Oregon Field Guide

Octopuses are incredibly smart, yet the majority of their neurons exist in their arms and suckers, and not in their brain, making them as close to alien intelligence as we can find on Earth. It's like: what if our hands and fingers could think for themselves?

Oregon is losing its dark and starry skies to light pollution, with consequences to both people and wildlife.

Parkdale, Oregon, is known for its abundant fruit orchards and agricultural crops, but the quiet winter months offer supreme opportunities for photography, especially with the majestic Mount Hood as its backdrop. Enjoy this stunning photo essay by OPB Photographer, Nick Fisher.

Photo Essay of Oregon’s Painted Hills, by photographer Brandon Swanson.

After a traditional apprenticeship in Japan, Oregon bonsai professional Ryan Neil is capturing the West's rugged landscape in bonsai form. We follow one tree over the course of a year, as well as venture into the wilderness with Ryan to see nature through his eyes.

A growing number of people want to live and recreate on the Willamette River, and it's getting crowded. While the population in the Portland metro area has grown, the river is still the same size. To keep the peace among floating homeowners, swimmers, paddlers and motorized boaters, the

Citizen scientists trek into the North Cascades in search of the elusive wolverine. Using remote winter camera-trapping stations, their efforts contribute to our understanding of where and how wolverines are recovering after being nearly exterminated across the Northwest during the 20th century.

A good cleansing rainstorm in the Wallowas turned out to be one photographer's delight.

Anyone who has hiked in a National Forest has seen his work. Meet Dan Finn, a volunteer at the Mount Adams Ranger Station whose hand-made wooden trail signs are a signature of our public lands.

A father and daughter’s search for the Skyline Trail is as much about a trail lost to time, as it is about how nature helped forge a family’s bonds.

Meet the volunteers who keep Warner Canyon Ski hill running. - a one lift hill that’s the winter heart of rural Lakeview. Oregon.

In eastern Oregon, scientists had a unique idea; instead of using expensive machines to restore damaged streams for salmon and steelhead, they should enlist beavers to do it! This update revisits the Bridge Creek Project, which Field Guide filmed in 2009, for an update on how this project reshaped our

Mounted Archery: Katie Stearns leads a new generation that is taking up the ancient martial art of shooting arrows from the backs of galloping horses.

Photo essay of rough skinned newts by Photographer Brandon Swanson.

River snorkeling offers a great opportunity to see a whole world under the surface. We'll join Russ Ricketts on local rivers. Russ teaches us ways to enjoy this peaceful environment. We'll also show Dave Carpenter, a river steward for the Native Fish Society, a very different

Tillamook Rock is home to the notorious "Terrible Tillie" lighthouse. Built in 1879, the lighthouse warned ships away from Tillamook Head for some 80 years before the storm-prone outpost proved too difficult to maintain. Today, it is a privately owned "columbarium" as well as a federally

Celilo Falls have been at the center of an emotional controversy in the Pacific Northwest more than 50 years. Celilo Falls disappeared when the Columbia River was dammed, but some tribal members believe the government blew it up first. See new, history-making images which settle the matter.

Meet the volunteers who keep Warner Canyon Ski hill running, a one lift hill that’s the winter heart of rural Lakeview, Oregon.

John Hartog heads into the countryside to capture the wild sounds of nature.

Kailey Kornhauser and Marley Blonsky are on a mission to change the unwritten rules of who rides bikes. All Bodies on Bikes follows Kailey and Marley on the two-day Frog Lake bike packing route. The social media "influencers," who both self-identify as fat, share their quest for acceptance,

Meet Jenny Bruso who encourages people of all genders, races, shapes and sizes to get outside.

Take a moment along the shores of the Wilson River to enjoy this photo essay by Oregon Field Guide photographer Brandon Swanson.

