Gentle climb, best in morning (August) to avoid afternoon heat. Quite windy even early. Trail was dry packed dirt and mostly exposed other than brief groves here and there. Great views of the Gorge, Mt Adams to the north, Mt Hood to the southwest.
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Lovely hike. I hiked alone, and for a few sections was the only hiker on the trail, and then I’d sporadically pass a few groups. A easy few creek crossings.
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The hike is excellent with good view but the final segment at Skibowl might be improved. The route as shown seems to go down the Skibowl ski slopes which were steep and dusty and shared with mountain bikers. I suggest using the longer but less steep and better trails to the east side of Skibowl to make the descent from the top to the warming hut.
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Very enjoyable, although there was quite an abundance of poison oak. The hike to Gillette Lake is 2.5 miles from the parking lot. Trail conditions were normal. Views are limited, but there is a longer stretch you can do to see a waterfall. Lake is stocked with fish. A few campsites are near the lake, this would be a nice spot for an overnight.
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The snow melted earlier than usual and our hike 7-22 was just after most of the snow was gone. The flowers were in full bloom with meadows filled with Alpine lilies, lupine, paint brush and at least 30 different types of flowers. Good patches of tiger lilies and Washington lilies. The trails were clear and with a sunny day the views were excellent.
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One of my all time favorite hikes. Can be a little difficult to find the trail when you really start ascending but its well worth it!
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Herman Creek Trail #406 to Gorton Creek Trail #408 to Ridge Cutoff Trail #437 to Nick Eaton Trail #447.
Took us approx. 5 hrs round trip with breaks and hanging out at the point. Beautiful color/texture contrast with burnt trees and new foliage/wildflowers. Amazing gorge views throughout. Fairly challenging for us novice hikers, but nothing undoable for newbs. Going up on the steep, switchback-y Nick Eaton might save your knees vs going down it.
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Easy route with a good view of the mountain at mirror lake. Once we reached the lake we went on to the first viewpoint near Tom Dick and Harry mountain. Worth the extra effort for an even more spectacular view!
Lot’s of people and dogs around in the afternoon, would recommend going earlier in the day.
Don’t forget to buy a park pass!
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Great wildflower trip. The Beargrass was in varying stages of bloom depending on the sun exposure. The Rhododendrons were blooming as well as Indian Paint Brush and Trillium. Well worth the drive and hike.
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A very nice hike with few people (encountered only 10 on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon). The beauty of this hike really begins once exiting the old road and entering into the trees. The understory is open with good sight lines through the trees. The forest floor is blanketed with greenery. Rhododendrons are beginning to bloom at the lower elevations. Just below the summit the trail passes through a grove of rhodies that won't bloom for another two weeks. Of course the jewel is the view from the top; Mt Hood is prominent to the northeast, and the Washington summits of St. Helens, Rainier, and Adams are all visible on a clear day. Mt Jefferson holds the southern view.
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We went on this hike 5/21/2019. This route was open and the trail was in good shape. While there was still evidence of the burn through this area from a couple of years ago, the undergrowth has come back with acres of blooming flowers of many kinds. A good time to go. Lots of view points of the Columbia River and the falls.
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We went on this hike 5/14/19. The trail was in good shape with just a few small trees across the trail to step over. It was forecasted to have showers all day so we had rain gear on and got wet, not by rain, but from the large shrubs next to the trail. We ran into patches of snow at about 4100 feet elevation that were soft enough to walk through but deep enough in spots we needed our GAIA to keep on the trail. When we were about 0.2 mikes from the top, the snow suddenly was 3 feet or higher on a steep incline with a drop off to the right. While we had mini spikes to put on we felt it was too risky to chance a fall at that point. It was cloudy with limited views of the valley but not the mountains.
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Did this hike 5/13/19 Cell reception is sporadic for Verizon here, nothing in lower areas. Parked at West Salmon River Trailhead (lots of break-ins must happen here, lots of broken glass in the parking areas) at 3:42am, two other cars in the lot. Road is paved until the last bridge on east salmon river road. 2 porta potties that smelled clean in the am, no TP though. Took Green Canyon Way trail to Hunchback trail to get to Devils Peak Fire Lookout. 14.14 miles and 3588 elevation gain moving time 8.5hrs total time 11hrs. From west salmon walk down to green canyon campground, straight across from the campground is Green Canyon Way trailhead. Green Canyon camground is closed at this time, but there is day use parking available here when open, need a NW forrest pass or america the beautiful pass to park in this area of Mt. Hood.
