Hiking Club Events and Activities Near Portland, Oregon

There are vast amounts of public lands for outdoor activities around the Portland, Ore., area. The Columbia River Gorge, Willamette River Valley and Mt. Hood regions offer extensive and diverse recreational opportunities, all within a short drive of Portland. While many people enjoy the solitude in experiencing nature, for those who prefer group activities there are several hiking groups in the Portland area that hold weekly outings throughout northwest Oregon, as well as trips abroad.

  1. Mazamas Climbing Club

    • The Mazamas Climbing Club, originally established in 1894, has 3,000 members and holds 700 hikes and 350 climbs yearly. Loosely translated, Mazamas means "mountain goat," and the club's slogan is, "We Climb High." Many of the club's outings are geared toward more serious mountain climbing adventures; the majority of the club's outings are hikes of moderate elevation. Outings include day hikes, overnight backpacking trips and climbs to the top of glacier cap peaks. The Mazamas have a lodge on Mt Hood, as well as their headquarters, the Mazamas Mountaineering Center, in Portland. Membership is restricted to those who have successfully climbed to the summit of a peak with a glacier.

      Mazama Mountaineering Center

      527 SE 43rd Ave.

      Portland, Ore. 97215

      503-227-2345

      mazamas.org

    Columbia Group

    • The Columbia Group is a subchapter of the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club. The Columbia Group is based in Portland and has more than 11,000 members in Northwest Oregon. The group holds regular outings across Oregon's high deserts, along river gorges and through mountain ranges from Astoria, east to The Dalles and south to Tillamook. Besides hiking events the group also holds other events, such as bicycle rides and kayaking outings. Aside from exploring the outdoors, the Columbia Group's focus is to promote awareness for environmental conservancy. The Columbia Group is volunteer-run, and while membership is encouraged, it is not required to participate in outings.

      Columbia Group Sierra Club

      1821 SE Ankeny Way

      Portland, Ore. 97214

      503-238-0442

      oregon.sierraclub.org

    Trails Club of Oregon

    • Trails Club of Oregon began in 1915 and sponsors year-round outings for hikers of all ability levels around the Portland area, with half-day hikes every Wednesday. While Trails Club of Oregon is based in Portland, many of its outings are held at their lodges on Mt. Hood and the Columbia River. In addition to hiking, the group also sponsors skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, biking, overnight backpacking and alpine trips. The club also has dinners and parties at its lodges and organizes hiking trips to Europe. Membership is not required for day activities.

      Trails Club of Oregon

      1452 NW Sauvie Island Road

      Portland, Ore. 97207

      503-233-2740

      trailsclub.org