Mount Hood

Mount Hood offers superb year-round recreation — downhill and cross-country skiing and snowboarding (including the only year-round lift-served skiing in North America, on the Palmer Glacier at Timberline), mountaineering the glaciated summit (one of the most-climbed glaciated peaks in the world, a serious climb), hiking the wildflower meadows and forest trails (the Timberline Trail circles the mountain, and trails reach alpine lakes and waterfalls), mountain biking, fishing, camping, and visiting the historic Timberline Lodge. Skiing, climbing and hiking the great mountain are the signature draws. The combination of the iconic glaciated volcano, the year-round skiing, the meadows and the historic lodge makes Mount Hood a premier destination.

Mount Hood is a true year-round destination — summer (July through September) for hiking the wildflower meadows and alpine country and climbing (the main climbing season is late spring), fall for color and quiet, and winter and spring for the renowned skiing and snowboarding (the mountain’s ski areas, including year-round skiing at Timberline, draw crowds, and the snow is deep). The summer wildflower meadows and the winter skiing are the highlights; the mountain’s glaciers offer skiing even in summer. Come prepared for mountain weather year-round, and time your visit to summer for hiking or winter for skiing.

Mount Hood was sacred to the Native peoples of the region, who knew the volcano in their stories, and it became a landmark for explorers and Oregon Trail pioneers, who skirted its slopes (the Barlow Road). The historic Timberline Lodge, a masterpiece of rustic architecture built by the Works Progress Administration in 1936–38 with extraordinary craftsmanship, became a National Historic Landmark and a beloved icon (and a filming location for ‘The Shining’). Protected within the Mount Hood National Forest, the mountain preserves the great glaciated volcano, its forests and meadows, and its rich heritage, a treasured icon of Oregon.

Mount Hood is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range, built up over hundreds of thousands of years by eruptions, rising to 11,249 feet — the highest peak in Oregon. Cloaked in 12 glaciers and permanent snowfields that feed the rivers radiating from it, the mountain last erupted in significant fashion a couple of centuries ago and remains active and monitored. Glaciers and erosion have sculpted its slopes, and fumaroles still steam near the summit. The volcanic cone, the glaciation and the steep slopes created the majestic, symmetrical peak that towers over northern Oregon and the Portland region.

Mount Hood’s range of habitats hosts black bears, elk, black-tailed deer, mountain goats (reintroduced to the area), foxes, pikas and marmots in the high country, and a rich community of birds, including the gray jay, raptors and high-country and forest species, while the forests and streams shelter their own wildlife (and salmon and steelhead run in the rivers below). The range from forest to alpine creates diverse habitat. The Mount Hood country is a fine place for wildlife watching, with the marmots and pikas of the high meadows, the forest wildlife, and the birds among the wildlife around the great mountain.

Mount Hood and the surrounding Mount Hood National Forest protect a range of Pacific Northwest ecosystems — from the lush, old-growth-rich Douglas fir and hemlock forests of the lower slopes, through the subalpine forests and the wildflower meadows that bloom in summer, to the alpine zone and the glaciers and rock of the high mountain, with a wetter west side and a drier east. This range, the heavy snow and the glaciers support diverse life and feed the rivers. Protecting the forests, the meadows, the glaciers and the rivers sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this iconic Cascade volcano and its national forest.

Mount Hood, the highest peak in Oregon, holds a treasured and iconic place in the state, its majestic glaciated cone an ever-present symbol towering over Portland and the region, beloved as Oregon’s mountain. Sacred to Native peoples, a landmark for Oregon Trail pioneers, crowned by the historic Timberline Lodge, and a year-round playground for skiers, climbers and hikers, Mount Hood embodies the grandeur of the Cascades and the outdoor spirit of Oregon. The mountain is a cherished icon of the state and one of the great volcanic peaks of the Pacific Northwest.

Mount Hood is in northern Oregon in the Cascade Range, within the Mount Hood National Forest, about an hour and a half east of Portland via US-26 (to the south side and Timberline) and the scenic Mount Hood Loop (US-26 and State Route 35). The national forest is free to enter (a Northwest Forest Pass or fees apply at some trailheads and sites; the ski areas and lodge are separate). The mountain offers ski areas, the historic Timberline Lodge, trailheads, alpine lakes, campgrounds and scenic drives. High areas are snowbound much of the year. Check the U.S. Forest Service (Mount Hood National Forest) for passes, conditions and access before visiting.

The U.S. Forest Service protects Mount Hood, its glaciers, forests, wildflower meadows and rivers within the Mount Hood National Forest. Visitors help by staying on trails (the fragile subalpine wildflower meadows are easily trampled and slow to recover), climbing and skiing responsibly, storing food in bear country, protecting the rivers’ water quality and the alpine lakes, packing out everything, respecting wildlife, preventing wildfire, and following the rules and Leave No Trace. Protecting the meadows, the forests, the glaciers and the rivers sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this iconic Cascade volcano and its surrounding national forest.

Mount Hood is an active glaciated volcano, and climbing it is a serious mountaineering undertaking — despite its popularity, it has claimed many lives, with hazards of crevasses, rockfall, icefall, fast-changing weather, avalanches and the dangerous ‘fumarole’ gases near the summit; climb only with the proper skills, gear, training and conditions (most climb in late spring). The weather changes fast and severely year-round; carry layers, the essentials and avalanche awareness in winter. On the trails, watch footing, store food in bear country, and beware of the glaciers and steep terrain. Respect the mountain’s serious hazards and weather.

The national forest is free, but a Northwest Forest Pass or fees apply at some trailheads/sites; the ski areas and lodge are separate. Climbers must register/fill out a permit and follow climbing rules. Stay on trails; protect the fragile wildflower meadows. Wilderness areas have their own rules and permits. Camp only in designated or permitted areas; store food in bear country. Prevent wildfire; follow fire restrictions. Pets must be controlled. Drones may be restricted. Pack out all trash. Check the U.S. Forest Service (Mount Hood National Forest) for passes, permits and current rules before visiting.

The towns of Government Camp, Hood River (on the Columbia River, a windsurfing and orchard hub) and Sandy lie around the mountain, with the Columbia River Gorge to the north, the Mount Hood National Forest, the Hood River fruit-growing valley, and the city of Portland (about 1.5 hours west) in the region. The Cascade Range defines the region. Mount Hood anchors the iconic mountain region of northern Oregon, a centerpiece of a year-round adventure of skiing, climbing and hiking, and a beloved symbol towering over Portland and the Columbia River Gorge.

Enjoy Mount Hood year-round — ski or snowboard in winter and spring (including the only year-round lift-served skiing in North America at Timberline), hike the wildflower meadows and alpine country in summer (the trails around Timberline and to the alpine lakes), and visit the magnificent historic Timberline Lodge any season. Leave the serious glaciated summit climb to prepared, trained mountaineers (it has claimed many lives). Carry layers for fast-changing mountain weather, get the right pass, store food in bear country, and savor Oregon’s iconic mountain, visible from Portland.