3 Incredible Short Hikes at Timberline Lodge
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Built by skilled craftsmen at 6,000 feet of elevation, Mt Hood’s Timberline Lodge is one of Oregon’s most impressive manmade wonders. Given the lodge’s popularity, I was surprised by how little information I found online about its summer hiking trails, especially the easy day hikes. So, I decided to write a guide myself. It took multiple trips and more than a few wrong turns, but now I feel like I know the area well. Here are my favorite hikes under 5 miles that start from Timberline Lodge. Leave the crampons and carabiners at home. The hike options range from easy to hard, but none involve specialized gear or intense conditioning. Enjoy!
Wildflowers bloom along Mt Hood’s high-elevation trails in the summer
Know before you go
Parking is free at Timberline Lodge from May 1st to October 31st. You don’t need a pass or permit. During the rest of the year, you need a Sno-Park Pass.
The upper parking lot is for guests staying overnight at the lodge. Park in the lower two lots for day use. Arrive early on summer weekends when the wildflowers bloom (July - August). Although large, the lots fill up.
Dogs are allowed on the hiking trails but not inside Timberline Lodge.
Look for restrooms and a restaurant inside the lodge.
Please stay on the trails. Wildflowers are fragile, especially at higher elevations. They don’t always grow back when they are damaged.
The hiking trails around Timberline Lodge don’t have much shade. Wear sunscreen and bring water.
Lupines bloom on the Pacific Crest Trail in July
Finding the trails
People ask me for directions at Timberline Lodge more often than anywhere else I go. At first, I was just as confused as the people asking me. Now I’ve been enough times that I can point them in the right direction.
The Pacific Crest Trail is above Timberline Lodge
Behind Timberline Lodge, there is small a network of interconnecting trails. If you’re looking for a very short hike, these trails are perfect. You’ll be able to see Mt Hood’s summit, the Cascade foothills, Mt Jefferson’s peak, and wildflowers galore. If you’re up for a little more distance and want a climactic destination, here’s how to do it:
Starting from Timberline Lodge, head uphill until you reach the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), about 0.1 miles. Most trail junctions have signs.
Once you reach the PCT, turn right to head east toward White River Canyon (hike #1) and the trail to Silcox Hut (hike #2), or turn left to head west toward Zigzag Canyon (hike #3).
And that’s it. You’re on your way!
Pacific Crest Trail
1. White River Canyon
Follow the PCT east to reach White River Canyon
Distance: 1.8 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 300 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dog-friendly: Yes
Kid-friendly: Yes
View of Mt Jefferson to the south
The hike to White River Canyon is the shortest and flattest route on Mt Hood that leads to a jaw-dropping destination. It’s a great one to tackle with kids or anytime you want a more laid-back day. Heading east from Timberline Lodge on the PCT, you’ll first cross Salmon River Canyon on your way to the more dramatic finale to come. As you walk, look to the south for excellent views of Mt Jefferson behind the Mt Hood National Forest. With a sharp eye, you can spot an alpine lake or two in the distance.
White River Canyon
The PCT continues to Mexico, but a good turnaround point is when you reach the rim of White River Canyon. The tiny-looking, glacier-fed White River flows at its base. In the canyon walls, you can spot remnants of the Buried Forest. These half-buried trunks were casualties of Mt Hood’s last eruptive period. Just in case you managed to forget that you’re hiking on a volcano.
Read more about the hike to White River Canyon.
2. Silcox Hut
Silcox Hut
Distance: 2.7-mile loop
Elevation gain: 1000 feet
Difficulty: Hard
Dog-friendly: Yes
Kid-friendly: Yes, but younger children might struggle with the uphill walking.
Sulfur-flower buckwheat blooms along the Pacific Crest Trail
Don’t let the short distance fool you. The hike to Silcox Hut is not easy. Between the starting elevation and the uphill walking, this trail is a workout. Go ahead and feel zero shame if, like me, you stop for a panting break or five on the way up. As you trudge, stunning alpine vistas help take your mind off your burning thighs.
