Hiking Oregon’s Counties

A couple of years ago, while going over some maps, I realized that we were probably pretty close to having hiked in all 36 of the Oregon’s counties. Some further analysis revealed that not only were we close but there were only two counties that we had yet to hike in – Umatilla and Gilliam. (At first I thought it was three including Union but we had actually crossed into Union County on two different days during at 2016 backpacking trip in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.)

While there were hikes in Umatilla County in our plans, several of Sullivan’s featured hikes are in that county, we had no planned hikes in Gilliam County. With little public land agriculture is the primary economy with an average farm size of 4,200 acres. At first glance I wondered if there were any hikes to be found but as luck would have it the John Day River acts as the divide between Gilliam and Sherman County. Along that divide is Cottonwood Canyon State Park with the Lost Corral Trail (post) located on the Gilliam County side. That hike was quickly added to the 2021 schedule and the pieces were in place to finish another hiking goal. That goal was reached on June 13th when we stepped onto a trail at the Cold Springs Wildlife Refuge in Umatilla County (post).

More information on Oregon’s counties can be found on the Oregon Secretary of State County Government page here. Below is a list of the counties with some basic statistics and one memorable photo from each.

Baker Area 3,089 Sq ft Population 16,910 Year Est. 1862
First Hike – 2017 Total Days – 8
Summit Lake, Elkhorn Mountains

Benton Area 679 Sq ft Population 94,665 Year Est. 1847
First Hike – 2009 Total Days – 12
Wildflowers on the summit of Mary’s Peak

Clackamas Area 1,884 Sq ft Population 426,515 Year Est. 1843
First Hike – 2012 Total Days – 42
Mt. Hood from Yocum Ridge

Clatsop Area 1,085 Sq ft Population 39,455 Year Est. 1844
First Hike – 2013 Total Days – 10
Ecola State Park

Columbia Area 687 Sq ft Population 53,280 Year Est. 1854
First Hike – 2018 Total Days – 2
Oak Island

Coos Area 1,629 Sq ft Population 63,315 Year Est. 1853
First Hike – 2017 Total Days – 8
Cape Arago Lighthouse

Crook Area 2,991 Sq ft Population 23,440 Year Est. 1882
First Hike – 2012 Total Days – 6
Independent Mine Trail, Ochoco National Forest

Curry Area 1,648 Sq ft Population 23,005 Year Est. 1855
First Hike – 2016 Total Days – 12
Boardman State Park

Deschutes Area 3,055 Sq ft Population 197,015 Year Est. 1916
First Hike – 2006 Total Days – 45
Three Sisters Wilderness

Douglas Area 5,071 Sq ft Population 112,530 Year Est. 1852
First Hike – 2012 Total Days – 23
Upper Kentucky Falls

Gilliam Area 1,223 Sq ft Population 1,990 Year Est. 1885
First Hike – 2021 Total Days – 1
Esau Canyon

Grant Area 4,528 Sq ft Population 7,315 Year Est. 1864
First Hike – 2017 Total Days – 15
Strawberry Mountain

Harney Area 10,228 Sq ft Population 7,280 Year Est. 1889
First Hike – 2018 Total Days – 9
Borax Springs Trailhead

Hood River Area 533 Sq ft Population 25,640 Year Est. 1908
First Hike – 2012 Total Days – 33
Mt. Hood from Owl Point

Jackson Area 2,801 Sq ft Population 223,240 Year Est. 1852
First Hike – 2015 Total Days – 15
View from Lower Table Rock

Jefferson Area 1,791 Sq ft Population 24,105 Year Est. 1914
First Hike – 2008 Total Days – 27
Mount Jefferson Wilderness

Josephine Area 1,641 Sq ft Population 86,560 Year Est. 1856
First Hike – 2016 Total Days – 5
Paradise Lose, Oregon Caves National Monument

Klamath Area 4,105 Sq ft Population 68,075 Year Est. 1882
First Hike – 2012 Total Days – 20
Crater Lake National Park

Lake Area 8,359 Sq ft Population 8,075 Year Est. 1874
First Hike – 2037 Total Days – 9
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Lane Area 4,620 Sq ft Population 381,365 Year Est. 1851
First Hike – 2011 Total Days – 74
South Sister from Husband Lake

Lincoln Area 992 Sq ft Population 48,305 Year Est. 1893
First Hike – 2010 Total Days – 15
God’s Thumb

Linn Area 2,297 Sq ft Population 127,320 Year Est. 1847
First Hike – 2007 Total Days – 50
Mount Jefferson Wilderness

Malheur Area 9,926 Sq ft Population 32,105 Year Est. 1887
First Hike – 2018 Total Days – 3
Timber Gulch

Marion Area 1,194 Sq ft Population 349,120 Year Est. 1843
First Hike – 2006 Total Days – 46
Sawmill Falls

Morrow Area 2,049 Sq ft Population 12,825 Year Est. 1885
First Hike – 2019 Total Days – 1
McCormack Slough

Multnomah Area 465 Sq ft Population 829,560 Year Est. 1854
First Hike – 2012 Total Days – 13
Upper McCord Falls

Polk Area 745 Sq ft Population 83,805 Year Est. 1845
First Hike – 2010 Total Days – 7
North Fork Siletz River

Sherman Area 831 Sq ft Population 1,795 Year Est. 1889
First Hike – 2017 Total Days – 3
Deschutes River State Recreation Area

Tillamook Area 1,125 Sq ft Population 26,530 Year Est. 1853
First Hike – 2010 Total Days – 18
Cape Lookout

Umatilla Area 3,231 Sq ft Population 81,495 Year Est. 1862
First Hike – 2021 Total Days – 5
North Fork Umatilla Wilderness

Union Area 2,038 Sq ft Population 26,840 Year Est. 1864
First Hike – 2016 Total Days – 3
Glacier Peak from Eagle Cap, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Wallowa Area 3,153 Sq ft Population 7,160 Year Est. 1887
First Hike – 2016 Total Days – 11
Eagle Cap Wilderness

Wasco Area 2,396 Sq ft Population 27,295 Year Est. 1854
First Hike – 2014 Total Days – 10
Rowena Plateau

Washington Area 727 Sq ft Population 620,080 Year Est. 1843
First Hike – 2015Total Days – 8
Haag Lake

Wheeler Area 1,715 Sq ft Population 1,440 Year Est. 1899
First Hike – 2016 Total Days – 5
Painted Hills, John Day Fossil Beds

Yamhill Area 718 Sq ft Population 108,605 Year Est. 1843
First Hike – 2015 Total Days – 3
Niagara Falls

Happy Trails!