of agates and tidepools

We near-ocean dwellers like that stuff. My favorite tide pooling is at Cape Arago State Park, at the South Cove. This park is near Coos Bay, Oregon. Look for about a minus 3 tide. You always carry a tide table, right? So that you don't drown, right? Always look out for sneaker waves, right? Anyway, I prefer winter low tides for observing crabs, anemones, chitons and such. Too much sea grass in the summer.
For seeing agates, I've had the most luck near Tahkenitch Dunes, (13 miles south of Florence, Oregon) on the Pacific shore of course. The trail head is a fee area. The ocean is about 2 miles from the trail head. William Sullivan (ISBN 978-09677830-2X, Navillus Press) offers a nice loop hike option.

Visit my web site here.

"john day fossil beds"

Pictured: Painted Hills & Clarno (Leaf) Fossils......100 more photos here.
I could not normally, in good conscience, recommend a hiking network that is scattered among hundreds of driving miles. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument has enough to offer and overcomes the inconvenience.
My advice, stay in Mitchell at the historic Oregon Hotel (rustic, with community shower and toilet). After early check-in go to the nearby Painted Hills. There are about 2 1/2 miles of trails and the hills are beautiful deposits, changing texture and color with the weather. Before leaving Mitchell in the morning, take another look at the hills from the overlook. (All 3 units of the park are free access.) Head for the Sheep Rock Unit (park headquarters) for a museum and maybe five miles of hiking. The Sheep Rock Unit is the "History Channel" section. Finally, drive almost 80 miles to the Clarno Unit near Fossil, Or. for two or three very short hikes. That is hard to justify, but the leaf fossils and natural arch were great.
The second day was a very long day, with 200 miles of driving plus about 6 miles of hiking, with a museum. That's why I recommend just a quick morning look at Painted Hills.
No trails in the Monument are difficult. Blue Basin Trail has a little grind involved.
This area of the Oregon desert is uncomfortable in summer and winter.
Access to Painted Hills is off of Rt. 26 west of Mitchell, Or. Sheep Rock Unit is 40 miles east on the same highway. Clarno Unit is accessed from Rt. 218, west of Fossil, Oregon.

Visit my web site here.

"smith rock"

Pictured: Smith Rock, Crooked RiverWhile Smith Rock is certainly an impressive monolith, with the climbing routes on "Monkey Face" being famous, the Crooked River surrounding Smith Rock really completes the scene.
The 4 mile loop (there is a more demanding 6.3 mile loop available) hike along the river and up over the top of Smith Rock is mostly a level hike. The half mile near the end of the trail up to Misery Ridge is very difficult. The ball bearing descent from the ridge is no picnic either. Your speed up and down "Misery" will be one mile-per-hour or less. Only two notes for direction are needed: After crossing the river bridge initially, go left for best views. At the 2 1/2 mile mark, one trail continues straight along the river. Your trail turns right here and switchbacks up Misery Ridge. You should at this point be on the back side of "Monkey Face". Watching the vertical climbers on the front of this favorite is a highlight.
Mid-summer is very hot here.
The access to Smith Rock State Park (fee area) is from Rt. 97 in Terrebonne, Or., which is north of Redmond.
William Sullivan (ISBN 0-9677830-1-1, Navillus Press) does a good job on hike description.

Visit my website here.

"ape cave"

Pictured: Mt. St. Helens from Ape Cave upper exitI do have an appreciation for Pacific Northwest hiking.
Ape Cave, on the south side of Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (fee area), is the longest known lava tube in North America.
Fred Barstad has a good description of the hike in his guide (ISBN 978-1560446965, Falcon Guide), however I disagree with his difficulty rating. The upper cave is quite doable for experienced hikers (with an adequate light source of course). I do not believe that a person has to be an expert caver. I certainly am not! There is no crawling involved, and it's not very strenuous, but moderate. The 8 foot lava falls is slightly challenging. While lava tubes are not colorful (all black and dark), they are a neat, exciting experience. You are probably getting wet if you misstep in the tube (just ankle high at most). It is of course always damp, like any deep cave.
The upper cave heads uphill for just over a mile, then upon exiting, a person can take a one mile exterior trail back to the trail head.
Vehicle access, when open, is via Woodland, Washington and Rt. 503.
The nearby Trail of Two Forests is short and worthwhile.

Visit my website here.