The Northwestern United States includes areas from the northwestern United States to the Great Plains, including Oregon and Washington. It may include Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming.
Nature of the Northwest is a website that offers information about the natural environment of the Northwestern United States. Our goal is to provide an immersive and interactive experience by exploring a region through its ecosystems, people, and cultures.
Sometimes, it refers only to the Northwest of Western Oregon, and Washington states, including coastal and live in the Willamette Valley and the Puget Sound area, but not included in the Cascade Mountains in the east.
The Pacific Northwest in the United States often refers to Oregon and Washington. It sometimes also refers to Idaho, Northwest Montana, and Northern California. Internationally this term also includes part of Canada.
In this post, we will highlight some of the different resources available on naturenw.com in order to give you ideas for things you might want to explore next time you visit our site.
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (National Web site):
https://www.blm.gov/
Bureau of Land Management (Oregon/Washington):
https://www.blm.gov/oregon-washington
The United States is a privately owned society. Most of the land is privately owned. People can freely buy and sell land. When buying and selling houses, the land that the property is located is also transferred. Besides private land, the United States also has 2.59 million square kilometers (640 million acres) of public land. It accounts for 28% of the country’s land area. The federal government manages public land, but it is not state-owned land. Land ownership belongs to all citizens. The federal government is only a manager, not a landowner.
The federal government has four departments responsible for managing public land:
1. The Bureau of Land Management under the Department of Interior manages 1 million square kilometers (247.3 million acres) of public land.
2. The Fish and Wildlife Service under the Ministry of Domestic Resources manages approximately 360,000 square kilometers (89.1 million acres) of public land.
3. The National Park Service, under the Ministry of Domestic Resources, manages approximately 320,000 square kilometers (79.6 million acres) of public land.
4. The US Forest Service under the Department of Agriculture manages approximately 780,000 square kilometers (193 million acres) of public land.
The above four federal agencies manage about 95% of public land. Also, the Department of Defense manages about 46,100 square kilometers (11.4 million acres) of public land, mainly military bases. Other departments such as the United States Army Corps of Engineers (United States Army Corps of Engineers, USACE) and other institutions manage the remaining public land.
Public land in the United States is in the western region and Alaska. Public land in the western region accounts for 47% of the local land area. In some states, the proportion of public land even accounts for the principal part, exceeding the area of private land. The following is federal public land in the state. The top 5 states by percentage:
1. Nevada: 80.89%
2. Utah: 63.12%
3. Idaho: 61.36%
4. Alaska: 60.24%
5. Wyoming: 48.43%
Besides federal public land, the state government also owns certain public land. Some of this public land is transferred from the federal government to the state government for management. And the other part is owned by the state. This part of the land is called state-owned land. They are all land in a state that belongs to the people of the state. Unlike public land owned by all citizens, only the people of the state have ownership. And people in other states have no ownership. For example, many state parks are open to residents for free, but residents of other states have to pay.
From the above federal government’s public land management, it is easy to see that public land is mainly national parks, rivers, mountains, mining areas, forests, nature reserves, wetlands, and wild wastelands. Most of the national parks in the United States are in the western region. National parks are called the jewel in the crown and are the precious natural wealth of all people and the essence of public land.
Campground Reservations
National Forest Recreation Reservations
https://www.recreation.gov/
Walker Lake State Recreation Area
As one of the largest natural water bodies in Nevada, Walker Lake is accessible via U.S. Highway 95. It is about 10 miles northwest of Hawthorne, popular for boating, fishing, picnic, and swimming.
As the remains of the ancient Lake Lahontan that covered most of northwestern Nevada thousands of years ago, Walker Lake is one of the few lakes in the world where cutthroat trout are located. But as the water level drops, the fishery here is no longer as developed as before. A 1956 Nevada Highways and Park article mentioned that “They caught dozens of cutthroat trouts weighing 12 to 16 pounds this year in Lake Walker.”
Visitors should note that the Nevada Division of State Parks no longer maintains this lake. If they choose to use the boat ramp there, they do so at their own risk.
