Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The sun is finally out and the snow is beginning to melt. For those of us who love to hike, this weather sets our hearts aflutter, our imaginations swimming with visions of mountain tops and alpine lakes.

But before we can set back out for the big trails this spring (and as we wait for more snow to melt) we would be wise to get our hiking bodies back in shape for the season. Because unless you spent winter hiking in the rain – and I’m sure some of you did – your feet, legs and back could probably use a little conditioning.

Thankfully, there are dozens upon dozens of day hikes around Portland that can serve that very purpose. To help get you going I’ve selected 18 of my favorites, sorted here by difficulty. “Difficulty” is subjective, of course, but in general these rankings assume you have some experience hiking under your belt already.

Those of you who are just starting out will probably want to start with the “easy” trails, while more experienced hikers can probably skip ahead to the “moderate” or “difficult” treks. The “very difficult” are some of the toughest day hikes around Portland – don’t take them lightly.

As always, please exercise caution while on the trail. Hiking is great exercise and a profound way to connect with nature, but if you’re not careful it can also be a fatal adventure. Check out the links below to refresh your memory on outdoor safety and etiquette before you go.

10 dangers of hiking in Oregon and how to stay safe

15 outdoor safety tips

Hiking etiquette: How not to be a jerk on the trail

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EASY

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

POWELL BUTTE LOOP

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 4.5 miles

Elevation gain: 530 feet

Start point: Powell Butte Trailhead



The easy hike around Powell Butte takes you through forests and across grassy meadows, with spectacular mountain views above Portland. There's a large parking lot and restrooms at the park entrance.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

COUNCIL CREST HIKE

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 3.3 miles

Elevation gain: 820 feet

Start point: Marquam Nature Park shelter



The quiet woods of Portland's Marquam Nature Park are a lovely place to get lost, and offer a nice hike up to Council Crest, which on a clear day has great mountain views.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

STUB STEWART NORTHERN LOOP

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 4.1 miles

Elevation gain: 480 feet

Start point: Hilltop day-use area



L.L. "Stub" Stewart State Park is full of mixed-used trails, but one of the nicest treks in the park is a loop hike along its northern boundary. Start at the Hilltop day-use area and wind along the Barberchair, Boomscooter and Hares Canyon trails back to the start.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

OXBOW PARK

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: Varies

Elevation gain: 600 feet

Start point: Various trailheads in Oxbow Regional Park



Oxbow Regional Park has many miles of trails that run through lush forests beside the Sandy River, with several different trailheads that allow you to customize a day hike. A full loop hike runs about 8 miles through the park. The only real elevation gain comes on the gravel trail up to Elk Meadow, which you can easily skip if you like.

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MODERATE

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

PITTOCK MANSION HIKE

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 5.7 miles

Elevation gain: 950 feet

Start point: Lower Macleay Park



The hike up to Pittock Mansion is one of Portland's very best. Follow the Lower Macleay and Wildwood trails through the forest and past small waterfalls up to the historic mansion, where you can soak in sweeping views of the city.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

BOOMSCOOTER-BUMPING KNOTS LOOP

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 9.1 miles

Elevation gain: 1,630 feet

Start point: Hilltop day-use area



One of the longer loop hikes in L.L. "Stub" Stewart State Park takes you along the Bumping Knots, Boomscooter and Hares Canyon trails. In early spring, some of the trails can be extremely muddy, and you may need to share them with equestrians and mountain bikers.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

MULTNOMAH-WAHKEENA LOOP

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 4.9 miles

Elevation gain: 1,600 feet

Start point: Multnomah Falls



Hike above and beyond Multnomah Falls on the Multnomah-Wahkeena loop hike, which runs through forests and canyons, and past several waterfalls before hooking up with Wahkeena Falls on the other side.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

ANGEL’S REST

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 4.8 miles

Elevation gain: 1,475 feet

Start point: Angel's Rest trailhead



Newly reopened and still scarred from the Eagle Creek fire, Angel's Rest remains one of the best hikes in the Columbia River Gorge, thanks to its superb views and moderate trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

WELDON WAGON TRAIL

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 5.2 miles

Elevation gain: 1,240 feet

Start point: Indian Cemetery Road Trailhead



A beautiful hike hidden in the hills behind the Columbia River Gorge, the Weldon Wagon Trail is a perfect five-mile day hike with enough elevation to get your heart pumping. On clear days, there's an incredible view of Mount Hood to the south.

