.

Best PNW Hikes: Trail of Ten Falls

Silver Falls State Park boasts a popular 7.2-mile loop trail past 10 waterfalls, behind four, and through a lush forested canyon.

Spirit of the Mists

The creation story of Snoqualmie Falls swirls amid its cascades, mists, and deep pools—and lives on in the People of the Moon.