Just to the east of Portland, Mount Hood National Forest stretches between the Columbia River Gorge to Olallie Scenic Area. The forest is filled with incredible views of Mount Hood, lakes, streams, alpine meadows, fantastic skiing in the winter and stunning hiking in the summer.
We drove through the area on our way from Portland via the Columbia River Gorge to Crater Lake. Oregon is bursting with some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the USA, and their convenient close locations make them all easy and irresistible to visit!
Things to Do at Mount Hood
Ski
For the winter adventurers, Mount Hood is a beautiful ski hill for athletes of all ages and abilities. Check the linked website for ski hours and weather conditions.
Drive the Scenic Loop
The Scenic Byway is a majestic loop around the foot of Mount Hood. The route is approximately 100 miles or 161 kilometres, and provides viewpoints of Mount Hood, the forest and along a portion of the Hood River.
Hike the stunning trails
The incredible forest is full of stunning alpine trails. We didn't get a chance to stop on this roadtrip, with a long drive ahead of us, but RootsRated put together a list of beautiful trails to explore in the Mount Hood National Forest:
- Paradise Park, 12 miles roundtrip
- Ramona Falls, 7 miles roundtrip
- Burnt Lake, 6 miles roundtrip
- Mirror Lake, 2.1 miles roundtrip
- Serene Lake, 12 miles roundtrip
Participate in water sports at Trillium Lake
Near Government Camp is the peaceful and relaxing Trillium Lake. A popular campground is nearby and the lake is often full of non-motorized water sports and swimmers in the refreshing water. A stunning reflection of Mount Hood in the distance completes the picture-perfect spot.
Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.