Part 5: Books, Resources, and Other Outdoor Groups

Many groups and organizations work to engage a diversity of outdoor lovers, build and maintain trails, and raise awareness about challenges people face to getting outdoors. Check out some of these great organizations whose work is vital to ensuring Oregon’s wild places are safe and accessible to all. 

Trails groups

Looking to volunteer? Check out Trailkeepers of Oregon or contact your local Forest Service office to ask what trail groups they partner with.

Hikes and other outdoor offerings

Looking for a group to hike or explore with? Check out these options with a focus on ecology or advocacy, or look up hiking clubs near you.

• Cascade Mycological Society 
• Friends of the Columbia Gorge 
• Great Old Broads for Wilderness 
• Native Plant Society of Oregon
• Oregon Mycological Society
• Oregon Natural Desert Association 

Enhancing diversity in the outdoors

Want to connect with or support diversity and accessibility in the outdoors? Here are some great groups doing that work.

• Disabled Hikers 
• Outdoor Afro 
• Outdoorist Oath 
• Unlikely Hikers
• Vamanos Outside 
• Vive NW 
• Wild Diversity 

Favorite books and resources 

We can’t do a deep dive on everything outdoors here, but our staff have compiled some favorite books and sites to help you go as deep in the woods as you want to.

Outdoor and hiking guides

• 100 Hikes / Travel Guide series by William Sullivan
• A Woman’s Guide to the Wild. By Ruby McConnell
• A Girl’s Guide to the Wild. By Ruby McConnell
• Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon. By Bonnie Henderson and Zach Urness
• Hike Oregon 
• Travel Oregon 
• 50 Old-Growth Hikes in the Willamette National Forest by John Cissel. A free online guide!

Natural history guides

• Birds of the Pacific Northwest. By Shewey, John, and Tim Blount.  
• Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. By Ammirati, Joe, and Steve Trudell. 
• Oregon Wildflowers (phone app)
• Pacific Northwest Foraging: 120 Wild and Flavorful Edibles from Alaska Blueberries to Wild Hazelnuts. By Douglas Deur.
• Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. By Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. 
• Trees and Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest. By Mark Turner and Ellen Kulhmann. 
• Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest: Tracking and Identifying Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates. By David Moskowitz