Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge (Tualatin) Got little walkers? Got a need for hiking in the glorious Pacific Northwest while it’s raining? I most definitely have the place for you! After a rather grumpy, drizzly summer morning, kvetching from both me and the munchkins (“Can we move to Hawaii yet?”) pushed my darling hubby over the edge, who said, “Get in the van.” He discovered Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge a few months earlier, having noted that one of its trails is open all year long;  outdoor freedom! TRVNW is between Tigard and Sherwood on 99W, easy access from I-5 or OR-217 (I have a pathological aversion to 99W, Keep Reading

Commonwealth Lake Park (Beaverton) Commonweath Lake Park is a small gem (20 acres) in the Cedar Hills area of Beaverton that packs a big punch. Seemingly hidden in the midst of a housing development, it’s off Butner Road with access from Foothills Drive and Huntington Avenue. First, the lake. It’s man-made and cute as a button! Swimming?  No way! Too many water fowl. Fishing? In Beaverton? Why yes!  Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District stocks the lake with trout, although in speaking with one fisherman you can also catch perch there. Trout must be a minimum of eight inches long or be released with a park limit of five trout per Keep Reading

Philip Foster Farm and Barton Park (Eagle Creek/Barton) Although I grew up not far from where the Oregon Trail once wound along the Clackamas River to its end in Oregon City, it wasn’t until I accompanied my kids on a school field trip that I discovered that historic Philip Foster Farm, located in Eagle Creek, is well worth the admission ($20/car or $5/person). Open May through October, this is a great spot for kids to connect with Oregon history. What makes this historical park extra special is how hands-on they let kids be. Instead of watching a laundry demonstration, my kids got to scrub clothes on a real washboard and run them through the Keep Reading