Mount Hood Meadows via White River Canyon Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Timberline Lodge Trailhead
- Ending Point: Umbrella Falls Trail Timberline Trail
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Distance: 9.4 miles round-trip
- Elevation gain: 1950 feet
- High Point: 6000 feet
- Difficulty: More Difficult
- Seasons: Summer and early Fall
- Family Friendly: No
- Backpackable: Yes - follows the Timberline Trail
- Crowded: only the first mile
Contents |
Hike Description
You don't normally think of hiking to Mount Hood Meadows from Timberline Lodge but this is quite scenic. At the start, you get great views of the Cascades South. Then, looking back, you get some great perspectives of Timberline Lodge (remember the movie "The Shining"). Then as you go down the ridge, you get great views into the White River Canyon. When you get up to Mount Hood Meadows the view to the East opens up.
You might want to do just the first mile or so before losing a lot of elevation. You might want to stop short of the White River crossing, one of the most difficult around Mount Hood. This would also avoid the long slog up to Mount Hood Meadows.
Start out Northeast from Timberline Lodge. There are a number of trails. The road in front of Timberline Lodge is about 5950'. You want to go up about 0.3 miles to 6000'. You should soon find some signs and markers for the Pacific Crest Trail, which is what you want. This is also the Timberline Trail #600.
At about mile 0.5, the trail starts down a barren ridge. You get great views all around. This would be a good turn-around point for an easy hike if you didn't want any elevation gain.
From here, you start getting better views down into the White River Canyon (White River View). Look back at Timberline Lodge which looks sort of spooky (maybe just because of that movie).
At mile 2.3 is the junction where the Timberline Trail goes left, and the PCT continues straight ahead. Take the Timberline Trail which goes down to the White River at mile 2.5 and 1000' elevation loss. This would be a good turn-around point for a moderate difficulty hike.
The White River is the broadest canyon around Mount Hood and is the most difficult to cross. Occasionally the river floods and takes out highway 35, for example, November 2006.
Finding the best crossing of the White River is sort of like exploring. They typically mark the trail with red flagging. There are probably also rock cairns. Also, see where the main flow of footprints goes, but this can be misleading because people go everywhere. You can probably find some rocks to hop over on.
This may vary from year to year, but there is a major side stream that comes in from the North at about the same elevation as where the trail reaches the canyon floor on the West side. Cross the main stream just upstream from here, then cross the side stream.
See Tips for Crossing Streams.
After crossing the White River, the trail continues down the canyon to a draw of trees that goes down to the bottom of the river bed. Make sure and look back where you came from occasionally so you can find your way back. The trail switchbacks up the draw, then continues up the forested slope until it reaches Mound Hood Meadows where there aren't any trees.
Continue another 0.2 miles to the Umbrella Falls Trail Timberline Trail junction, a gravel road, and Mitchel Creek where you can get a drink of water. This is the turn-around point for this hike. Go back the way you came.
Maps
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Northwest Forest Pass required
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