Green Canyon Way trail is a very steep tiny trail, you climb quickly in a short (3.5 miles to hunchback) amount of miles. There are a couple of really sketchy areas on Green Canyon, but most of the logs have been cut that were on the trail. Trail is in decent condition with good trail signs. Hunchback trail section I did was nice, mostly flat with some steep sections, couple areas where you could loose the trail due to blow-down debris. There is a water trail marker on hunchback and a neat little camp site. 3 miles from hunchback to devils peak. Snow starts when you here running water and there are a couple of big snowy areas, but mostly sporadic snow covering the trail. Follow the boot path or make sure you have some sort of navigation as you can loose your way. Cool creek trail is still snow covered near the top, not sure about the lower area, but as far as I could see there was at least a foot of snow. Devils Peak Fire Lookout was really cool! Well worth the hike to get there. I did not check out the top or inside as people were staying there when I went. No stunning views at the lookout, but some space to have a seat and take a break. Returned hike on the same trails as I did not know what to expect on the other trails. This is most definitely a difficult hike, be prepared.
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Hiked up to Green Point Mountain summit on May 12, 2019 from the Herman Creek trailhead and continuing on #406 until forking off onto the Nick Eaton Trail #447. As was the case last year, much of the trail on Nick Eaton ridge is filled with dry needles, burnt bark, and downed limbs making the trail easy to lose if you're not focused. Once you hit the Gorton Creek trail #408, you enter the unburnt forest which has preserved much of the trail until you get to around 4,200' of elevation. At that point, it's snow up to the summit.
The depth of the snow varies from 2'-3' all the way to the top - all of it a hard, rippled snow. There is no trace of a trail to be found, so have GPS ready if you plan to do this hike since it's roughly 2 miles of snow crushing to the top. You'll also encounter bear tracks along the way although I did not spot any black bear on this day's adventure. Most of the climb is gradual until you get to the final 100' climb where you'll need to just find the safest way up to the top. Once at the summit, it's nice and clear of snow since it's been exposed to the sun for some time now. The view was spectacular and all mountains in the area were clearly visible including Mt. Ranier.
On the way down I completed the loop by taking the Herman Creek trail all the way back to the trailhead. Fortunately, going downhill in the snow wasn't too bad since the descent was gradual. After about three quarters of a mile down from the summit at the Wahtum Lake Road junction all snow was gone. The rest of the hike down included rushing creeks and waterfalls from the season's snow melt.
Awesome hike which will give your legs a good workout, especially once you start up the Nick Eaton trail. Would give this hike 5 stars if it wasn't for the condition of the trail from Nick Eaton ridge to the summit. Still, if you have a GPS unit, this is definitely a hike to put on your list.
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Our first time here since the devastating fire in the gorge. We were not disappointed. While there are burned areas with tree snags it is wonderful to see the lush green returning to the forest floor. And the wildflowers are especially beautiful. The views on the hike are even better than before. And of course the views from the top of Angels Rest are amazing
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Hiked 5/6/19 13.6 miles with 5249 elevation gain. Did a loop hike starting with Defiance trail, to Mt. Defiance summit, to Warren Lake, to Mitchel Point, to Starvation Ridge trail and back on Mt. Defiance. Took us over 14hrs to complete. I was the first car in the lot at Starvation Creek State Park at 4:15am. Mt. Defiance was a great steep switchback trail with some flat sections in the forrest up high. Lots of downed trees on the trail. There is snow right after the scree field trail junction which we opted out of and crossed the snow instead (we used our microspikes in the snow). 2 to 4ft of snow in places. 2 miles or more of snow. Views were amazing the day we went. Couple good camp spots at Warren Lake. Mitchell point had OK views. Starvation Trail was super hard with very few switchbacks, so you're almost always going straight down. Poison oak on the trail, so make sure you cover up your skin. Lots of beautiful flowers and amazing view points.
