Revision as of 21:05, 17 August 2014

Mount Hood from the Timberline Trail/PCT North of Paradise Park (Jerry Adams)

View from Timberline Trail/PCT crossing of the Sandy River (Steve Hart)

• Start point: Ramona Falls Trailhead
• End point: Paradise Park
• Trail Log: Trail Log
• Distance: 14.4 miles round trip
• Hike Type: Out-and-back
• Elevation gain: 3400 feet
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Seasons: Summer, Fall
• Backpackable: Yes
• Crowded: first 3 miles are crowded

Hike Description

This is definitely not the easiest way to get to Paradise Park. The slog up from the Ramona Falls Trail to Paradise Park is arduous - you mainly see people walking around Mount Hood or thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Because of the length of the hike, and the elevation gain, most people would only do this as a backpack.

The bridge over the Sandy River washed out after a thunderstorm that dropped about 2 inches of rain up above on the mountain, drowning someone that was crossing on it. If they ever replace this, be careful and stay off it if waterflow is high, washing up onto any part of the bridge. (observed August 2014)

Start south passed the information board. The first mile goes along the south side of the Sandy River. Be careful because the Sandy River can undercut the trail causing it to collapse. You'll shortly come a junction with the Sandy River Trail. Go straight here.

Bridge across Sandy River on Ramona Falls Hike (Jerry Adams)

At about mile 1 is a bridge across the Sandy river. The bridge is put in about May and removed about October each year. This bridge occasionally gets washed out during the hiking season. Contact the Mount Hood Info Center to see if it's in currently. In the picture at right, there isn't much water in the stream, and it would be easy to cross without the bridge, but it can become huge and has killed people in the past, so be careful.

At about mile 1.5 is the junction with the River Side Ramona Falls Trail (#797) which goes right and the Creek Side Ramona Falls Trail (also #797) which goes left. I assume you take the River Side Trail and come back on the Creek Side Trail, but you can take either. This is also the official PCT (northbound goes left, southbound goes right) but most PCT hikers take a route by Ramona Falls.

At mile 2.8 on the River Side Trail is the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail, which goes right. You can take this a short distance down to the Sandy River or continue up a long steep grade to Paradise Park and then further around the mountain (see Paradise Park from Ramona Falls Hike).

At mile 3.2 is a difficult crossing of the Sandy River. There is usually a log across that you can use, but no bridge. This can be impassable early in the summer when there is heavy snow melt or after heavy rains. It can be easy to cross in the morning but be difficult to cross in the afternoon when there's more snow melt.

Then the trail goes along Rushing Water Creek, a reliable year-round source of water. There are a number of campsites.

Then the trail starts a long steep grade through forest until the junction with the Paradise Loop Trail at mile 6.4, a 2100' elevation gain. There is no drinking water. Towards the top you start getting views into the Sandy River Canyon and Mount Hood.

Take a left on the Paradise Loop Trail. At about mile 7 (5800') you reach Paradise Park and the end of this hike. Return to the trailhead the way you came.

If you wish, you could walk another mile at 5800' to the other end of Paradise Park, turn right on the Paradise Park Trail, turn right on the Timberline Trail back to the junction with the Paradise Loop Trail, and then back down the way you came. This would add 3 miles and no elevation gain to the hike.

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder

Fees, Regulations, etc.

• Northwest Forest Pass required

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Paradise Park via the Sandy River Hike

• (Ramona Falls hike 10/22/06)

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Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Paradise Park via the Sandy River Hike

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Guidebooks that cover this hike

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Contributors

• User:retiredjerry (creator)