Colorful Mt. Hood

The Colors and Textures
of a Mountain Autumn

Autumn is my favorite time of year — a respite between summer’s rush to soak up the sun while it’s here and the urge to prepare for hibernation.

One of my favorite places to enjoy the beauty of autumn is Wildwood Recreation Site, or Wildwood Park as many of us call it. The trails along the river and the Cascade StreamWatch wetlands trail offer vistas of fall colors and textures — the yellows and oranges of bigleaf and vine maples, willow, and cottonwood contrast with the rich green foliage of Douglas-fir, western redcedar, and western hemlock. (RIGHT: Mt. Hood from Trillium Lake by Forrest Gallery )

The Old Salmon River Trail, south of Welches, is another fine place for viewing fall colors. You’ll find many large, old bigleaf maples along the river and see their golden leaves on and under the water.

Farther up the Mountain, try the Trillium Lake Trail this month. The views of Mt. Hood from the dam are worth the drive, but so is an easy walk through the cottonwoods at the north end of the lake. (LEFT: Mt. Hood in October by Forrest Gallery)

If you haven’t visited Little Crater Lake, this is a perfect time of year to do so. This “lake” — really a small, deep, and perfectly clear pond just north of Timothy Lake — is interesting in itself, but the vast wetland meadow surrounding it spectacular. Full of grasses, reeds, and willows, it is a beautiful place to sit quietly and listen to the reeds rustle in the breeze. If you’re lucky, you might spot a pair of great blue herons stalking though the marsh in search of food.

If you’re into fishing, try fly-casting on Laurance Lake from a boat or float (southeast of Parkdale and almost due north of Mt. Hood). Whether you fish or not, you’ll be impressed by the display of vine maple, crimson in the fall, clinging to the rocky slopes north of the lake.

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