The Hardest Cuts

While I worked on this book project, I completed more than 200 hikes. Some of these were hikes I had done many times before, and some were hikes that were new to me. As the scope of this project began to take shape, I began to realize that I could not possibly include every hike I researched in this book. I ultimately decided to feature 125 hikes in this book. In honor of the great Texas indie rock band Spoon, I am calling the hikes that did not make it “the hardest cuts”. Here is a list of some of my favorites:

Oregon Coast and Coast Range

1. Arch Rock Loop

2. Rockaway Beach Ancient Cedar

3. Netarts Spit

4. Cascade Head

5. Valley of the Giants

6. The Thumb

7. Cape Ferrelo

8. Tincup Trail

Wllamette Valley

1. Burlington Creek

2. Camassia Natural Area

3. Molalla River Corridor

4. Horse Rock Ridge

Columbia River Gorge

1. Latourell Falls

2. Larch Mountain

3. Elowah and Upper McCord Falls

4. Indian Mountain

5. Memaloose Hills

6. Sevenmile Hill

Northern Oregon Cascades

1. Laurance Lake Ridge

2. Tamanawas Falls

3. Heather Canyon

4. Burnt Lake

5. Devils Peak Lookout

6. Hawk Mountain

Central Oregon Cascades

1. Opal Creek

2. Bachelor Mountain via Bruno Meadows

3. Crescent Mountain

4. Berley Lakes

5. Jefferson Lake Trail

6. Lower Metolius River

7. Whychus Creek Falls

8. Rosary Lakes

Southern Oregon

1. Toketee Falls and North Umpqua Hot Springs

2. Warm Springs Falls

3. Rough Rider Falls

Central Oregon High Desert

1. Postage Stamp Butte

2. Spring Basin Wilderness

3. John Day Fossil Beds - Clarno Unit

4. Mecca Flat and Trout Creek

5. Steelhead Falls

6. Oregon Badlands

7. Paulina Creek Waterfalls

8. Black Canyon of Sutton Mountain

Northeast Oregon

1. Ninemile Ridge

2. Temperance Creek

3. Big Sheep Basin

4. Imnaha River and the Blue Hole

Southeast Oregon

1. Craft Cabin Trail

2. Big Indian Gorge