A girl on a silver mountain...that's me! Of all my visits to the Portland area I haven't made the trip to Mt. Hood in a long long, long time. A friend of mine and I headed to the forest for a spectacular view. This visit was fantastic, no crowds and just enough snow to make things look postcard perfect. The drive is so pretty and offers a few peek-a-boo spots of Mt. Hood, but you have to be quick and please don't try to snap shots if you're driving. It was a serene afternoon, we grabbed a couple Adirondack chairs and relished (for an hour or two) in the unobstructed view of Mt. Hood. It was meditative and super relaxing with the sun at our backs. About halfway through the St. Bernard trainer took Bruno out for his constitution and I didn't pass up the opportunity to give him a couple of strokes. As he frolicked in what was left of the snow I couldn't help but smile thinking about his important job in rescue. How cool is that? I asked the trainer if she would as Bruno to sit by the fire hydrant and that's how I got the pic of him. He's so sweet. I also smiled every time I spotted a familiar exterior spot...remembering The Shining filmed several exterior shots here. Don't look for the anything familiar on the interior...most of those shots were in studio as was the hedge maze (which by the way you can walk a hedge maze inspired by the film at The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO.) The junipers are about 4' tall now, so give it another couple years and you'll be in for a treat. Timberline is a lovely destination for a stay, a meal or to simply take in the scenery. Don't miss it. read more

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How does this not have more reviews?! My friend and I flew to Oregon for the sole purpose of hiking Mt. Hood -- it made the entire trip that much more amazing. I had never been to Oregon to begin with, but I feel like it wouldn't have been the same without visiting Mount Hood National Forest. The drive from PDX airport wasn't bad at all, maybe a little over an hour to the trailhead we used (Top Spur). Parking was ample on a Saturday by this route, as it's moderately trafficked. There were a good amount of people doing the 8 mile loop, as well. I would definitely recommend giving this hiking spot a try if you're ever in the area. The views are unforgettable and the scenery will make you feel like you're in another world. In June, there were a few snowfields to go through towards the top, so bring some versatile hiking boots that are waterproof. It wasn't cold at all, but you will need boots with good traction. read more

Mount Hood National Forest - The forest - Active Life Near Me - Sandy, Oregon

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An absolutely stunning national forest dappled with sunny lakes; however, we had a mixed experience with dispersed camping. I recommend sticking with the paid camping areas (but with them come noise and pavement) or adjusting your expectations. The disrespect shown to the land was appalling. With dispersed camping comes well, no facilities. You pack it in you pack it out. Nope. Our dog quickly found what lovely people had left behind. The folks before us were not the first to do so -- head into the woods to do your business and you'll see old makeshift toilets left everywhere. Everywhere. Shattered glass was found all over our site the more we looked. There was also a large group of Oregonians camping a site over. They made sure to do 30 minutes of donuts (on national forest land!) in a marshy area where plovers were actively nesting. We did enjoy our time at our smaller, quieter lake (bring water shoes!) and a beautiful sunrise. It was also nice not being bumper to bumper with other campers. Being on the rougher back roads weeds out the crowd. It also looked to be a great fishing spot, judging by our morning loop around the lake before bidding adieu. read more

Went there for hiking soon after I get over my jet leg! Started from timberland ski resort, landform became tough above 8500ft, which is the terminal of the ropeway. I finally reached the saddle between illumination rock and main peak. That is my limitation without ice-axe. There is no way to reach devils Kitchen or higher place unless you have specialized climbing equipment. Ice climbing is the only choice to the main peak, and it is extremely dangerous! Step on a sloping ice surface and walk is a life gamble. Once slip and down, nothing can stop you slipping towards the downhill side, and the result will be ugly. read more

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Maybe it is because it was my first national forest that I visited ever, or maybe it was that awe-inspiring and eye-opening, but this space was so beautiful. As east coast folks, we didn't realize space like this still existed in a congested country, but it does and it was here and it was so incredible. Pristine waters, multitudes of hiking trails, amazing views, and the peak was just so amazing that it left us speechless. We went to Tilikum Lake for that just so right shot of Mount Hood, we hiked up to Bagby Hot Springs and soaked in the mineral water, we stopped at the camp store, we stopped at various pull-off areas and hiked trails and just took it all in, in all its glory. Wow! read more

