Top 7 Hikes Near Mt. Hood, Oregon
The beautiful Pacific Northwest if home too many mountains. One popular and close to Portland, Oregon is Mt. Hood. Just 1.5 hours from Portland, Mt. Hood stands just over 11,000 ft. Famous for its year around skiing and snowboarding, and its lushes forests. I have spent many days hiking these Wonderfull trails and am excited to share my favorites I’ve discovered over the years. From easy shot hikes, too long backpack trips around the prideful mountain there certainly a hike for everyone.
Before we hit the trails I want to express to you the importance of the Leave No Trace Principles. These are seven principles we all need to do to recreate responsibly. It’s incredibly important we all do our part in preserving the outdoors to protect these beautiful areas and for future generations.
These and many other trails can often be very busy and parking lots can fill up fast on weekends. I always recommend having a backup plan in case of full parking lots rather than overcrowding a trail not meant for that kind of traffic. If you’re able to go early in the morning or on weekdays, do it! I recommend checking out AllTrials and offline maps for great tools to navigate these trails.
McNeil Point
10 miles RT | 2,726ft Elevation Gain | Hard
Starting with my all time favorite in the area! McNeil Point is a popular trail on the northwest side of Mt. Hood. This is certainly a challenging hike to do the entire hike. This is a great hike for backpacking! This also happened to be my first solo backpacking trail. It’s so amazing to fall asleep and wake up on literally the side of the mountain. You are met with so many stunning views of the mountain and everything else once you get towards the top. The best time to hike this trail is in the summer after all of the snow has melted. This is a very popular hike and the trailhead parking will fill up fast on weekends, be prepared with a backup hike or get there early! Finally, plan on this hike taking most of your day if you choose to do this as a day hike.
Tom, Dick, and Harry
9 miles RT | 1,709ft Elevation Gain | Hard
A breathtaking hike to say the least. This hike is definitely one of the best in the area. Just off of highway 26 near ski bowl west, just outside or government camp. It’s my favorite sunrise hike in the summer. About 4.5 miles to the top you’ll pass by mirror lake on your way up, which is a great shorter and easier hike if you’re not up for the 9 miles. To mirror lake and back is a 4.2 mile hike RT. But choose to hike to Tom, dick, and Harry and you’ll be met with a beautiful view of Mt. Hood as you stare right across at it. One of the best places I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy coffee while watching the sunrise and light up the mountain. If you are really up for an adventure and ski or snowboard, you can snowshoe up to Tom, Dick, and Harry and ski right down into ski bowl back to your car.
Bald Mountain
6.7 miles RT | 1,489ft Elevation Gain | Moderate
Located on the northwest side on Mt. Hood. Bald mountain follows a similar trail to the McNeil point hike, starting at the trailhead you’ll follow the PCT for the majority of the hike, until you reach bald mountain and the scenic lookout. This is a relatively easy hike with most of it being uphill and then down hill on the way back. This is a great quick day hike as it should only take a few hours. This trail is busy and very popular so plan accordingly, arrive early or on a weekday if possible. This would also be a beautiful hike for sunset as it has a stunning view at the end.
Buck Peak
13.7 miles RT | 2,555ft Elevation Gain | Moderate
Buck peak might be the least known hike on this list but just as amazing! This is definitely a long hike but great for a long day with some friends. Don’t forget to pack your lunch and snacks for the view at the end! This trail starts at Lost lake on the Northwest side of Mt. Hood. You’ll hike around the lake and up and around the ridge line. Until you reach Buck Peak. Great for someone looking for a long day hike and perhaps is camping at Lost lake. When you get back to Lost lake head to their little store for some well deserved ice cream. The road to Lost lake closes in winter so this is definitely a hike for the spring and summer time when the resort opens back up.
Elk Meadow
5.7 miles RT | 1,056ft Elevation Gain | Moderate
The Elk Meadow hike is a beautiful hike and a great day hike! This mostly forested hike will take you to the Newton Creek that you’ll need to cross. From there your head up to this beautiful meadow. There is a trail that wraps around the meadow. This is a great different perspective of Mt. Hood. This trail is located on the southeast side of Mt. Hood just off of highway 35. I would recommend hiking this trail in the summer after the snow melts however I would imagine you could also snowshoe this hike in the winter.
Tamanawas Falls
3.4 miles RT | 580ft Elevation Gain | Easy
This short and easy hike is located on the east side of Mt. Hood just off of highway 35. This is a pretty easy hike with only about 600ft elevation gain. You follow a canyon until the end where you’ll be met by a stunning waterfall! Probably one of the most busy trails in Mt. Hood area so arrive early in the day. This is a great hike for families and dogs on leashes. Tamanawas falls is a very unique hike to do in the winter as well. Strap on your microspikes and hit the trail to find the snow covered and if your lucky frozen falls.
Salmon River
7.6 miles RT | 1,676ft Elevation Gain | Moderate
This is another one of my favorite and most commonly visited hikes. This beautiful hike through the forest follows along the Salmon river. You can make this trail into whatever you want, from a short day hike to a long backpacking trip. There are many beautiful campgrounds along the way right next to the river. I wouldn’t day there is a great stopping point or destination but to just enjoy the hike for what it is. This hike is located just south of Zigzag on the southwest side of Mt. Hood. The first few miles are pretty easy and flat before you start to gain some elevation. This was one of my first ever backpacking trips many years ago and I still return to enjoy the peaceful forest. This hike is great for people of all ages and abilities.
