Angel's Rest Hike
Naomi and I are planning a big 10-day hike in Europe next summer with friends for our 25th year anniversary. Now that the weather is nicer we are just itching to get out hiking every weekend so we continue to find new hikes within a short drive of our home in Portland.
This past Sunday we headed out to the Columbia River Gorge to try out Angel’s Rest. AllTrails tells us
“Angels Rest is a 4.5 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Corbett, Oregon that features a river and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and birding and is best used from April until September. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.”
We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and dozens of other cars were already lined up in the parking lot and along the roadway. This hike is just one of those slow and steady, reach the top, enjoy the scenery along the way, then head back downhill types.
Naomi commented several times on how this was probably her favorite so far of the hikes we have done locally in the three years since we have moved here. You get a nice mix of woodland down below, then climb above the trees to the rocky outcropping that leaves you with stunning panoramas of the Columbia River. For us it was short-sleeve weather for most of the hike, but windy and cooler at top so a light jacket or flannel was definitely welcome.
Evidence of the Eagle Creek Fire is all around us in the charred trees, but it doesn’t detract from the beauty. To me, it even adds that dark black contrast in color, or total lack of, while offering hope that beauty rises from bad, even devastating experiences. Life lessons from nature, I suppose.
