Columbia Gorge vs Grand Canyon vs Yosemite NP vs Rainier NP vs Redwoods vs OR/WA Coast (camping)

[JonMystic]

I am kind of doing a poll and wanting to hear people's opinions of which of these places they find most beautiful and enjoy visiting the most. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and each person prefers a different type of scenery. However, I would just like the consensus of what the majority of people think who visited these places.

BTW.. For those who respond, I would appreciate if you could have seen at least two of these places with your own eyes. If you want to add a different place that you think is even better, that is fine too. However, don't just respond based on one place you seen if you never seen the others.

As for me I have been to the Columbia Gorge, lived in the Oregon coast and drove past Mt. Rainier. I find the beauty of the COlumbia Gorge to be amazing, but I always like to hear others opinions.

Thanks.

[mdvaden]

Not an easy question to answer.

In general, I think that most of the major mountains are comparable, whether Rainier or Hood. But for beauty, I tend to like the visual scenery of the Columbia River gorge.

I'm not sure if I'd say the coast redwoods are more beautiful, but that's where most of my hiking is directed to. Partially due to enjoying trees, but the coast redwoods are very non-uniform. And virtually no other forest along the west coast looks as ancient. Even the giant sequoias don't have the prehistoric feel of a coast redwood forest. I've been in contact with several other folks who travel worldwide and are into photography, and they said the coast redwood experience still supercedes the giant sequoias.

So my top hiking spot is the coast redwoods. Next for hiking, and maybe more beautiful is the Columiba River Gorge. For camping, the Oregon coast like Harris Beach and Nehalem Bay are my favorites.

[californio sur]

I haven't been to Oregon or Washington yet but have come pretty close. Yosemite is hard to beat for sheer beauty due to the towering cliffs & waterfalls. Also redwood forests along the northern California coast are unreal.

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by californio sur

I haven't been to Oregon or Washington yet but have come pretty close. Yosemite is hard to beat for sheer beauty due to the towering cliffs & waterfalls. Also redwood forests along the northern California coast are unreal.

It sure becomes tough to compare Yosemite with something like the Columbia River Gorge. Yosemite has more in falls, and probably equal or slightly more in interesting rock. The Columbia River Gorge is sort of set apart by the sheer magnitude of the river. And Beacon Rock is one of the largest monoliths in the world. It's amazing what Yosemite has available within its portion of the park. Anyhow, its almost like the two are incomparable. They are almost each in their own league. Here is Multnomah Falls, tallest of many along the old historic highway and I-84.

[Mr.SmithW]

Interesting thread... Gorge is amazing..

[ric75]

I've driven up the Columbia River Gorge and stopped at Multnomah Falls. I've camped two nights in Yosemite and hiked to the top of Half-Dome. I've also hiked the redwood forest of Montgomery Woods State Reserve in Northern CA. Of those three experiences I think the scale and grandeur of Yosemite take the cake. The Columbia River Gorge is beautiful but perhaps not as isolated as I like my parks to be. Hiking through the redwoods was a very spiritual experience and something I suggest everyone do at least once. But there's nothing like the experience of seeing Yosemite for the first time, the valley opening up in front of you with those massive cliffs on either side.

[grapico]

I like the redwoods personally, doesn't matter which one but they are cool and close. Then probably Yosemite. My least favorite was the Grand Canyon. Never been to the others but is OR/WA coast much different than northern california around sonoma/mendocino?