Website: https://www.blm.gov/visit/walker-lake-recreation-area
Wilson Canyon Recreation Area
Wilson Canyon on the Walker Riverbanks has been a popular spot for camping, fishing, hiking, and picnics. This narrow, picturesque canyon separates the Smith and Mason valleys about 9 miles south of Yerington.
About ten years ago, the area was officially under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and became the Wilson Canyon Recreation Area. The United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains a campground and picnic facilities, including toilets. Campers should note that it strictly prohibits open flames in this play area.
Website: https://www.blm.gov/visit/wilson-canyon
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
In the vast and barren Nevada desert, water always seems to shine with dazzling light. But in the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, south of the Alamo along U.S. Highway 93, it is the norm. In Payut, the word Pahranagat itself means “sparkling valley waters”. This 5380-acre reserve is a vast wetland along the Pacific bird migration route, where over 230 species of migratory birds live, including waterbirds, songbirds, raptors, and waterfowl.
The water in the wetland comes from two hot springs at the northern end of the reserve and is stored in four water bodies: North Marsh, Upper Lake, Middle Pond, and Lower Lake. This reserve is a great place for birdwatching, camping, and picnics at the campground on the east coast of Upper Lake and fishing and hunting in the fall.
Website: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/pahranagat/
Great Dune
The “Silver Road” of Nevada is known for its excellent off-road driving destination and is accessible via U.S. Highway 95, about 25 miles south of Beatty, the 500-foot-high Big Dune (Big Dune) No exception. The key environmental concern areas designated by the Bureau of Land Management are open to off-road vehicle users and soundboards as long as they are careful not to harm the endangered desert tortoises in the area. Tourists are rigorously touching or moving tortoises. Otherwise, they may be fined or even imprisoned. Besides tortoises, the Great Dune is also home to four endangered beetles.
Website: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm
Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
Oregon, Washington, and Idaho are placed as the most adventurous locations that foreigners must visit. It is an attitude that is also clear in tourism with the widespread use of restaurants. For example, the use of biological diesel in canoes destined for whale watching at the Pacific coast. This area of North America is often overlooked as it has nothing to envy neighboring California.
Are you a curious hiker or refined gourmand? You will find these sports at the evocative Crater Lake. Also, from Olympic National Park to the food stalls of Portland, many activities will push you to San Juan Island. Ideally, these locations will meet your expectations.
The Beaver State is famous for its coffee. For example, it is well-known for the Simpsons Matt Groening father, for the gold rush and milk, although the hundreds of craft breweries are the symbolic drink of the state. Oregon has many particular signs that distinguish it from other northwestern states. One above all is the absence of sales taxes to the delight of shopping addicts.
Almost the entire territory is covered by 12 million hectares of forests and 26,000 acres of vineyards, concentrated in the Willamette Valley region. It is where you can taste the excellent Pinot Noir produced by wineries scattered in the countryside hills outside Portland. The latter, also known as the City of Roses or Beervana, certainly deserves a stop. If you want to admire it in its entirety, the ideal means is the Aerial Tram. It is a cableway that connects two areas of the city in three minutes, a short but intense experience! It crowns Portland all around by the Oregon Cascades’ volcanoes, a destination for many skiers and hikers. Between climbing Mt. Hood’s highest peak and rafting down the Snake River in the Hells Canyon gorge, do not forget to stop by Pendleton to watch one of his famous rodeos or find out what life is like on a real ranch.
Skirting the Pacific, you will arrive at Crater Lake, Oregon’s most spectacular natural attraction, and the deepest lake in the United States at 594 meters. Its waters are so pure and of such an intense blue that they will take your breath away. Along the coast, Oregon will surprise you with its small but spectacular version of the Sahara desert. The Oregon Dunes come with their 80 km, are the largest expanse of dunes in the United States. If you want to rest a bit after the tour, there are 16 hot springs in this state. And in the area of the capital Salem, you can relax in various spas.
Website: https://www.oregongeology.org/default.htm
Washington Division of Geology
It is the famous flying saucer-shaped tower that has towered over the area for over 50 years. Among the parks, futuristic architecture, drink stores, and public statuses, a Seattle peculiarity is the controversial public figures of Fremont’s hippy district. Just to get an idea of the extravagance of this area, think of an enormous troll.