Geologist Emily Cahoon is fascinated with Oregon sunstones. The copper-bearing gemstone is only found in Oregon's segments of the Columbia River Flood Basalts, and comes in a range of colors from deep red to light green to teal and even yellow. Join Oregon Field Guide as we set

Umatilla tribal member Acosia Red Elk has spent years on the powwow circuit as a world champion jingle dancer. Now she's combined its steps with yoga to create powwow yoga and promote contemporary Indigenous healing through movement and dance.

A photo essay made for the love of lava, by Oregon Field Guide photographer Michael Bendixen.

Oregon has lots of great biking trails, but if you’re a mountain biker in Portland there really aren’t many places close to ride. That is, until now. Welcome to the Fear and Loaming Trail.

A lot of outdoorsy folks love to jump into a cold mountain lake on a hot summer day. And some are even brave enough to dash into cold water on a dare -- what some might call a “polar plunge.” But getting into painfully cold water has become a way

Open Slopes PDX is making skiing and snowboarding more accessible and welcoming to Black, Indigenous and other people of color. On Mount Hood, the joy is infectious as BIPOC people try snowboarding and skiing for the first time.

It took a small but intrepid group of farmers to show that Oregon could be a center for grape growing and wine production. Now another small group is trying to prove the case for olive oil production. Enter Javier Fernandez-Salvador. The OSU berry and tree fruit expert is spearheading the

On the prairies of Northeast Oregon, bison have made a comeback. Two sisters take over the family business at the Stangel Bison Ranch in Enterprise, Ore, bringing back bison that are good for both the land and the local economy.

Oregon Field Guide likes to capture a bit of everything--science, wildlife, adventure, rural life-- but it’s not every day that we get to tag along on someone’s vacation. That’s what happened when producer Danika Sandoz met two women joined them for their Portland to Coast bikepacking adventure.

Ever wonder what makes a gemstone sparkle? It’s all in the faceting!

A surf camp for tribal members along the Oregon coast.

A remote workshop offers custom ski making.

An Oregon ‘space balloon’ could reveal the secrets to successful Mars landings.

A look at tribal land management in Oregon.

The “Colorful Cowgirl” puts a new twist on an old tradition.

Rhododendron Garden Photo Essay

A teenager is flying gliders before he’s old enough for a drivers license.

If you get hurt in central Oregon, there's always a hospital and rescue crew to help.

A visual journey through Portland’s Japanese garden.

The robots are coming … to pick Northwest apples!

Meet the brave man who maintains the outhouses along the Deschutes River.

Clint Surplus trains horses in a style dating back more than 500 years.

The Klamath River dams are coming out. What is changing? What will change?

How salt is made along the Oregon Coast.

The small wonders of nature are observed in photographer Todd Sonflieth’s backyard PE.

Some 21st century cattle drives don’t look much different from those 100 years ago.

Spiders have poor eyesight, so how do they "see" what's happening on their webs?

A storybook Christmas comes to life in the small-town of Sumpter, Oregon.

An effort to save Sunflower Sea Stars.

A visual exploration of Smith Rock State Park.

The Pig-N-Ford is a zany, century old Tillamook County competition.

Exploring the surprising natural oasis of Portland's Columbia slough.

Oregon grapples with an invasion of green crabs.

The North Umpqua River is lovely in the rain.

A man and his dog bond while hunting chukar.

98-year old Frankie Dougal carries on a ranch tradition of horsehair “mecate” ropemaking.

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a giant towering over the Northwest landscape?

It's a pumpkin race in Tualatin, Oregon!

Behind the Scenes with Oregon Field Guide

Unprepared probes into the state of Oregon's preparedness for a major earthquake.

Oregon Field Guide explores a hidden geologic wonder right here in Oregon

Biscuit Fire Special

Oregon Field Guide returns to the Mount Hood Glacial Caves

More wild horses now live in captivity than roam free on the open range.

Plastic Rafts, River Plastics, Oysters and Plastics

Timber Wars Special: Spotted Owls, Pilomath Frolic and Blue Mountains Forest Partnership.

A new long distance trail captures the solitude, geology, beauty of Oregon's High Desert.

Travel to every remote corner of Oregon to see its spectacular beauty.