Best Wildflower Hike

Vista Ridge, Mt. Hood, Ore.

Misty Pacific Northwest weather can dampen most outdoor endeavors, but when it comes to wildflowers, the rains make for lush blooms and a long season. The Vista Ridge hike, a six-mile round trip ascending 1,500 feet through wildflower-carpeted meadows, crawls beneath the shadow of the Ladd Glacier on volcanic Mt. Hood. If the colors at your feet aren't enough, on a clear day you'll also spy Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier. Best time to go: mid-July through August. traveloregon.com