If you're visiting Oregon and you have a day to spare, a trip to Mt. Hood National Forest should top your list for places to visit. Mt. Hood National Forest is absolutely stunning. Having lived in the confines of the Chicago concrete jungle most of my life, a visit to the National Forest was like a breath of fresh air! The horizon was covered with luscious green pine trees. As it seems all of the state of Oregon is covered, especially Mt. Hood. The best views of Mt. Hood are found along Highway 26 (AKA Mt. Hood Scenic byway.) This main artery stretches for over 100 miles and the views along the way are simply breathtaking. As you drive further into the highway, each twist and turn rewards you with an alternate perspective of Mt. Hood. This highway is not only a sight to behold, but a physical experience. The elevation change as you travel 50, sometimes 60 miles per hour down a mostly one lane road will cause the average person to encounter ear popping similar to airline travel. To prevent such issues, carry a pair of filtered earplugs or chew some gum. Some of 26 is separated into two lanes so that drivers with different aims can travel down the same road. If you're not meeting the speed limit because you're mesmerized by the striking foliage, just stay right. As a bonus: If you take Highway 26, you'll also pass the exit to the infamous Timberline Lodge; a popular ski resort and hotel. This hotel was featured in the 1980 Stephen King movie, The Shining. If you plan to visit any of the many trails or campgrounds, purchase a National forest recreation day pass for entry. Make sure you get the one for Mt. Hood as there are several other locations listed. It's only $5 and can be purchased on discovernw.org. We purchased an ePass (the quicker method.) Once you receive your day pass, write down the license plate number you will be using in the box. Only one car per day pass! You cannot write multiple license plates within the box or share the day pass with other vehicles. Rangers keep notes and will check each car to make sure you have filled out your information correctly. You can also purchase day passes and forest maps at the Zig Zag Ranger Station. I'd highly recommend visiting the Zig Zag station before seeing any of the forest sites especially for first timers. The rangers have insight on the population and difficulty level of each trail and can let you know ahead of time if a site is overcrowded or beyond your capacity. If so, they can steer you into a trail more suited to your skill level. Parking, depending on the popularity of the site/trail you're visiting can be hit or miss. We visited one of the trails on a Saturday afternoon at around 2pm (See my upcoming Trillium Lake review.) The lot was practically full but we pushed on determined to find a place to park. We eventually arrived at the end of the lot with no sign of a space opening up. Luckily, we spotted a family walking over to their car just about to leave. With a little charm and assertiveness on my part we were able to get an excellent spot. Don't be afraid to ask people walking towards cars if they are leaving. From Portland, the drive round trip took roughly 2 hours. Make conservative allowances for traffic entering and exiting the city of Portland. Above all, arrive early! Like I had mentioned in my earlier paragraph, sites can get packed. In fact, we saw cars sadly being turned away by park rangers due to the parking being at full capacity. To ensure a picnic spot and parking space, get here very early. Mt. Hood National forest is really worth the commute and effort! read more

All right so here's the deal we went over to a place called rock Creek Campground and unfortunately we were lost for two hours straight and finally had to stop at a gas station to find out where the camping grounds work apparently when we did find it the lady there was completely rude very very inappropriate and very very nosy she wouldn't leave us alone for 15 minutes she kept checking in on us because we were gay and the fact that she thought that we were going to do something really bad blah blah simple stuff so finally we got tired of it and left not just because the fact that it took us forever to get to that point but that the lady was completely inappropriate and rude us The other thing is we seen all the otherCampgrounds like camp Cody Timothy campgrounds or Timothy lake campgrounds I don't know who's all the other ones because they had a big sign unfortunately when you go to rock Creek Campground you'll have to go hunting for it beautiful place but terrible staff and terrible location to camp and drive to read more

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