The Edgy & Wild Portland12thMay
Where do you journey with the family on a sunny Spring or Summer Saturday? I grew up in Portland (Milwaukie, actually) so here's my rendition of what's awesome out there. Take the following advice as nostalgia for an edgier and wilder Portland. While we did all these adventures as kids, it's up to you to decide if they’re the right fit for your family.
Find the locations on our custom Google Map for our Edgy & Wild Portland.
Elk Rock Island You can see this jagged and rocky, unearthly Island from the Milwaukie waterfront. I realize now we probably shouldn't have ridden our mountain bikes out there when we were little kids (it causes erosion). So now I only walk to pay my respects to the ancient volcano that erupted about 40 million years ago. This place has all kinds of incredible nooks and crannies. With lava rock walls and several wacky types of forests, it's the perfect place for the ultimate game of hide and go seek. Even if the land bridge leading to the island is overflowed by the Willamette, the park preceding it is awesome. Learn more about Elk Rock Island at Portland Parks online
The Archery Range at Washington Park I believe the more a family shoots bows and arrows together, the happier the family will be. It’s a simple idea that's up to you to test. Please insist that "Bubba" with his 90 lb compound bow makes room for the kids to shoot up close (don't worry, you won't find too many "Bubbas" there). Don't have a bow? Have your child take our Archery Apprenticeship, Plus Make a Bow Summer Camp.
Oneonta Gorge: Lower Falls When I was kid, this was the absolute coolest place to travel to with the Deis family's 1976 Chevy Malibu. We kids were never too keen on Multnomah Falls because it was packed with tourists. Yet Oneonta Gorge, only a short distance down the road, was like an adventure in Middle Earth. We'd begin at the outlet of Oneonta Creek and walk nearly a half mile through the slot like canyon to the lower falls. The creek water would be cold. The scrambling over fallen boulders and log piles was precarious and slippery. The wading through slightly deep pools always freaked me out a little (I was 8-years old). Yet I had a blast. I guess parents in the 1980's were just okay with those kinds of things. Just today I heard rumors that the lower falls hike may be closed. I refuse to accept that. Check in for yourself. Be sure to bring sandals or water shoes and a hearty snack to round out the day.
Where does your family find adventure with the family in the Wilds of Portland? Add your places to the Google map of our Edgy and Wild Portland.
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Camps we love...
Ages 8-10 & 11-13 Overnight Wilders Guild: Homesteading Overnight CampAugust 1-6 & August 22-27
Ages 8-10 & 11-13 Overnight Rangers Guild: Wilderness Survival Overnight Camp August 1-6 & August 22-27
A program evolution…
Ages 14-17 TrackersTEENS Outdoor Leadership Club (TOLC) Join Anytime, new opportunities for Summer Attend monthly skills training in wilderness survival, outdoor skills and homesteading crafts. Then apply this knowledge in a leadership role as a Counselor In Training (CIT) with Trackers Kids camps.
Check it out! The best After School program ever in existence…
Ages 6-13 Fully Transported After School Outdoors (TAO) Begins September 7 Woodworking, wilderness skills, fishing, blacksmithing, theater arts, sewing, permaculture and sheer awesomeness. Nuff' said.
