TravelMorgan Stone GretherOregon City, oregon, travel

Oregon City Wanderings

TravelMorgan Stone GretherOregon City, oregon, travel
Oregon City Wanderings

Just after exploring Camassia Natural Area, I wandered around Oregon City, Oregon, in February 2017. It's a great little city, anchored by the mighty Willamette Falls. Soon the old Blue Heron paper mill will be rebuilt as a new waterfront for the city with apartments, condos, restaurants, and business spaces. Then the whole area will begin to transform. Cannot wait to watch these huge changes happen before all our eyes.

Nice person in Portland, Oregon, and beyond.

TravelMorgan Stone GretherWest Linn, Camassia Natural Area, oregon, pacific northwest, oak trees, trees, moss, lichen, travel

Camassia Natural Area, West Linn, Oregon

About 26 wooded acres nestled on a ridge overlooking Oregon City.  There are wetlands and oak groves, with the whole area sprinkled with large erratics (rocks brought here by ancient ice-age floods)...

TravelMorgan Stone GretherWest Linn, Camassia Natural Area, oregon, pacific northwest, oak trees, trees, moss, lichen, travel
Camassia Natural Area, West Linn, Oregon
TravelMorgan Stone GretherChampoeg, oregon, pacific northwest, willamette river, trees, hiking, Champoeg State Heritage Area, Oregon parks project, winter, travel

Winter Hike in Champoeg, Oregon

In early February 2017, on a very cold, wet winter's day, I hiked around the Champoeg State Heritage Area outside of Butteville, Oregon. Champoeg (pronounced like "shampooey") was an important settlement in the 19th century and in 1843 formed an early regional government, a key step for the area eventually becoming a state. Today the former townsite is merely a field, but the surrounding 600 or so acres have become a park with forested trails easing along the Willamette River....

TravelMorgan Stone GretherChampoeg, oregon, pacific northwest, willamette river, trees, hiking, Champoeg State Heritage Area, Oregon parks project, winter, travel
Winter Hike in Champoeg, Oregon
TravelMorgan Stone GretherCamassia Natural Area, camas lily, flower, spring, oregon, pacific northwest, West Linn, oak trees, lichen, moss, hiking, travel

Camas Lily Bloom in Camassia Natural Area, April 2017

April 2017. It was time to return to Camassia Natural Area in West Linn, Oregon. Why? Because the camas lilies were all in bloom of course! Brilliant blue hues blanketed the fields in the park, which is about 26 acres of protected oak groves nestled across from Oregon City. There were other flowers too, white, pink, yellow...

TravelMorgan Stone GretherCamassia Natural Area, camas lily, flower, spring, oregon, pacific northwest, West Linn, oak trees, lichen, moss, hiking, travel
Camas Lily Bloom in Camassia Natural Area, April 2017
TravelMorgan Stone Gretheroregon, silver falls, pacific northwest, autumn, hiking, waterfalls, Oregon parks project, trees, river, travel, Silverton

Silver Falls State Park, Oregon (set 2 of 2)

Twice in October 2017, I visited fabulous Silver Falls State Park, just south of Silverton, Oregon. Here is the second set of two. (See the first.) I was amazed how much the tree colors had changed in just a few weeks. Ah, autumn!

TravelMorgan Stone Gretheroregon, silver falls, pacific northwest, autumn, hiking, waterfalls, Oregon parks project, trees, river, travel, Silverton
Silver Falls State Park, Oregon (set 2 of 2)