Pass offers downhill skiing and snowboarding. Stay overnight at the Westfir Lodge & Mountain Market near the historic Office Covered Bridge. Take advantage of a guided rafting, biking or snowshoeing trip with Helfrich McKenzie Rafting, Cog Wild Bicycle Tours or another local outfitter or guide. Off the trail, raise a glass at 3 Legged Crane, an Englishinspired, family-friendly brewpub that routinely hosts local and regional musicians. Time your visit around a community event that celebrates local heritage or the arts — including the venerable Tree Planting Festival, the Keg & Cask Festival or summer Concerts in the Park. FROM TOP: TURELL GROUP; COG WILD BICYCLE TOURS OAKRIDGE & WESTFIR The towns of Oakridge and Westfir have won the hearts, minds and wheels of outdoorsy types from around the world. Outdoor opportunities just outside of these cozy communities invite visitors into the Cascades’ mountainous terrain. Nearly 400 miles (644 km) of trails in the surrounding Willamette National Forest offer mountain bikers and hikers of all stripes plenty of room to get out and explore. Atop the bucket list for single-track enthusiasts is the classic Alpine Trail — a rolling, 15-mile (24-km) descent of more than 4,500 feet (1,372 m) through switchbacks, meadows and Douglas firs. The fast and flowing Lawler Trail offers 10.4 miles (16.7 km) of steep pitches and technical sections with sweeping views. The Willamette Tier section of the Oregon Timber Trail delivers 148 miles (283 km) of trails in a variety of ecosystems. For more laid-back fun, the Old Mill Disc Golf Course comprises 18 holes with diverse landscapes and varying levels of difficulty. Nearby, take in views of Salt Creek Falls, the second-highest single-drop waterfall in Oregon, from a wheelchair-accessible platform just a short distance from the parking lot. In winter Salt Creek Sno-Park is an idyllic home base for sledding and snowshoeing, while Willamette Oakridge Westfir Lodge mountain bikers Travel Lane County | EugeneCascadesCoast.org | 541.484.5307 57 CASCADE MOUNTAINS
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