Summertime in Oregon is a beautiful thing. About once month we Grovers like to take an afternoon break from making our products and get out into nature as a team to go hiking in the forests and breath some clean air. This past month we went to Oneonta Gorge located about 35 miles outside of Portland, Oregon in the Columbia River Gorge.

With snacks on our backs and pockets full of nuts and berries for sustenance we hiked into the wilderness. Oneonta Gorge really is a special place, and feels a bit like you are stepping into J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The small path follows a rocky, winding stream up a very narrow gorge with steep moss and fern covered cliffs, eventually ending at a pretty little waterfall.

However, to get to the end of the hike, there also is a comically sketchy and enormous pile of driftwood (aka entire fallen trees) blocking the way which you must carefully scramble over. When we were there it was swarming with native Oregonian children, who seemed entirely unfazed by the large pile of natural debris. You must also wade chest deep through the stream which is made of melted ice flow from Mt. Hood. It was cold, cold, cold, but worth the beautiful sight at the end of the hike.

Afterward we cruised down the old historic Columbia River highway to Multnomah Falls, the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon. Here we “gorged” ourselves on ice cream and cookies, and basked in the weirdness of Oregon tourists milling about Multnomah Falls lodge and the gift shop where we were tempted to buy fools gold paper weights and decks of cards with decorated with edible plants. Thankfully, sometimes we have self restraint in gift shops!  But only sometimes.

It was another great outing in the woods for team Grove!