MT HOOD RECREATION

Where to Snowshoe & Cross-Country

In and Around the Villages of Mt Hood

Mount Hood has miles and miles of snowshoe opportunities - and a huge reputation for trails that deliver stunning views along the way as your reward!

A popular spot is Zigzag District Old Maid Flats. Lolo Pass Road and Old Maid Flats are easy and quick to reach.  Call the Zigzag Ranger Station or check online for conditions.  There are no fees charged in this vicinity during the winter, but that means there are no services provided either, so roads and parking lots will not be plowed, making for a less-crowded adventure in the snow (please do not park in private driveways).  Directions: Take Hwy 26 up to the Zig Zag Inn.  The turn for Lolo Pass Road is across from the Inn and the Ranger Station.  Drive north 4 or 5 miles until you see the Forest Service sign marking the entrance to the Mt. Hood Forest, turn right, following signs to Ramona Falls and Road 1825.  Park along the road, taking care to not block access by other vehicles.  Continue up the road for about half a mile to a gated bridge.  Start cross-country skiing or snowshoeing just inside the gate or continue up Last Chance Road.  There are several out and back options up to 10-12 miles distance inside the gate.

The 1825 Road is the main route in a gentle area unusually flat for mountain terrain.  This is a result of Mt. Hood’s last eruption, which happened before the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  Debris from this eruption flowed down to settle at Old Maid Flats, resulting in a more open, level space and smaller trees, as older and bigger trees were knocked down.

Though there are intersections on the 1825 Road, they are dead ends.  Spurs and loops from the road lead to a few campgrounds which closed for the winter as of October 15th. 

More Scenic Mt Hood Snowshoe Trails

Another good Mount Hood snowshoe location is the Lower or Middle sections of the Salmon River Trail.  Directions: From the stoplight on Hwy 26 and Welches Road, continue .9 on Hwy 26 to Salmon River Road.  Turn right and drive 5 miles south on Salmon River Road to a bridge and a broad parking area. Going back north from the bridge along the river takes you on the Lower Salmon River Trail.  This is a fairly level, easy-going trail with lots of opportunity to view birds and other wildlife as well as enjoy the mountain music of a river cascading over boulders and around bends.  Pause to enjoy old growth forest, too!

As an alternate route, you might want to go south from the bridge and snowshoe up the Middle Salmon River Trail.  This is a steeper trail.  You will be moving along through the forest with occasional views of the river as you rise rapidly above it. 

Mt Hood Snowshoeing for the Whole Family

When the snow levels come down lower, Wildwood Park is a fabulous snowshoe site for the whole family.  Directions: Wildwood Park is 1.3 miles west on Hwy 26 from the stoplight at Welches Road and Hwy 26. As the Park is closed to vehicles in the winter, you will be parking at the main gate and snowshoeing in on the roads and a mostly level trail system that wanders throughout the park.  Again, you are never far from the sights and sounds of the river.

 

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

« Back to this issue...