Visited 12/8/18. Beautiful area to stop at for hiking, sightseeing and a great lunch spot with a couple picnic tables next to Viento falls. Paved trails look very new. Bathrooms were flushing toilets and very clean inside, but only have air dryers, no paper towels for drying your hands. I've seen this place a bunch of other times while visiting the gorge and have always wanted to stop by and check it out. I came here to hike mt defiance trail. The trailheads are easy to find. Mt defiance, starvation ridge and a couple others are on the 14 going west when you walk on the paved path. Starvation ridge from historic trail paved path is closed but you can reach it on mt defiance trail. I did not complete trails because there were creek crossings on both mt defiance and starvation ridge that had no bridges, I was wearing my summer hiking boots (not wanting to get them wet in the water), it was cold out and I was hiking alone. This area is a must stop if you have the time to check it out. I will definitely be back to hike again. Counted 4 waterfalls.
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Hiked 5/6/19 13.6 miles with 5249 elevation gain. Did a loop hike starting with Defiance trail, to Mt. Defiance summit, to Warren Lake, to Mitchel Point, to Starvation Ridge trail and back on Mt. Defiance. Took us over 14hrs to complete. I was the first car in the lot at Starvation Creek State Park at 4:15am. Mt. Defiance was a great steep switchback trail with some flat sections in the forrest up high. Lots of downed trees on the trail. There is snow right after the scree field trail junction which we opted out of and crossed the snow instead (we used our microspikes in the snow). 2 to 4ft of snow in places. 2 miles or more of snow. Views were amazing the day we went. Couple good camp spots at Warren Lake. Mitchell point had OK views. Starvation Trail was super hard with very few switchbacks, so you're almost always going straight down. Poison oak on the trail, so make sure you cover up your skin. Lots of beautiful flowers and amazing view points.
Visited 12/8/18. Beautiful area to stop at for hiking, sightseeing and a great lunch spot with a couple picnic tables next to Viento falls. Paved trails look very new. Bathrooms were flushing toilets and very clean inside, but only have air dryers, no paper towels for drying your hands. I've seen this place a bunch of other times while visiting the gorge and have always wanted to stop by and check it out. I came here to hike mt defiance trail. The trailheads are easy to find. Mt defiance, starvation ridge and a couple others are on the 14 going west when you walk on the paved path. Starvation ridge from historic trail paved path is closed but you can reach it on mt defiance trail. I did not complete trails because there were creek crossings on both mt defiance and starvation ridge that had no bridges, I was wearing my summer hiking boots (not wanting to get them wet in the water), it was cold out and I was hiking alone. This area is a must stop if you have the time to check it out. I will definitely be back to hike again. Counted 4 waterfalls.
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Visited 4/29/19 first and only hikers on the trail from 5:30am on a Monday to 2:30pm same day. Small parking area with a porta pottie right now for construction workers. Hiked 9.3 miles in 9.19hrs. 6.5hrs moving time. 3094ft elevation gain. Hiked from Detroit Lake to the base of Dome rock (the snow was too steep and icy for me to continue on with just microspikes and trekking poles). Trail is in good condition with some blow downs on the trail. Before the tumble ridge trail junction is where the snow starts sporadically at first and didn't need microspikes till tumble ridge or the ridge part of the hike covered in icy deep snow. After the ridge make sure you have a map of the area especially when it is covered in snow. We followed boot prints and our maps in the densely forested areas. To the base of dome rock we followed others steps and the map to the ridge right before the base of Dome Rock. There were a couple of cornices at the edge. Snow was nice in the more sunnier areas (a little slippery and slushy, but in the forrests the snow was Icy.) Till the snow is gone you will need ice climbing gear to summit Dome Rock or be more experienced in climbing in this terrain. I would only recommend this hike for experienced children hikers at this time. On the way out we postholed and slipped a couple times in the softening snow. At the trailhead parking area at Detroit lake they were doing road construction right in front of the parking area. Not much room for other cars in the lot with all the construction vehicles in there. This was a great hike and I always love a hike the pushes my comfort zones a bit more.
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Visited 4/19/19. Hiked 7.62 miles, non-stop rain the whole way. Took me 4hrs. Saw a female turkey! Road up to equestrian trailhead is in good shape. Bathrooms were clean, although on a more warm day they probably would have been stinky. I hiked up east hardy ridge/equestrian and down west hardy ridge. The upper trail is foot traffic only. Several trees down on upper hardy ridge and a couple patches of snow on the side of the trail. Other than that the trail was in good condition. There are two equestrian camps at the parking area, beautiful spots E1 and E2, they are $12.00/night. Pay station at the kiosk. You need a discover pass to park here for day use. I also saw several picnic trails. Numerous hiking options. Only saw 1 other car come in as I was leaving and saw no one on the trail. Started at 4:30am and finished at 8:30am. Large parking area here, road in is one lane width in most places.
