Must See Hikes
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
This is a quick list of hikes commonly recommended by Portland Hikers members for visiting hikers. Click the links for more detailed information.
This list is just a quick glance. There are many other worthwhile hikes in our area.
| Hike | Distance | Elevation Change | Season | Drive Time | |
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| Opal Pool-Cedar Flats Hike | 10.5 miles | 400 feet | Year round | 120 minute drive | |
| Water level hike on a closed road near Opal Creek. Highlights include an old mining town and an ancient grove of cedars. Overnight lodging is available in Jawbone Flats and you have to hike to get there. | |||||
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| Cooper Spur Hike | 6.4 miles | 2800 feet | Jul-Oct | 120 minute drive | |
| Mount Hood's highest trail hike. Hike to a 1930s era stone shelter and beautiful views of the Eliot Glacier. | |||||
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| Dog Mountain Hike | 6.9 miles | 2800 feet | Mar-Oct | 75 minute drive | |
| Steep yet popular trail to a spectacular summit. Incredible wildflower displays make this the best hike in the area during late May and early June. | |||||
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| Elk Cove from Vista Ridge Hike | 8.8 miles | 1790 feet | Jul-Oct | 120 minute drive | |
| Moderate hike to wildflower meadows on the north face of Mt Hood. This trail usually opens in late June, with the best flower displays in early August. | |||||
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| McNeil Point Hike | 10.4 miles | 2200 feet | Jul-Oct | 120 minute drive | |
| Stunning views to the west highlight this hike. Another stone shelter and you can see the lights of Portland at night. | |||||
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| Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop Hike | 4.9 miles | 1600 feet | Year round | 40 minute drive | |
| Popular loop hike with 10 waterfalls. Starts at the famous Multnomah Falls Lodge. Where else you get a mocha at the trailhead? | |||||
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| Paradise Park from Timberline Lodge Hike | 12.3 miles | 2300 feet | Jul-Oct | 120 minute drive | |
| Hike through massive Zigzag Canyon to summer flower meadows. | |||||
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| Silver Star Hike | 5.7 miles | 1240 feet | Mar-Nov | 90 minute drive | |
| Climb to a peak with an open 360 degree summit. Five volcanoes can be seen from here, if you can pry your eyes from the June-July wildflowers and October fall colors. | |||||
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| Table Mountain from Aldrich Butte Trailhead Hike | 8.0 miles | 3350 feet | Apr-Oct | 60 minute drive | |
| Very tough hike. Lot of elevation gain, including climbing a talus slope. The rewards are incredible clifftop views of the entire gorge. | |||||
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| Trail of Ten Falls Loop Hike | 7.8 miles | 870 feet | Year round | 90 minute drive | |
| Pleasant creekside hike featuring ten (count them ten) waterfalls. The waterfalls are more impressive in the spring, but this hike great all year. | |||||
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| Tunnel Falls Hike | 12.0 miles | 1640 feet | Year round | 45 minute drive | |
| Classic and ancient trail up the Eagle Creek Gorge. Lots of waterfalls, including Punchbowl Falls (an easy short hike) and incredible Tunnel Falls, where the trail actually tunnels behind the waterfall. Lots of cliffside hiking make this a poor choice for dogs or those scared of heights. | |||||
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| Yocum Ridge Hike | 14.2 miles | 3600 feet | Jul-Oct | 120 minute drive | |
| Challenging hike to amazing alpine viewpoints | |||||
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| Coldwater Peak | 12.5 miles | 3250 feet | Jul-Oct | 120 minute drive | |
| Travel through the heart of the 1980 blast zone, and marvel at the pace of recovery as nature slowly reclaims the scoured landscape. Gazing across the Pumice Plain, the steaming crater will rarely be out of site as you traverse pumice and ash strewn hillsides and hummocks. Divert at 3.6 miles to climb 0.6 miles up Harry's Ridge for a spectacular view of Spirit Lake, Mt. St. Helens' crater, and the glacier encircling the lava dome. Or continue another 2.6 miles to the top of Coldwater Peak for a sweeping vista of the entire Mount Margaret Backcountry, high above picturesque Saint Helens Lake. | |||||