Reading is good, but hiking is better.

I tend to do most of my reading in the winter months. Not to knock reading, for reading is good and more people need to read. But when the weather is good, like right now, put the book down and get out there and hike. Your body, soul, and spirit will thank you for it.

I don't care if you hike the CRT, that's the acronym for the Clackamas River Trail, or you bushwhack crosscountry using only a compass and a topo map, or a GPS unit to get from point A to point B, but get out there and explore. Don't just read about the exploits of others, as on this website, or in books, but go out there and do your own exploration at whatever level that you are able.

This district is blessed with an abundance of trails that have been maintained recently by volunteers, or to those that haven't seen any maintenance for 30 years or more. I tend to hike and explore the old trails that have been off the map for a while, but that is my preference. You choose what level of excitement your body can endure and go for it. Just let us know what the condition the trail was, so we can deal with the maintenance issue. We are always happy to add more volunteers who wish to help maintain our trails. Checkout the "Get Involved" section of our website if you are interested.