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Cooper Spur Trail
Though it’s far from the toughest, this is the
highest hiking trail in Oregon— right up into
the realm of the mountain climber. You’ll be in
the world of rock and snow, and you won’t even
wear yourself out getting there—well, not completely.
You’ll also get to see the oldest buildings on
Mount Hood and the results of a massive landslide.
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Timberline Trail
This heavy-duty hiker trail constructed in the 1930s
by the Civilian Conservation Corps applauds the
rugged beauty of Mount Hood. Along it, hikers dip
deep into chiseled drainages, ford glacial streams,
cross rocky slopes, bypass glaciers and snowmelt
falls, and tour high-elevation forest and inviting
alpine meadows. In places, snowfields linger into
summer. Stream crossings are best accomplished in
the morning, when waters are lowest; at times, some
may be impassable. Mount Hood (elevation 11,235
feet) is a strato-volcano that had four minor eruptions
in the 1800s. A buried forest along the tour hints
at the mountain’s explosive nature.
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Ramona Falls
Directions:
Take Highway 26 from Portalnd until you reach Zigzag.
Here take a left onto Hwy 18 (Lolo pass). Follow
this 4.5 miles until you reach a turn for Muddy
Fork road. There is a sign that indicates trailheads
and campgrounds. Follow this road to its end at
the Ramona Falls Trail Head.
Length: 4.4
mile loop
The Hike: The
trail wanders along Ramona Creek before coming to
the wall-like Ramona Falls. The hike is long, but
quite easy, and is suitable for all ages and skill-levels. |
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Old Salmon River Trail
Directions:
Take U.S. 26 to Welches. Take a right on Salmon
River Road and follow for approximately 3 miles,
entering the Mt. Hood National Forest. The trailhead
is on the right and is well marked.
Length:
2.6 miles
The Hike: This great
hike allows you to enjoy the beauty of the Salmon
River without much strain. Getting from the parking
area to the trail is steep, but the trail is relatively
flat the whole way, and there are plenty of places
to rest, or even camp. You'll end at the bridge
where the Upper Salmon trail picks up. You could
park one vehicle up the trail if you wanted to
do a point to point, but the trail is so mild
that the walk back is no trouble at all.
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CastleCanyon
Directions:
Take U.S. 26 east. At Zig Zag, turn north onto Lolo
Pass Road (Road 18) and drive about 0.4 miles. Turn
right onto gravel East Mountain Road and continue
to the trailhead (about 1.6 miles).
Length:
1.8 miles round trip
The Hike:
This trail is more difficult and requires the hikers
to be sure-footed. At the end of the trail, you
reach a giant moss-covered rock and there is a gorgeous
view of the valley below.
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Little
Zigzag Falls
Directions:
Take Highway 26 six miles east of the Zigzag Ranger
Station. Turn left onto Road 2639 (Kiwanis Camp
Road) and continue to the end of the road and a
large parking area.
Length: 1
mile
The Hike:
A perfect hike for children of all ages. It is short,
flat, and ends in a beautiful falls with a pool
for wading at the base.
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Mirror
Lake
Directions:
Take Highway 26 to just shy of Government Camp.
Between mileposts 51 and 52, you'll see a turnout
on the right.
Length:
3.2 mile loop
The Hike:
Mirror Lake is a fairly easy hike ending with a
very nice lake, and if you plan ahead kids can wade
in the lake when you get there. When you get to
a point just below the lake you can take the loop
trail in either direction. Taking the trail to the
right connects you to another trail up Tom, Dick
and Harry Mountain, which would give you a view
of Mt. Hood.
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Umbrella
Falls—Sahalie Falls Loop
Directions:
Drive south from the Hood River Ranger Station on
Highway 35 approximately 17 miles. Turn right at
the Hood River Meadows nordic ski area sign (Road
3545) and drive to the trailhead parking lot on
the right.
Length:
4.1 mile loop
The Hike:
The trail, which is covered in huckleberries in
late summer, starts at Sahalie Falls and runs along
Hood River until it reaches beautiful Umbrella Falls.
If you want to make this hike shorter, the lower
Mt. Hood Meadows parking lot can be reached quite
easily from an asphalt path above Umbrella Falls
and, in the off-season, offers a place to leave
the car or arrange a pick-up. |
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TamanawasFalls
Directions: From
I-84, take the Highway 35/Hood River exit. Travel
south on Hwy 35 for approx. 25 miles to the Tamanawas
Falls trailhead parking area on the west side of
the highway. The trailhead is 1/4 mile north of
Sherwood Campground.
Length:
4.2 miles
The Hike:
The hike runs alongside Cold Springs Creek for most
of the way and contains several quaint footbridges
along the way. The trail is very steep all and all,
but the hike is made easy for everyone by a series
of zig zags.
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Silcox
Hut
If you’re lucky, you can stretch the snowshoeing
season and do this easy trip well into early summer.
The glaciers above Timberline Lodge stick around
so long that ski racers use the Palmer Snowfield
as a year-round training area. Tucked in below the
hubbub of the Palmer chair lift is this gem of Oregon
history; the Silcox Hut represents some of Oregon’s
mountaineering glory days, as well as its philanthropic
future. The Silcox Hut makes for a great short day
trip in good weather. Getting to Silcox Hut takes
a bit of work, since you’ll be climbing a mile up
the mountain, well above tree line.
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