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Ross William Hamilton/The Oregonian

LABYRINTH-COYOTE WALL LOOP

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 7.3 miles

Elevation gain: 1,790 feet

Start point: Labyrinth trailhead



The vast network of hiking/mountain biking trails on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge is perhaps best explored on the Labyrinth-Coyote Wall loop hike. Following several different trails, the hike has great views and is resplendent with wildflowers in the spring.

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DIFFICULT

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

HAMILTON MOUNTAIN

Difficulty: Difficult

Distance: 7.5 miles

Elevation gain: 2,100 feet

Start point: Hamilton Mountain trailhead



Hamilton Mountain is an extremely popular day hike near Beacon Rock on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. It's a perfect conditioning hike with a great combination of distance and elevation, with many different places to pop out for views of the gorge and Cascade peaks.

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Dave Killen/The Oregonian

DOG MOUNTAIN

Difficulty: Difficult

Distance: 6.9 miles

Elevation gain: 2,800 feet

Start point: Dog Mountain trailhead



A beautiful and notoriously tough hike, Dog Mountain is a great spot to get your legs back under you – especially if you can avoid the crowds. The U.S. Forest Service is now requiring permits to hike Dog Mountain on weekends between April 20 and June 16.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

SADDLE MOUNTAIN

Difficulty: Difficult

Distance: 4.5 miles

Elevation gain: 1,900 feet

Start point: Saddle Mountain trailhead



Saddle Mountain is a beautiful hike in the Coast Range with incredible views in all directions. On paper it's among the least difficult of the "difficult" hikes listed here, but it can be a real killer, especially on a hot day when the sun bakes the steep, rocky sections at the end.

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Terry Richard/The Oregonian

ELK MOUNTAIN

Difficulty: Difficult

Distance: 3.2 miles

Elevation gain: 2,080 feet

Start point: Elk Creek trailhead



Elk Mountain is among the easier "difficult" hikes on this list, due to its relatively short length clocking in at 3.2 miles. Still, it climbs more than 2,000 feet in that time, and can be combined with Kings Mountain to make a more difficult adventure on a long loop hike.

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Terry Richard/The Oregonian

KINGS MOUNTAIN

Difficulty: Difficult

Distance: 5 miles

Elevation gain: 2,500 feet

Start point: Kings Mountain trailhead



Found in the Tillamook State Forest in the Coast Range, Kings Mountain is a solid hike that gradually ascends to the summit of the small mountain. If you want a longer, more difficult adventure, combine this with Elk Mountain to make a big loop hike. ff

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VERY DIFFICULT

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Flickr/Shaylor

MOUNT DEFIANCE

Difficulty: Very difficult

Distance: 11.6 miles

Elevation gain: 4,840 feet

Start point: Starvation Creek State Park



Mount Defiance is recognized at the tallest point in the Columbia River Gorge, and the hike to the top is often considered one of the toughest. Starting at the Columbia River, the trail gains nearly 5,000 feet of elevation, which is comparable to the distance you'd ascended climbing from Timberline to the summit of Mount Hood. If you're a real glutton for punishment, make a 14-mile loop by returning along Starvation Ridge.

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Flickr/Bonnie Moreland

STARVATION RIDGE

Difficulty: Very difficult

Distance: 9.7 miles

Elevation gain: 3,855 feet

Start point: Starvation Creek State Park



A ridiculously relentless hike, Starvation Ridge climbs nearly 4,000 feet in less than three miles on its way up the steep hills of the Columbia River Gorge. Making it a little tougher is the extra mile tacked on due to the closure of the Starvation Cut-Off Trail. You can stop and turn around at Warren Lake to make it a 10-mile day, or continue on to Mount Defiance for a grueling 14-mile loop hike.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

TABLE MOUNTAIN

Difficulty: Very difficult

Distance: 15.5 miles

Elevation Gain: 4,320 feet

Start point: Bonneville Trailhead



Table Mountain is not for the inexperienced, nor for the faint of heart. A few years back, logging shut down a more accessible trailhead, making the hike even longer. Not only is it long, but the trail to the top (appropriately called Heartbreak Ridge) is extremely steep, requiring great caution going up and coming down. Bring trekking poles or a hiking stick, and take time to keep solid footing on the rocky upper trail.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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