Hood River, Oregon

Beacon Rock is one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Columbia River Gorge. It’s an 848-foot basalt monolith (a singular piece of rock) that was once the core of an ancient volcano. To access the rock, park in a developed parking area at the rock’s base that has room for about 30 cars. ...

From the Rock Creek Pass Trailhead, begin the short hike to Three Corner Rock by heading south on the Pacific Crest Trail from its crossing of Road CG 2090. After a steady 1.5-mile climb of roughly 600 feet, look for a large fallen sign marking the junction to Three Corner Rock. Shortly after, an...

Crowds and mosquitoes were nonexistent as we went a bit early in the season. The trails were all covered in snow, but we were able to do some way finding with a GPS and topo map. 3.5 miles in we found a dry spot next to Blue Lake and set up shop. After dropping off our gear we climbed up Gifford...

Just 66 miles east of Portland, and 35 miles south of Hood River the infamous Mt Hood breaks through the clouds for all to see. The highest peak of Oregon is the ultimate explorer's paradise offering something for every season... and in this case we mean snow shoeing and hiking!!Our trek begins ...

I'd been wanting to do this hike for quite a while, and when I found work taking me to Portland, I made my return trip through the Mt. Hood wilderness area. I started this Hike from the Ramona Falls trailhead, which is the most popular starting point. The easiest way to find the trailhead, is t...

This is a great trip for those who are new to backpacking. The hike to the quiet, peaceful Elk Meadows is relatively short, but the Newton Creek crossing presents enough difficulty to make this a fun and challenging adventure.Start at the Hood River Meadows Trailhead parking lot. Though there are...

After getting your back country permit from a park ranger, you can park your car and head up Zigzag Mountain. There's a tiny 'parking lot' (lot of dirt) where you park that's right by the trailhead. The hike up to the campsites is roughly 4 miles, and it is all uphill. Not only are you surrounde...

Starting at 6,000 ft of elevation at Timberline Lodge, start your climb up the south side of Mt. Hood. If you head out at noon, in 6 hours you can make it about an hour past the last ski lift, called Palmer, where you can set up camp for the night. You may need to dig out a flat spot for your ten...

The hike begins at Timberline Lodge, which sits on Mount Hood at 6,000 feet of elevation. Find the Timberline trail behind the lodge by following any of the maze of trails heading east and you will be on your way! After 1.2 miles, you reach Little Zigzag Canyon where you will descend approximatel...

The Pacific Northwest has an abundance of beautiful, technical and fun Alpine ascents.  For those looking to feel the rush of mountaineering but not wanting to push for a summit attempt, Illumination Rock on the southwest ridge of Mt Hood, offers a beautiful way to spend an afternoon or potential...

Ending just a few thousand feet shy of the mountain top, Palmer Lift doesn't start operating until most ski resorts are nearing their close. This leaves most of the mountain nearly uninhabited and ideal for exploring with close up views of the complex summit above and well into Oregon down below....

From the mount hood scenic byway in Government Camp, Oregon turn on the road that heads up to the Timberline Lodge. Follow that road to the end and park in the lot all the way at the top. In the ski season you need a pass to park there, but if you go in June, July, Or August (aka when the wildflo...

Ponytail Falls is an easy 0.8 mile hike located in the gorge that begins at Horsetail Falls. After hiking up mild switchbacks, continue to your right at the first trailhead intersection. The path levels out before coming around the mountain and opening up to the waterfall. This is the easiest wa...

Start off on this loop from Horsetail Falls Trailhead. It never hurts to start a hike with a view of Horsetail Falls. This 2.5 mile loop will start you off on Gorge trail #400 up Horsetail Falls Trail. You’ll encounter a few switchbacks before the trail flattens out and leads you into the valley ...

*Currently closed (except a small portion of the upper trail between Multnomah Spur and Trail #444 on Larch Mountain)...here This hike is very short (1 mile roundtrip) but does take some time to do. The trail leads down from the road into a stream bed. You follow the stream bed upstream through ...

Access to Triple Falls is currently closed. Learn more on the Forest Service Site. This hike, starting at the Oneonta Trailhead is a 3.2 mile roundtrip. You will gain approximately 600 feet in elevation as the trail often switches from moderate flat easy hiking to more difficult elevation gain a...