West of Seattle, the pristine Olympic Peninsula is home to Olympic National Park. It is a place that visitors can hike, ski, fish, or bathe in the waters of Lake Quinault. The entrance to the park in Port Angeles embarks towards Canada and the San Juan Islands. It is tranquility composed of 172 outcrops. However, only the four main islands are famous for sea kayaking and whale.
Moving on the extreme west of the peninsula, fans of Twilight cannot stop in Forks. It is an unfriendly town brought to the fore by the books and films of the Stephenie Meyer saga. In the hinterland, Spokane city and its lively nightlife await you.
If you are nostalgic for the European environment, you can visit Leavenworth. It has taken on the connotation of a Bavarian village. It comes with a grand passion for foods, beer, and local Lederhosen pants.
Website: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is an agency affiliated with the U.S. Federal Government and the U.S. Army. There is over 30,000 civilian personnel. It is the world’s most extensive public engineering, design, and construction management organization with over one hundred soldiers.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is one of the significant water conservancy agencies in the United States and is under the Department of War jurisdiction. Its predecessor was the agency appointed in 1775 as the army’s chief engineer to handle army construction and fortifications. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was formally established as the West Point Military Academy’s engineering class in New York in 1802.
It was not until 1866 that it became a more general military academy. In 1824, the U.S. Congress allowed the Army Corps of Engineers to be responsible for waterway improvement and adjacent wetlands maintenance. The waterway improvement includes the construction of gates and dams, dredging, bank protection, and shipping engineering management to ensure that the Mississippi River, especially the river’s upper reaches, is always navigable throughout the year.
He effectively promoted economic development along the coast. He handled the construction of flood control projects since 1936. Later, he managed inland navigation planning and combined the development of hydropower. Since 1979, he has been responsible for the safety inspection of dams nationwide in the United States. In 2005, he handled the restoration of the waterfront in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Website: https://www.usace.army.mil/
United States Geological Survey -USGS
The United States Geological Survey, referred to as the USGS, also translated into the U.S. Geological Survey in the United States Department of the Interior belonging to scientific research institutions. It handles scientific research, monitoring, collection, and analysis of natural disasters. It provides extensive, high-quality, and timely scientific information for decision-making departments and the public.
The primary responsibilities of the U.S. Geological Survey handle scientific research, monitoring, collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of natural disasters, geology, resources, geography, environment, biological information.
Website: https://www.usgs.gov/
Department of Motor Vehicles
Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV) help to protect your property and identity. This department knows and follows the rules of the road to ensure the highest safety. Your license and registration fees help pay for roads, buses, and other transportation services. They have offices all over the state and provide many services online.
Hiking and Trails
Forest Park
Portland’s famous Forest Park is over 5000 acres of forest within the city limits. This city park has an impressive 80 miles of trails through the tree-covered terrain. It includes ridges and ravines, creeks and streams, the occasional city, Willamette River, and mountain views.
There are park routes for cyclists and horseback riders and hikers, and runners. Hiking in the forest park ranges from easy to hard. If you feel ambitious, the 30-mile Wildwood Trail is part of Portland’s 40-mile circle subway line and is an attractive choice.
Website: https://www.portland.gov/parks/forest-park
Tryon Creek State Natural Area
As part of the Oregon State Park System, Tryon Creek State Natural Area preserves 670 acres of mature forest and is surrounded by a lovely section of Tryon Creek. Over 14 miles of trails criss-cross.
Each community has its designated route for hikers, cyclists, or horses. Start your visit at the nature center at the park’s east entrance, where you can pick up a route map, buy a field guide, and view the park’s topographic map. It provides guided hikes, summer camps, and educational programs.
Website: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=103
Hoyt Botanic Garden
The Hoyt Arboretum in Portland covers 187 acres and has trees from all over the world. You can experience these trees and other plant specimens while hiking the 12-mile trail network of the Arboretum or as a guide.
Hoyt Arboretum’s visitor center and their website provide detailed clue maps that can divide the rises into 1, 2, and 4-mile blocks. Hoyt Arboretum is in Portland’s Washington Park. Not only can you stretch your legs in the woods, but you can also stretch your body in the Portland Japanese Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, or the Oregon Zoo.
