Skip to content

Outdoors

Read More ›

Road Tripping to Stevenson, Washington

Head to the banks of the Colubmia River for the annual Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival

0713columbia

This article originally appeared in the July 2013 issue of Seattle magazine.

WHERE: Stevenson, Washington, on the banks of the Columbia River

WHY: For the annual Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival (7/25–7/28. $55–$150 weekend pass. 710 Rock Creek Drive; 509.427.3980; columbiagorgebluegrass.net), showcasing the best in bluegrass, including beloved bands The SteelDrivers (from Nashville) and Town Mountain (from Asheville, NC), plus workshops, family-friendly jams, and craft and food vendors. PICK AND GRIN: For a $5 contest fee, revelers can compete for a $100 cash prize by displaying their musical prowess on the banjo, fiddle, mandolin or guitar. GO CHASING WATERFALLS: Take a 20-minute drive northeast on State Route 14 and hit the Falls Creek Falls Trail (just north of Carson). The flat and kid-friendly hike (3.4 miles round trip) offers heart-thumping views—with a roar to match—of a three-tiered, 250-foot-high waterfall set in a clearing surrounded by trees. GETTING THERE: Head south on I-5 and continue onto I-205 south. Take exit 27 for City Center/Camas, then merge onto S.R. 14 east.

 

A New Perspective on the Oregon Coast

A New Perspective on the Oregon Coast

Beyond the usual suspects like Astoria and Cannon Beach lie 300 miles of open road.

The Oregon Coast is a beguiling drive year-round, but autumn is when it feels most vital. The colors deepen, whales loiter in the shallows, and kites swoop against gray skies dappled with bursts of sunlight. At Tillamook Bay, Highway 101 veers inland through fifty miles of old-growth forest before re-emerging along the water. On this…

Inn at Langley: Where the Shore Meets the Sky

Inn at Langley: Where the Shore Meets the Sky

After a property-wide redesign, the Whidbey Island retreat reopens with a locally inspired take on vacationing in the Pacific Northwest.

Michelin-star chef Johnny Spero never planned to end up in the Pacific Northwest. A lifelong East Coaster born and raised in Baltimore, he began his culinary career at 16, working for a series of big-name chefs and restaurants before opening his own establishments in Washington, D.C., including Reverie, which earned him his Michelin star in…

The Northwest’s Gateway to Wine, Culture & Adventure
Sponsored

The Northwest’s Gateway to Wine, Culture & Adventure

Escape the crowds. Slow down. Savor fall in the Lewis Clark Valley. As autumn paints the hillsides in gold, crimson, and amber, the Lewis Clark Valley becomes a picture-perfect place to slow down and savor the season. Where Washington and Idaho meet, fall brings crisp days, colorful landscapes, harvest among the vines, and plenty of…

Meet West Seattle’s “Freelance Beaver Detective”

Meet West Seattle’s “Freelance Beaver Detective”

A group of urban beavers helped Pamela Adams through a tough time. Now she’s returning the favor.

Pamela Adams was living in Port Townsend when her marriage fell apart. Little did she know at the time that she would soon find love again while doggedly pursuing the Five Families—not the ones of Mafia lore, but a four-legged sort living along the Longfellow Creek Watershed. Prior to moving to Washington, Adams resided in…