Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls - Mt. Hood National Forest

From Portland, take I-84 East to exit 41 where you will find the Eagle Creek Trailhead. I gotta say, this is a trail I've heard about for the last few years and I am finally able to check it off the list. A 12 mile out and back hike, this is an amazing jaunt for a rainy day, however in the future I will likely leave Rita & Lola at home. The steep cliffs and muddy paths are not ideal for dogs. This trail takes you past Punch Bowl Falls and numerous other falls as you skirt along Eagle Creek. Take your time, enjoy the views and the sounds, for us this was roughly a 5 hour hike. Cheers.

Neahkahnie Mountain - Oswald West State Park

Start of a new year means it's time to drag our loaves up a mountain. We parked off of Highway 101 at a scenic viewpoint, crossed the road and started up where the trail reads "Oregon Coast Trail." For January, we had a clear blue day with temperatures in the mid 40s, we quickly dropped our jackets as this hike is mostly switchbacks all the way to the top. The trail is relatively easy to follow and pretty popular with day hikers, yet Mike and I still managed to off road while we were staring at an enormous pine. We eventually found our way back to the trail and continued at our sluggish pace. It took us roughly an hour to go 2 miles. At the top we had the option of looping back down, but we opted to retrace our steps and return the way we came.

Overall this was a great hike to remind you of your physical shortcomings. On a clear day I definitely recommend it, if you are looking for a summit view of the Oregon Coast. We were eager to head back down as we never miss an opportunity to eat Fish & Chips at Bill's in Cannon Beach.  Some of the earlier beach pictures are from Cape Falcon, we were unable to hike the cape due to a windstorm, hoping to head back there this summer. Happy New Year and Happy Trails!