Website: https://www.hoytarboretum.org/visit/plan-your-visit/
Miscellaneous Sites
Ecosystem Site: https://www.fs.fed.us/land/ecosysmgmt/
Northwest Avalanche Center: https://nwac.us/
In the Pacific Ocean in northern California and southern Washington, Oregon is a lush, slightly wild state that offers many scenic tourist attractions along the coastline. US 101 is an excellent holiday paradise for resorts, beaches, and parks.
At the northernmost point, the coast meets the mouth of the Columbia River. It marks the northern border of the state. This major river leads inland and connects with scenic waterfalls.
Besides its natural beauty, Oregon is famous for its urban charm. In particular, Portland enjoys an international reputation for alternative culture, adopting and accepting the slogan “Keep Portland Weird”. The state’s largest city, Portland’s sightseeing gem, from rose gardens to art museums and huge bookstores. Further south, Eugene is a thriving university town, Newport is the most popular beach resort, and the Capitol is in Salem.
Northwest Forest Pass
Anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors in the Pacific Northwest will visit various countries and national parks and forests many times a year. Most of these places have daily use or entrance fees, ranging from $3 to $15. For more than a year, these costs can add up. This type of pass only applies to admission and day usage fees and not applicable to other services and facilities such as camping.
Fortunately, there are parks, forests, and other state and federal recreation sites in Oregon and Washington. We can purchase all online. Here are some options.
If you plan to visit several national parks or forests or visit a few days at a time, the annual pass is the way to go. We can purchase these passes online, at the forest range station or the National Park Visitor Center, and they are valid for one year of the month of purchase. The Institutional Annual Pass allows you to enter premises and facilities operated by the following institutions in Oregon, Washington, and the United States.
Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=fsbdev2_027010
National Forest Service
The National Forest Service is a U.S. Department of Agriculture’s subsidiaries, responsible for managing America’s 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The total management area is over 6 acres (780,000 square kilometers).
The central subordinate departments of this institution are:
The national forest system.
Public and private forestry.
- Commercial operation.
- Research and development.
This agency manages over 25% of federally owned land and is the only national land management agency other than the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/
National Monument and Scenic Areas
Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon: https://www.fs.usda.gov/crgnsa
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount-st-helens/mount-st-helens-national-volcanic-monument?qt-science_support_page_related_con=2
Bend
Bend comprises national forests, ski resorts, and dry plains and is roughly in Oregon’s center. The city High Desert Museum, information about the show Northwest arid region. Activity-focused attractions include rafting trips on the Deschutes River, visit the volcano lava hills and Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and Mount Bachelor Ski Resort. Also nearby, Smith Rock has many climbing routes and a long history as a destination famous for climbers.
For a more leisurely approach, the Cascade Lake Scenic Trail is a route through Deschutes National Forest. Drive past lakes, mountains, and spectacular scenery, and there are many picnics and campsites along the way.
Oregon Caverns National Monument
This underground attraction is in a marble cave and can only be entered with a guided tour. The stairs and narrow passages are located 90 minutes underground. Above the reserve, it provides hiking trails through ancient coniferous forests. The monument is 4,000 feet above sea level in the Siskiyou Mountains.
National Park
National Park Service
Website: https://www.nps.gov/index.htm
Fortunately, Portland is a modern city with great natural areas. Parks and preserves provide plenty of opportunities to hike through forests and wetlands, experience nature, enjoy wildlife, and view the scenery, all without leaving the metropolitan area.
Portland’s famous Forest Park is over 5000 acres of forest within the city limits. This city park has an impressive 80 miles of trails through the tree-covered terrain. It includes ridges and ravines, creeks and streams, the occasional city, Willamette River, and mountain views.
There are park routes for cyclists and horseback riders and hikers, and runners. Hiking in the forest park ranges from easy to hard. If you feel ambitious, the 30-mile Wildwood Trail is part of Portland’s 40-mile circle subway line that is an attractive choice.
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
With a ubiquitous landscape, Crater Lake National Park is in the Cascade Mountains in southwestern Oregon. The lake is dark blue, bottomless, and almost circular.
