The abundance of outdoor recreational activities is one of the main reasons people choose to live in and visit Oregon. With both mountains and beaches within an hour's drive of the major metropolitan areas, there are numerous choices for the active vacationer.
Travel Tip--Before heading out to a national forest anywhere in Oregon, be sure to get a Northwest Forest Pass. Most national-forest trailhead parking areas in the state now require such a permit, and though they can sometimes be purchased from machines at the most popular trailheads, it's better to have one before heading out. To find out if you need a pass for your particular destination, contact the Nature of the Northwest Information Center, 800 NE Oregon St., Room 177, Portland, OR 97232 (tel. 503/872-2750; www.naturenw.org). Passes are available at national-forest ranger stations throughout the state and also at many outdoors supply stores, such as REI. Day passes cost $5 and annual passes are $30. In some cases such passes are required not just for trailheads but for other national forest recreational areas as well.
