Scenic and spectacular! The hiking was outstanding and trails were high quality. Many beautiful lakes and streams for fishing.
We loved our ride through the national forest on our way to Mt. Hood. The road is easily traveled and there are a lot of small shops and restuarants along the way.
Mt. Hood has some of the best hiking trails in the country. We did the Cooper Spur trail which was the best. We get great views of the Elliot Glacier up close and the views are undescribable and out of the world. Unfortunately Ramona falls was closed because the bridge was washed out. We did Tamanawas falls which were spectacular. You can skip the Paradise Park loop which although is very popular does not offer glacier views as well as other trails. We stayed at Timberline Lodge which was excellent with a great Cascade Dining Room with reasonable prices. Would do the same trip again anyday.
The Mount Hood National Forest has beautiful views, including mountains, rivers and lakes. There are outdoor activities in the summer such as camping, boating, fishing, picnics, and sight seeing. We enjoyed exploring the area in September. With the beautiful warm clear weather, we had wonderful views of the entire area. In the winter there are outdoor sports activities such as skiing.
We just completed this hike - out and back as it sounded more scenic than the loop. There was enough shade and the path was well maintained. Elevation increase is gradual. Mid-week is probably the best time to visit as this is very popular and could be crowded. I suggest stopping at the Zig Zag Ranger Station for a map, parking permit, and restrooms before driving to the trailhead. It took us 3 hours to complete the 7.0 out and back. There were not too many bugs, except at the actual falls where we noticed them as we stopped to take pictures. Afterward we stopped at the Rendezvous Grill for lunch, which made for a great day trip from Portland.
always fun for the kids. we tried to go intertubing but it didnt work out. still had lots of fun in the snow though.
Words or pictures can not describe the beauty of this nation forest. My wife, daughter and I went on many hikes through the tall pines, rushing rivers and many waterfalls. This is the place the outdoors people dream of!
Great hiking trails, from easy to difficult. Family friendly. Beautiful surroundings. We especially liked the Wildwood trails, and underwater viewing area.
Wildwood is really the best recreation area for trails and shelters for a family, group picnic or a cook out. Fabulous shelters (reservations needed; 95 weekday and 125 weekend), bathroom facilities and recreational facilities. Baseball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes and a children's playground. No scenic views but an old growth forest dripping with moss with waterfalls on the Salmon River. No camping, only for day trippers, an advantage the great parking lots. Perfectly maintained, the shelters are furnished to service 40 to 200 people. Some come with fireplaces, electric hot plates, a row of Bar B Que grills and numerous outlets to plug in additional equipment.
The trails were easy to medium. My 4 year old did great without complaining. So many beautiful water falls. Just breath taking. take your camera!