Keeping a car is expensive and annoying, so plenty of Portlanders go without. But there are still easy ways to access the Pacific Northwest’s lush natural areas.
“I love to bust people's excuses for not going outside,” says Norther Emily, the founder of Wild Solitude Guiding. “There's a lot of really great public transportation options that can get you out of the city and into the mountains.”
Here are three ideas to get you started — or dreaming:
Multnomah Falls via CAT Bus
Time from Portland: 35 minutes
Portland stop: Gateway Transit Center
Bus system: CAT Bus
Cost: $15 for an all-day bus pass, sold online
It’s the quintessential tourist stop in the Columbia River Gorge for a reason. It’s beautiful. It’s not far from Portland. With peak tourist season over, it’s time for us all to go!
And it’s “something super simple that anybody can do” — even if you're “just getting into using public transportation or you're just getting into hiking,” says Emily.
If you want more of an adventure you can get on the bus and, have lunch at Bridgeside Restaurant in Cascade Locks.
Timberline Lodge. (Daveynin)
Timberline Lodge via Mt. Hood Express
Time from Portland: 2.5 hours
Bus stops: Gresham Transit Center, Sandy Transit Center
Bus systems: TriMet, Sandy Express, Mt. Hood Express
Cost: $5.50 one way
The snow is nearly starting up on the mountain, so go soon and dress accordingly, or save this for the summer thaw. There are a few options for trails. One chill option from Emily: “Just hike a little ways, and then go get your burger” at the lodge.
The Salmon River runs through Wildwood Recreation Site near the town of Welches, Oregon. (Bureau of Land Management)
Wildwood Recreation Area via Mt. Hood Express & Village Shuttles
Time from Portland: 2+ hours
Bus stops: Gresham Transit Center, Sandy Transit Center
Bus systems: TriMet, Sandy Express, Mt. Hood Express, Village Shuttle
Cost: $5.50 one way
Here’s a family-friendly option for an expedition.
When you arrive, check out the Cascade Streamwatch Trail, a paved 3/4-mile loop.
“They have a cool little fish-viewing window that you can go look at, where the glass goes underneath the creek, and you can see salmon spawning,” says Emily. “If you wanted more exercise, you could go up into the high country and those trails go all the way through to the Clackamas River area.”
Emily gave the City Cast Portland podcast her tips for getting out of Portland without a car — and also explained why we don’t see cougars in the woods that often.
