Golfing, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, hiking, fishing and wind surfing are some of the many outdoor activities in Portland, Oregon. Portland has many parks and outdoor recreational areas. The Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood are known for being great places for outdoor activities in Portland.
Mount Hood is only about an hour from downtown Portland and is said to be a skier's paradise as it boasts the longest ski season in North America. Mount Hood is known for its summer ski season and there are at least four ski resorts here. Ice climbing, snowboarding, show shoeing and cross-country skiing are other popular winter outdoor activities in Portland's Mount Hood.
The Columbia River Gorge offers one of the most unique outdoor activities in Portland. The Gorge is not only 50 million years old, but it forms a natural wind tunnel that makes it popular for wind surfing. It is known worldwide by wind surfers and the mid-day winds from the Gorge are said to be the best for windsurfing. The Columbia River Gorge is also known for white water rafting, sailing, hiking and camping.
There are at least 50 public golf courses in and around Portland. The area has both 9 hole and 18 hole courses as well as children's golf courses and par three courses for beginning golfers. Some Portland hotels have been known to offer golf packages that include golf and lessons at up to six different Portland golf courses.
Mountain biking is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Portland. There are many biking trails here for beginning and advanced bikers. Forest Park is known as a good place for mountain biking and it is America's biggest city park.
The Columbia River is said to be a good source of salmon, sturgeon and steelhead. Other fish commonly caught around the Portland area include trout, walleye, bass and shad. The Willamette River and the Bonneville Dam are known as good fishing areas.
