Thursday, July 9, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Timothy Lake Loop: A Weekend Backpacking Trip Near Portland in Mount Hood National Forest

Timothy Lake Loop: A Weekend Backpacking Trip Near Portland in Mount Hood National Forest

Timothy Lake's 13-mile loop trail offers backpackers a manageable but rewarding overnight escape just 60 miles from Portland — lakeside camping, real trout fishing, old-growth forest, and Mount Hood reflections at sunset.

By HFR Staff  ·  July 9, 2026
Extreme Long Range Shooting: What It Takes to Hit a Mile in the Pacific Northwest
Shooting

Extreme Long Range Shooting: What It Takes to Hit a Mile in the Pacific Northwest

Shooting a target at one mile — 1,760 yards — is one of the most demanding challenges in practical marksmanship. Here's what it actually takes: cartridges, rifles, optics, wind-reading, and the honest cost of entry.

July 9, 2026
Oregon Specklebelly Goose Hunting: Tactics for White-Fronted Geese on the Pacific Flyway
Hunting

Oregon Specklebelly Goose Hunting: Tactics for White-Fronted Geese on the Pacific Flyway

Specklebellies are the most rewarding and challenging goose to consistently decoy on the Pacific Flyway. Oregon's Willamette Valley, Klamath Basin, and Columbia River bottoms all hold birds — here's how to hunt them right.

July 9, 2026
Reloading the .300 Weatherby Magnum: High-Velocity Loads for Open-Country Elk and Mule Deer
Reloading

Reloading the .300 Weatherby Magnum: High-Velocity Loads for Open-Country Elk and Mule Deer

The .300 Weatherby pushes 180-grain bullets past 3,200 fps and is one of the most capable elk cartridges ever chambered. Here's how to handload it right — brass prep, powder selection, bullet choice, and field performance.

July 9, 2026
Fly Fishing the Owyhee River Tailwater: Wild Rainbows in Oregon's High Desert Canyon
Fishing

Fly Fishing the Owyhee River Tailwater: Wild Rainbows in Oregon's High Desert Canyon

Below Owyhee Dam in Malheur County, cold releases from the reservoir create a year-round tailwater fishery producing wild rainbow trout in a spectacular red-canyon landscape. Here's everything you need to know to make the drive worth it.

July 9, 2026
Cornucopia to Hawkins Pass: A 3-Day Wilderness Traverse Through Oregon's Southern Wallowas
Backpacking

Cornucopia to Hawkins Pass: A 3-Day Wilderness Traverse Through Oregon's Southern Wallowas

The southern Wallowa Mountains remain one of Oregon's least-visited wilderness areas. This 3-day route from Cornucopia through Hawkins Pass delivers granite peaks, alpine lakes, and genuine solitude.

July 8, 2026
Reloading the 8mm Mauser (8x57 IS): From Military Surplus to Modern Hunting Loads
Reloading

Reloading the 8mm Mauser (8x57 IS): From Military Surplus to Modern Hunting Loads

The 8mm Mauser is one of the most widely distributed military cartridges in history — and one of the most underestimated hunting rounds. Here's how to reload it right.

July 8, 2026
Metolius Unit Archery Mule Deer: Ponderosa Bucks and the August Opener in Oregon's High Desert
Hunting

Metolius Unit Archery Mule Deer: Ponderosa Bucks and the August Opener in Oregon's High Desert

Oregon's Metolius Unit is one of the most underrated OTC archery mule deer tags in the state. Here's how to find velvet bucks in the ponderosa pine country above the Metolius River before the crowds arrive.

July 8, 2026
Suttle Lake Kokanee Trolling: Oregon's Best Summer Salmon on a High Cascades Lake
Fishing

Suttle Lake Kokanee Trolling: Oregon's Best Summer Salmon on a High Cascades Lake

Suttle Lake near Sisters delivers consistent kokanee action all summer long. Here's how to rig, find fish, and put landlocked salmon in the cooler before the crowds arrive.

July 8, 2026
Ice Lake Loop in Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness: Backpacking to the Wallowas' Most Spectacular Alpine Basin
Backpacking

Ice Lake Loop in Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness: Backpacking to the Wallowas' Most Spectacular Alpine Basin

Ice Lake sits at 7,900 feet in the heart of Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness, ringed by granite peaks and home to mountain goats. Here's how to get there and what to expect on this spectacular alpine backpacking trip.

July 7, 2026