Mount Hood

Timberline Lodge is a historic mountain lodge located on the south side of Mount Hood in Oregon. It is a popular destination for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and enjoying the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Timberline Lodge was constructed during the Great Depression as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects. It was completed in 1937 and is renowned for its craftsmanship and use of local materials.  The lodge sits near the Mount Hood National Forest which extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than sixty miles of forested mountains, lakes and streams to Olallie Scenic Area, a high lake basin under the slopes of Mt. Jefferson. There are 189,200 acres of designated wilderness in the forest. The largest is the Mt. Hood Wilderness, which includes the mountain’s peak and upper slopes. 

This hike starts at Timberline Lodge and follows The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) through the Mt. Hood National Forest.  The route shares a name with the Timberline Trail #600 near Timberline Lodge. We hiked this trail for five miles, crossed the scenic Zig Zag Canyon, and camped near the base of Mount Hood next to the PCT at Paradise Park. It’s a fairly easy hike out and back and makes for a good day or overnight hike. Many long distance hikers highly recommend this section of the PCT which extends up to Snoqualmie Pass in Washington.