It is the crater of a dead-water volcano, Mazama Mountain, and lava cliffs, reaching a height of two thousand feet around the lake. Far from the crater, the rim drives around the lake in the clockwise direction. It starts in Rim Village (33 miles), but you can only access the road in warm weather. If you want to explore the lake fully, go to Cheetwood Cove. There are many cruises depart wizard island.
Website: https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Oregon State Parks
As part of the Oregon State Park System, Tryon Creek State Natural Area preserves 670 acres of mature forest and is surrounded by a lovely section of Tryon Creek. Over 14 miles of trails criss-cross. Each community has its designated route for hikers, cyclists, or horses.
Start your visit at the nature center at the east entrance, and you can pick up a route map, buy a field guide, and view the topographic map of the park. It provides guided hikes, summer camps, and educational programs.
Cannon Beach is a popular tourist attraction in northwest Oregon. The beach has spectacular views of wide sandy beaches.
They call the largest Haystack Rock the world’s most enormous boulder. Near the waterfront is another well-known resort area, close to the beach and surf break.
In the north of the mouth of the Columbia is in Cannon Beach. The town has an essential location in the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park – famous explorer Fort Clatsop replica. A slightly more modern relic is the Stevensburg military post. It is now a state park and preserves the history of the Civil War through World War II.
State Forests
Oregon State Forest: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/working/pages/stateforests.aspx
Washington State Forests: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/managed-lands/forest-and-trust-lands
One thousand graffiti signs dating back to the late 19th century dot the Belmont Courthouse building’s interior walls. Ironically, graffiti, one of the greatest taboos of historical relics, became the most attractive place for the court.
The finding of silver in the Toquima Range north of Tonopah today led to Belmont’s birth in late 1865. As of 1867, the town quickly developed to have approximately 2,000 residents. And Nye County became the seat of the county government.
Because of the unfavorable atmosphere, the town built the court in 1876, and the town’s mining production experienced its first sharp decline in the same year. The small mines that flourished in the 1880s could not withstand the shrinking storm of ore. The county government moved to Tonopah in 1905, and Belmont’s population was therefore almost reduced to zero.
The ancient western silver mining empire and 55-foot-long marine reptiles may appear like displays from a science fiction movie. But in Nevada, these are the driving forces of a remote but popular state park. You can follow Interstates 361 and 844 on the flank of the Shoshone Mountains to Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, 25 miles east of Gibbs. It is a multi-million-year-old treasure of Nevada.
The mining town of Berlin in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had only several number citizens at its peak but despite its inconspicuous role in the mining history of Nevada. It is now the best-preserved in the United States And one of the most famous ghost towns. The Diana Mine, located slightly to the north of the town, allows you to get a glimpse of Berlin’s life during its heyday and weekend tour at the end of September.
A few miles southeast of the town of Berlin and deeper into the mountains, the discovery of fossil remains of the Triassic ichthyosaur-strictly a Shonisaurus, contributed to establishing the state park in 1957. After visiting the fossil sanctuary and its neighboring life-size ichthyosaur murals in the park for 40 minutes. Visitors are all marveling at the daunting size of this prehistoric marine reptile. Visitors can come here every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day and the weekend before the second Saturday of November.
Wilderness
Air Quality in Widerness: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r6
Wilderness Information Network: https://wilderness.net/
Wildland Fire: https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/
From the flood-carved walls of Cathedral Gorge State Park and the terrifying and hot Death Valley National Park to the picturesque Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Refuge wetlands and the once-thriving silver, industrial site of Belmont Courthouse State Historical Park, this area is home to some of Nevada’s most unique attractions.
The vast territory of south-central Nevada is called the “Silver Trail”, and we can say the beauty of this place to be a magnificent symphony. From the flood-carved walls of Cathedral Gorge State Park and the terrifying and hot Death Valley National Park to the picturesque Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Refuge wetlands and the once-thriving silver, industrial site of Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park, this area is home to some of Nevada’s most exciting attractions.
Bellingham has many boutiques and restaurants, and you can find many such beautiful destinations in the bustling Fairhaven Historic District. The charming Boulevard Park and the nearby Whatcom Falls Park are located here. Whatcom Falls Park has magnificent waterfalls nature can explore that trekking.
