Whether you’re from Oregon or just staying here over spring break, there are many great hiking and camping spots all around the state. From day trip adventures to week-long camping trips, Oregon has it all.

A great place to start, if you’re looking for a great day trip, is Cascade Head hiking trail. Just a short two-hour drive from Eugene and a few miles north of Lincoln City, Ore., it provides a breathtaking overview of the Oregon coast with two different trail options. If you’re looking for a short, easy hike, an area is provided in which you can drive halfway up the hill. If you want a slightly more challenging, longer hike, there is a trail that starts from the very bottom.

Cascade Head is a little bit harder to find but completely worth the drive. According to William Sullivan, an Oregon travel journalist, “If you’re taking the Nature Conservancy Trail to the headland meadows from the lower trailhead, drive Highway 101 North one mile from the interchange where highways 101 and 18 join (just north of Lincoln City). Then, turn left on Three Rocks Road for 2.2 miles and turn left to the parking lot of the Savage Park boat ramp.”

“It’s always a beautiful hike,” University senior English major Mary Stayer said. “The only major bummer is that I can’t bring my dog.”
Whether you’re looking for some time on the coast or a great hike, you can have them both at Cascade Head.
Because most of Oregon’s campgrounds are not open during spring break due to weather issues, the usual camping spots are hard to access. But there are a few alternatives to the traditional camping experience.
A relatively inexpensive and popular place to go is Clear Lake Lookout near Mt. Hood. Perched on the mountainside near the northwest corner of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Clear Lake Lookout offers winter sports enthusiasts a tranquil, remote spot to spend the night among the tall timbers.
This lookout adventure is definitely for smaller groups (four or less) and is approximately $50 per night: a perfect weekend getaway for those who don’t have an entire week to spare.

Another spot for a good combination of hiking and camping is Silver Creek Falls, approximately 20 minutes east of Salem, Ore. Nestled in the lower elevation of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains lies a temperate rainforest. It is here that the Trail of Ten Falls/Canyon Trail can be found.@@yes and yes@@

According to the Silver Creek Falls website, “The Canyon Trail is a nationally recognized trail system that leads hikers along the banks of the north and south forks of Silver Creek. It takes you to 10 majestic waterfalls, ranging from the grand South Falls (177 feet), to the delicate Drake Falls (27 feet). Four of these falls have an amphitheater-like surrounding where you can walk behind the falls and feel the misty, crisp spray.”

“It’s beautiful year-round,” said Shannah Castenette, a Eugene resident who loves to visit the park. “I always bring my kids for long weekends.”

Silver Creek Falls’ state park is open year-round for those who want to camp and hike. There are a number of different trails and areas to camp for only eight dollars a night. This campground has a lot of fun adventures to offer, as well as a beautiful setting.
Whether you’re looking for a place to hike, camp or just relax for a couple of nights, Oregon has many different fun options.