Scenic | Travel adventures across the World!!!

Thanksgiving is one of the best time of the year to travel. This year thanksgiving took me to visit my aunt and uncle in the North West Pacific of the US. We drove to Portland from Seattle over the weekend. Our drive was about three hours and we enjoyed watching the stunning snow covered peaks of Mount St.Helens and Mount Hood on our way to Portland.

As soon as we reached there, we made our way to the Columbia River Gorge scenic area which encompasses numerous waterfalls in the midst of Mount Hood forest area. We started hiking a short trail that stretched from Wahkeena falls to Multnomah Falls. Our hiking trail was along the Columbia River and overlooked the huge trees by the river. After trekking for about half a mile, we caught a site of the Multnomah Falls which is the second tallest waterfall in the US and the tallest one in the State of Oregon. To get a closer look view of the waterfall we climbed up to the bridge located halfway through the falls. I could spot some of the visitors all the way at the top of the falls.

Overall my trip to the scenic area was very refreshing, away from the city on a chilly yet sunny day. I and my family had a great time in the woods and I would recommend this visit to all the nature lovers who would like to take a short get away from their day to day city life.

Starting this spring until fall, my friends and I have promised ourselves outdoor adventure every weekend. Last weekend we hiked the trails of Starved Rock State park which is about an hour and half away from Chicago. Starved Rock State Park is a hidden gem of the Midwest and known for its rugged canyons, scenic waterfalls and vivid foliage. The forest preserve is huge and the drive to the State park was very scenic. The lush mint lemon colored trees and red bud flowers on both the sides looked beautiful. I could see a lot of bikers enjoy their bike ride in the warm and sunny weather. We arrived at the park before noon and were all geared up and excited to trek and explore it.

Boardwalk

Wild Flowers

Lasalle Canyon

We started our day with the Board walk trails, hiking uphill along the steep steps to reach the Lover’s leap which was the highest point of the park. It had a great panoramic view of the Illinois river, rock formations and forest preserve. Walking further down along the winding pathways by the river, we headed towards the Lasalle Canyon which was about two miles away. We enjoyed climbing tree tops in the perfectly breezy weather which kept us going towards the Canyon. We trekked for about 4 miles in all and were exhausted by the end, but it was all worth it when we caught a sight of the beautiful falls at the Lasalle Canyon. We relaxed by the flowing stream of water for a while and then made our way back to the visitor’s center.

Now that I loved this hiking experience at the Starved Rock State Park, I am even more excited to visit the Rocky Mountain National Park at Colorado during my long weekend travel at the end of this month. Do you love to hike? Which was your best hiking experience? Which other outdoor adventures do you enjoy?