2025 was the first time in several years where we weren’t focused on achieving a specific hiking goal. It also marked the first year in which I had significantly more vacation time than Heather. We also adjusted our off-season modus operandi from “one hike a month” to “at least one hike a month and more if the weather cooperates”. These factors along with some medical restrictions resulted in a very different set of hikes in 2025 than previous years. For the first time since 2014 we didn’t spend any time backpacking, spent minimal time hiking in either Eastern or Southern Oregon, and for only the second time since 2012 failed to hike at an elevation above 8000′. In fact, it was the first year in which the average highest elevation of our outings came in under 3000′ at 2947′.
One thing that did not change was our focus on visiting new trails or, in the case of areas we’d visited before, new sections of trail. Together, Heather and I spent 46 days exploring trails, and I headed out on an additional 20 days. The 66 days for me marked the most days hiking in a calendar year topping the previous high of 64 in 2017. With multiple stops on several of the days the number of trailheads I started off from was 98 (75 for Heather). Fifty-eight of those ninety-eight stops, and twenty-eight of the days were entirely new. The only hike that was 100% on trails previously hiked was to celebrate our friend’s birthday with a hike to Dimple Hill in the McDonald-Dunn Forest. The hikes on our 46 days together came to 402.8 miles with another 245 miles on my 20 solo hikes resulting 647.8 miles for me in 2025. Of those miles 440.6 were new. Our shortest hike was just 0.9-miles when we stopped to check out McCredie Hot Springs on the way home from Bend in October, and my longest was the 17.8-mile Obsidian Loop in the Three Sisters Wilderness in July.
As far as where we spent our time the Central Cascades were at the top followed by the Oregon Coast & Coast Range, NW Oregon, and Washington. The hikes in Washington were one of the reasons for the low number of hikes in Eastern and Southern Oregon. Our two vacations were spent at National Parks in that state, Olympic and Mt. Rainier.
Locations of the trailheads we started from in 2025. (There are 96 THs since we hiked multiple trails on a number of days.)
Our northernmost hike this year, Ozette Triangle in Olympic National Park, was also the furthest north we’d ever hiked. This was also the furthest west we would be all year.
Looking north from the most northerly location we’ve been.
Our southernmost hike was on the Cow Creek Trail SE of Roseburg, OR in the Umpqua National Forest.
Downed trees that marked my turn around point, and southernmost point, on the Cow Creek Trail.
Not surprisingly our easternmost hike was our sole hike in Eastern Oregon in the BLM’s Criterion Tract.
Roughly the furthest point east we reached this year.
The 2025 wildfire season was comparatively tame to the last few years however there were still more than 1,100 fires from early June to mid-October. According to the Office of the State Fire Marshal over 700 of those fires were human caused which is disappointing as these are by and large avoidable.
While none of the fires directly impacted our plans this year, sadly 200 homes and structures were lost this past year and several trails we’d previously hiked were burned.
On a more positive note, we once again were blessed to be able to see and experience so many beautiful places. So many in fact that in addition to our usual wildlife and wildflower galleries we’re adding one for the waterfalls we saw in 2025.
January – Driftwood Beach, OR
February – Clackamas River from Milo McIver State Park, OR
March – Catherine Creek/Coyote Wall, WA (This area burned in July 2025 in the Burdoin Fire.)
April – Devil’s Lake Fork, Tillamook State Forest, OR
April – Basket Slough Wildlife Refuge, OR
May – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, OR
May – Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, WA
May – Devil’s Punchbowl, Olympic National Park, WA
May – Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, WA
May – Little Badger Trail, Mt. Hood National Forest, OR
May – Deschutes River, BLM Criterion Tract, OR
June – Blue Lake, Hampton Family Forests (Private Timberland), OR
June – Fivemile Butte Lookout, Mt. Hood National Forest, OR
June – Champoeg State Park, OR
June – Clearwater River, Umpqua National Forest, OR
Elk Camp Shelter, Willamette National Forest, OR
July – Mt. Hood, OR
July – Bays Lake, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, OR
July – Three Sisters Wilderness, OR
July – Craig Lake, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, OR
July – Big Lake, Willamette National Forest, OR
August – Walupt Lake, Goat Rocks Wilderness, OR
August – Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
August – Mt. Freemont Trail, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
August – Snow Lake, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
August – Naches Peak Loop, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
August – Lava Canyon Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA
September – Zigzag Canyon, Mt. Hood Wilderness, OR
September – Twin Rocks, Rockaway Beach, OR
September – Three Sisters Wilderness, OR
September – Duffy Lake, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, OR
September – Fuji Mountain, Willamette National Forest, OR
September – Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA
September – Charlton Lake, Deschutes National Forest, OR
October – Head of Jack Creek, Deschutes National Forest, OR
October – Nehalem River, Nehalem, OR
October – Silver Falls State Park, OR
October – Maxwell Butte, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, OR
October – Willamette Mission State Park, OR
November – Silver Falls State Park, OR
November – Clear Lake, Willamette National Forest, OR
December – Little Rock Creek, Santiam State Forest, OR
Looking ahead to 2026 there are still trails we’ve yet to explore and many that we’d be more than happy to revisit. We’re looking forward to continuing the journey for as long as we are able. Happy Trails and have a wonderful New Year!
wanderingyuncks 