The 5 Best Outdoorsy Towns to Explore in Oregon

True locals know that practically every town could be considered a great outdoorsy town in Oregon. Locals are active, the government keeps the natural resources pristine and protected, and it certainly doesn't hurt that the natural landscapes are varied and gorgeous. But when it comes to the best of the best of the small to mid-sized towns, which ones offer the best jumping-off point for outdoor activities? The following are the best outdoor towns in Oregon for your next adventure. 

1. Pacific City

The Oregon Coast isn't lacking in adorable small towns with a plethora of nearby activities. However, Pacific City stands out from the rest due to the diversity of activities that both locals and tourists like to partake in. Plus, it's a bit less crowded than other towns in the area.

Close to Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, Bob Straub State Park, and more, this beach town is where one goes for, obviously, beach-related activities. This includes beachcombing, swimming, surfing, kayaking, horseback riding, and fishing—with fishing a unique experience due to the Dory Boats. Plus, you can also experience hang gliding, hiking, biking, birdwatching, and riding over the sand dunes. 

2. Sisters

This famous, friendly western-themed town is well-known for both tourism in town and in the surrounding outdoor spaces. Perched on the edge of multiple national forests (Deschutes, Willamette, Mount Hood, etc.), Sisters provides access to all of these outdoor areas, as well as the Three Sisters Wilderness. Within these gorgeous nearby natural locations, there are alpine lakes to hike to and camp near, waterfalls to discover, lakes to swim in, rivers to fish in, horses to ride, and all manner of trails to hike and bike on. Nearby, there’s even Smith Rock State Park, where rock climbers can shine. 

3. Mitchell

Eastern Oregon can often be a bit of a question mark for tourists. This is because Oregon is typically thought of as rainy, forested, and lush. However, Eastern Oregon features high deserts and larger grasslands, rather than thick forests. But, there’s still much to see in this neck of the woods (ironically), and much of it will remain largely uncrowded by locals and tourists due to the remote nature of the area. 

Mitchell is a town that is only a few miles away from one of the most prominent landscapes in all of Eastern Oregon: the Painted Hills. These hills are both an artist's and a rock lover’s dream, being in one of the best geological zones for discovering thunder eggs and other little treasures. A frontier-themed town, the area is perhaps best known for miles and miles of biking trails outside of the rock hunting. 

4. Silverton

Besides having relatively close access to Portland and bordering the famous Willamette Valley, Silverton is one of the best outdoor towns in Oregon due to its proximity to Silver Falls State Park. This park is one of the most gorgeous state parks in Oregon and features some of the best cared-for trail systems anywhere, especially regarding the famous Trail of Ten Falls. 

In Silverton, you have access to hiking, biking, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, nearby mountains with snow, the crops and activities the Willamette Valley offers (wine tasting, anyone?), as well as a beautiful city in and of itself. The city actually hosts The Oregon Garden as well, the largest botanical garden in the state. 

5. Hood River

Hood River has both an excellent location and a horrible location. It’s a bad location in that it is over an hour away from Portland and has few other cities nearby other than The Dalles. This means that it can feel incredibly isolated at times and can be hard to access during bouts of bad weather. However, it is also one of the best locations for anyone looking to explore some of the best outdoor destinations in northern Oregon.

To the west (and also the road to Portland) are the majority of the waterfalls that line the Columbia River Gorge, as well as the hikes and biking trails that go with them. Directly southward looms Mount Hood, one of the best places in Oregon for winter sports and summer hiking. The east contains broad grasslands and canyons, in addition to high desert landscapes and the famous Hells Canyon on the Idaho border. Regarding the north, the town borders Washington, and the Columbia River is one of the best places for windsurfing in the entire world. 

Clearly, Oregon offers a plethora of different types of landscapes to explore and multiple activities to experience. There are even more great towns beyond the five listed here, but in terms of a small to mid-sized town with access to multiple places to see and the largest variety of things to do in Oregon, the five towns listed above are difficult to beat.