From October 2008 to April 2009, the price to camp at Oregon State Park campgrounds will drop between $4.00 and $5.00 from the summer prices we saw this year. Full hook-up, electrical hook-up, tent and primitive camping prices will all see this sort of reduction. Deluxe cabins and deluxe yurts will also go down in price, anywhere between $21.00 and $22.00 less. The reduced price is part of the state park’s Discovery Season discount promotion.

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John D. Carr put together a great piece on the best places to hike this fall in the Pacific Northwest. The trails he highlighted are known to showcase some of the best wildflower and tree colors the season has to offer. They also often have opportunities for animal watching. Deer and elk can be spotted in nearby meadows and smaller critters may be out foraging along the trails. Below are the trails he recommends this time of year:

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The Pacific Crest Trail started out as a simple dream of Catherine Montgomery’s back in 1962. She envisioned a trailway that ran along the crest of the western mountains from Mexico through California, Oregon and Washington to Canada. Her dream started to form into reality in 1932 when Clinton C. Clarke began getting the backing from area leaders to set aside land for the trail. That effort is part of what pushed President Johnson to enact the National Trails System Act in 1968 which established two of the greatest scenic trail efforts in the National - the Appalachian Trail system and the Pacific Crest. The governments enthusiasm for preserving the trailway and building them out for future generations is waning.

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Phyllis E. Hall hoped to hike the Pacific Crest Trial from Canada to Mexico during her lifetime. The Happy Valley, Oregon woman had completed hiking the Oregon and Washington portions of the trailway and was in the middle of working through the California portion in sections.

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This may be a bit out of the ordinary from the usual blogs I write here at DLK but I saw this bit of news in the paper last week and couldn’t resist sharing it with you all. Travel Oregon, the state’s tourism commission, sponsored a contest to find the best “official” Oregon cocktail. The winning drink would combine quintessential Oregon items to create a tasty and satisfying cocktail. The winning drink - a “Hike, Fish & Go Camping Punch” created by southwest Portland resident Cheryl Meloy. Meloy works at Pendleton Woolen Mill and was able to beat out over 200 contestants for the honor. This “light and refreshing” drink combines some of Oregon’s best loved elements. A combination of huckleberries, Pendleton whiskey, and Terminal Gravity IPA are mixed with citrus to create a frothy, sweet drink that eems perfect for sitting around your back deck with friends. I haven’t tried out this new cocktail but am looking forward to trying it in the near future. The test will be whether you can really hike or fish successfully while drinking one.

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