Off the beaten path: 27-hole Resort at the Mountain in Welches, Oregon, near Mt. Hood

WELCHES, Ore. -- Located in the western highlands of Mt. Hood and less than an hour east of Portland, the Resort at the Mountain is a 27-hole valley golf retreat that offers an unpretentious resort experience.

Though you can't see Mt. Hood from The Resort, you can certainly feel its presence throughout with the elevation change and surrounding foothills.

And for those looking for more than golf, the resort has plenty of other recreational activities, dining, accommodations and a full-service spa.

A renovation in recent years by acclaimed architect John Harbottle really makes this unique combination of holes stand out. The three nines -- the Pine Cone Course, Thistle Course and Foxglove Course -- are all unique. And though the courses aren't long, they are certainly challenging.

The most challenging of the three layouts is the Foxglove Course, where the first hole features a large boulder and tree in the middle of the fairway. The boulder is believed to have come from Mt. Hood, and the hole is next to the Salmon River, where golfers sometimes like to take a break during the hot summer months and cool off in the middle of a round.

Other activities include hiking on the nearby Pacific Crest Trail, biking the many trails at the nearby Sandy Ridge Trail mountain bike park or fishing in the river.