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4/9/19 Tuesday hardy ridge loop 7.62 miles. Hiked east and west trails via the equestrian trail. Snow on trail when I went in the forrest high above. Patches of snow on side of trail right before trail turns to foot traffic only. Lots of debris on the west descent of the trail. Summited on a rainy day, so I did not explore the top much. Beautiful hike.
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First one on the trail and in the parking lot at 7:05am on 12/24/18. Hiked 8.9 miles counterclockwise from Herman Creek to Gorton Creek to Nick Eaton trail and back to Herman Creek. ( I had a pre recorded map, very helpful to have.)
I tried this trail a couple of years ago before I got into shape and I could not finish it, it was brutal and I was, barely move sore for days after. I've been hiking practically every weekend this year and I finally was able to finish this trail!!!
I did this trail counterclockwise, starting with Gorton creek was long (when you get close to the top the snow begins and much of the flat trail on Nick Eaton is covered in snow, it was not icy, so no microspikes needed 12/24/18.), with lots of switchbacks and a creek crossing and on the way down on Nick Eaton trail was brutal, my toes were smashed against the tips of my boots with every step, there are steep switchbacks on the tail end for me of this hike. My feet were so sore when I got to the Herman Creek, Pct trail, otherwise I would have gone down to check out the Herman Creek Bridge (next time!). Finished the hike at 1pm and was hiking for around 6hrs. Most of the trail is really steep so be prepared! When I got back to my car there were 4 other cars in the lot. The parking lot holds 10 cars. You must have a NW forrest pass or pay $5 day use fee. There is a pay box here. The campground when I came here is closed. The bathroom is vaulted toilet and was clean when I got there in the am, but on the smelly side when I left in the PM. I saw 6 people on the trail and all were on my descent, so after 11:30am or so. All of this trail above the power line road was affected by the eagle creek fire.
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The day we went was especially windy which is common so dress accordingly. The day was cloudy and there hadn’t been any rain for a few days so the trail was firm with just a few wet spots. There were plenty of wildflowers in full bloom and a wide variety. The views of the gorge were good since the clouds were higher. We added extra distance from the top to go up the steep tail to where it ends at private property. There were other good views and we have seen deer in the past here but none today. This section is lightly used and it still was in good shape with just a couple of small downed trees to step over. We did not do the trails to the west of the parking lot due to the wind.
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It was my first time snowshowing so I wanted to make sure we had more than enough time. We went started earlier in the day (about 8 am) on Thursday and it was the perfect weather. Clear and sunny with fresh powder. We snowshoed across the actual lake (accidentally) since the paths weren't clear, but the landscape was beautiful and totally worth the trip. The route started to get busier as we headed back so i would suggest going earlier to have it to yourself.
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This is a great hike for views, waterfalls and a good workout. While the sun was shining most of the way, the peaks were hidden in the clouds but the views of the river were fantastic. The waterfalls were also very nice. Unfortunately the winds were intense and on the ridge on the other side of the summit I had to focus on holding my wind against the wind. We did the loop which was actually 8 miles total. I liked the fact that the descent was not as steep as the ascent. My dog (the "we" in this review) had no difficulty on this hike and he is almost 11 years old. I will do this again when the peaks are out and the wind is less intense.
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This hike is a great option for an overnight (or two) backpacking trip. There are a number of primitive camping sites along Badger Creek that you can set up at. The weather at the lake can be hit or miss. Was there during July and along the trail it was nice but at the lake it was extremely windy and cold.
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The trail from Multnomah Lodge to Larch Mountain was just opened early November 2018 after the fire damage was cleared from a year ago. The fire damage was extensive to the lower half of the trail.
The trail was mostly cleared of rock slides and fallen trees with just a short area after the bridge at 2 miles from the lodge. This was mostly small trees and shrubs blocking the trail to pick your way through or go around. It was nice to see all of the falls again but many of the views were altered by the burned trees and fallen debris.
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We did this about a year after the fire at Eagle Creek and had a good look at the damage done as well as how the forest is recovering. The trails showed evidence of maintenance and there was only one small tree on the trail to go over. It was impressive how far up the tree the fire went yet how many of the larger trees survived.
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