A Summer Traveler’s Guide to Mount Hood
Some 500,000 years ago, the explosive volcanic formation of Oregon’s tallest mountain began to unfold. Today, Mount Hood’s snowcapped peak is hard to miss, its “A” standing high above Portland’s eastern skyline. Travel just over an hour beyond the city to its slopes, and you’ll encounter myriad lakes, hiking trails, hot springs, and ski areas—one even offers downhill runs into the summer. Home to a diverse ecosystem of old-growth forests, 200 miles of designated Wild and Scenic rivers, vast snowfields, and the largest glacier cave system in the United States, Hood spars with Bend for the state’s outdoor recreation crown.
Eat
Image: Matteo Berton
One simply does not drive to Mount Hood without making a stop at Joe’s Donuts. Sandy’s red and white–checkered mom-and-pop shop fries rings, bars, fritters, and twists every day of the week, attracting lines of locals and visitors that stretch out the door on weekends. Its locale is awfully convenient, in the first of the small towns Portlanders pass approaching the mountain on Highway 26. Nineteen miles on, Fernie’s Coffee, a hole-in-the-wall dog-themed café in Rhododendron, can cover a proper caffeine boost—as well as biscuits and gravy electrified with hot sauces from its extensive collection. Government Camp is the “town” closest to the mountain’s summit, and also home to the Huckleberry Inn, known for its locally-picked-huckleberry hotcakes, pies, and milkshakes (ideal in prime berry season, between July and September).
On the north side, Parkdale’s Solera Brewery—located along the Hood River Fruit Loop, a 35-mile scenic drive through the valley’s farmlands—rotates a tap list of small-batch beers made on-site. The food menu focuses on pub standards (think chili, sandwiches, nachos) and one mammoth black-bean burrito. The beer is best sipped from the back patio, with its impressive view of Mount Hood.
Image: Courtesy Timberline Lodge
Stay
The most obvious—and iconic—place to stay on Hood is, of course, Timberline. Almost 50 years ago, this historic Depression-era lodge made an appearance in Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic The Shining as the fictional Overlook Hotel. In the film, it’s ghostly and sinister, but IRL Timberline Lodge is a quintessential alpine retreat because of its warm atmosphere. Handcrafted, rustic Cascadia architecture and crackling stone fireplaces make it an inviting refuge after a day on the mountain, regardless of the season, and rooms range from chalets brimming with bunk beds to spacious kings. In the warmer months, Timberline operates lifts to its mountain biking park and, most notably, Palmer Snowfield, the only lift-accessed summer alpine park in North America. On Palmer, you ski among pros, and there’s a nonzero chance you’ll bump into the most decorated snowboarder of all time, Shaun White, who has been training at Hood since he was a kid.
Northwest of the summit, Lost Lake Resort and Campground is consistently packed on hot July days, as canoers, paddleboarders, and families with their floaties bob in the picturesque lake. Reserve a campsite or one of the resort’s cabins, yurts, or lodge rooms up to six months in advance, and head to the north shore to rent a kayak or rowboat.
Image: Matteo Berton
Play
With more than 1,000 miles of trails, Mount Hood is a hiker’s dream, from the kid-friendly paths at Trillium or Mirror Lake to the famously beautiful (and challenging) McNeil Point Trail. For something right in the middle, difficulty wise, consider the six-mile Bald Mountain and Muddy Fork hike, with its postcard-worthy views of Hood’s west face and mid-July wildflowers. Top Spur Trailhead, an access point for the Pacific Crest Trail, can get crowded. Instead, start at McGee Creek Trailhead, passing through evergreen forest and huckleberry bushes to Timberline Trail.
With 3,800 feet of elevation gain in nine miles one way, Yocum Ridge Trail is a demanding trek, but it truly showcases the lush landscape. It also makes for the ultimate weekend backpacking trip. Begin at Ramona Falls Trailhead and admire the namesake cascade, old-growth forest, and viewpoints of Reid Glacier and Illumination Rock on the way. Set up camp on the ridge for one exceptional sunrise.
The hike-averse should visit one of Mt. Hood National Forest’s 150 lakes. We love the vast, man-made Timothy Lake for swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing—you can even mountain bike or ride horses around its circumference. Mt. Hood Outfitters rents watercraft most summer weekends from the Pine Point Boat Ramp, on the southwest side of the lake.
Superstitious Stone
You may have already heard the lore surrounding Silent Rock, the unassuming yet mysterious mound along Highway 26. Local legend says if you’re not completely silent when passing the rock, you risk running into bad luck on the mountain ahead. The origin of Silent Rock remains a mystery, but the reports of car trouble, torn ACLs, broken limbs, and gear malfunctions may quiet even the biggest skeptic.
