Weekend Backpacking Trip - Mt Hood

[Pelay]

Hey all!

I'm looking for some recommendations on a weekend backpacking trip preferably in the Mt. Hood area, or somewhere else not to far from Portland. We're looking to take it easy (7-12mi), I've got asthma so nothing extreme uphill, some elevation gain is good though. The group i'm going with are all fairly new to backpacking so any recommendations would be very helpful.

Thanks a bunch.

[Water]

Without the knowledge of having lived here for very long, my ideas are probably your bread and butter basics:

eagle creek trail (gentle elevation gain over many miles - a number of camping spots) - lots of people
ramona falls loop/trail - little elevation change (100 foot max?) - definitely around mt. hood - probably plenty of folks.

myself, we're going to venture into the badger creek wilderness (Eastern side of mt hood national forest) this weekend to see a new place and do a final shake down before we take a 9 day trip to the wallowas at the end of next week.

[pdxgene]

Timothy Lake might be an option. It's about a 13 mile loop, pretty much flat. Campgrounds all over plus a hike in campground on Meditation Point.

[pdxJaxon]

Yeah timothy lake is good. Hike from Little Crater Lake in to Meditation point.

Very easy and quite scenic.

Seen some Golden Eagles up there as well as baldys.

another option is the hike I'm taking next weekend. "Rock Lakes Basin" the easiest part of the trip is from Hideaway lake in to Shellrock Lake. (totally flat, well groomed trail and about 1 mile). You can continue the hike if you'd like all the way into Serene Lake which makes it about 5 miles one way I think.

Cheers,

Greg Jackson
Tigard, OR
http://www.JaxonsGottaGun.com

[retired jerry]

http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org ... Falls_Hike