7. Smith Rock

There’s something magnetic about Smith Rock. It might be the stark natural beauty, the way the castle-like rock formations rise majestically above the winding Crooked River, or maybe it’s the freedom offered to rock climbers and hikers who roam the thousands of routes and miles of trails in the Oregon state park.

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

6. Silver Falls

Few places capture the magic of Oregon nature like Silver Falls. In the lush, natural wonderland in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, nearly a dozen gorgeous waterfalls cascade from high, moss-covered cliffs. A forest of evergreen and deciduous trees fill the canyons in between, making the state park especially beautiful come fall and spring.

Steven Nehl/The Oregonian