Silcox Hut
From Timberline Lodge, you’ll walk a mile up the mountain to reach Silcox Hut, a charming cabin at 7,000 feet elevation. You can’t enter the hut (Timberline rents it out) but feel encouraged to walk around it and peek in the windows. You can return the way you came for a 2-mile out-and-back hike. The more interesting route is to head to the top of the Magic Mile chairlift and follow the trail down from there. You’ll meet up with the Pacific Crest Trail and turn left to return to Timberline Lodge as a loop hike.
Read more about the hike to Silcox Hut.
Map data ©2023 Google, Annotations are mine.
3. Zigzag Canyon
Lupines bloom above Zigzag Canyon
Distance: 4.7 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 850 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dog-friendly: Yes
Kid-friendly: Yes. You can also turn around at Little Zigzag Canyon for a shorter hike option. It’s about half the distance.
Snow lingers on the trail in July
I’ve saved the best for last. If you’re up for a little more distance, the hike to Zigzag Canyon will blow your mind. The scenery is beautiful and interesting throughout, but the destination is what will linger in your memory for years to come. The hike follows the PCT west from Timberline Lodge for a little over two miles. On the way, you’ll pass slopes covered in wildflowers and snow-filled canyons that hint at the finale to come.
The hike ends at the edge of Zigzag Canyon, a glacially carved valley hundreds of feet deep. The canyon is so massive that my mind has trouble grasping its true dimensions even when standing on its rim. A few scattered pines help give the place a sense of scale. At the canyon’s base, you’ll see the Zigzag River looking as thin and insubstantial as a strand of hair.
Read more about the hike to Zigzag Canyon.
When to visit Timberline Lodge for hiking
Paintbrush blooms next to the PCT
May - October: park for free at Timberline Lodge.
November - April: use a Sno-Park Pass to park (about $4-6/day). You can buy a pass at Timberline Lodge when you arrive.
Most of the year, the hiking trails around Timberline Lodge are buried under snow. Even if you bring snowshoes, you can only use them on one specific route near the lodge. By July, enough snow has melted to make the trails easy to navigate. There will still be some patches to tromp through but nothing major. Snow usually returns to Timberline sometime in November.
Lupines behind Timberline Lodge
Wildflowers appear on Mt Hood just after the snow melts. At Timberline’s elevation, they will peak around late July and August. By October, they’ll be gone for the year. Near the lodge, look for spreading phlox among the earliest blooms. Soon after, lupines, paintbrush, desert parsley, asters, and sulfur-flower buckwheat emerge.
The trails behind Timberline Lodge are great places to see wildflowers
What to bring to Mt Hood in the summer
Water bottle and trail snacks
Camera
Light jacket. Expect cooler temperatures at Timberline Lodge than in Portland due to its elevation. I’d suggest these jackets for women or men.
Magic Mile
Terminus of the Magic Mile
Riding the Magic Mile Chairlift is an easy way to explore Mt Hood without hiking. In the summer, you can ride the lift up to 7,000 feet of elevation even if you aren’t skiing. Only skiers and snowboarders can take the next chairlift, the Palmer chairlift, to go higher. At the top of the Magic Mile, you’ll be close to Silcox Hut. Spend some time enjoying the views and then ride the lift down or hike back to Timberline Lodge. It costs $20 for ages 7 and older to ride the lift. Kids 6 and under can ride for free. It’s usually open from around mid-June through Labor Day weekend.
Palmer chairlift
Timberline Lodge
Timberline Lodge
Whether or not you hike on Mt Hood, be sure to stop inside Timberline Lodge and explore. Skilled masons and craftsmen built the lodge in the 1930s as part of the New Deal. The workers’ attention to detail is obvious throughout the lodge, from the woodwork to the fabrics to the 92-foot indoor fireplace. A lot of effort has gone into maintaining the original character of Timberline Lodge over the years. It’s also had some needed updates, most importantly increasing accessibility with features like the elevator.
Fireplace at Timberline Lodge
Beyond the architecture and artistic details, Timberline’s 6,000-foot elevation gives it spectacular views of Mt Hood’s summit and the surrounding national forest. The lodge is a rustic and cozy place, if also a pricey one ($26 for a pretzel with cheese sauce, just saying), for post-hike drinks and snacks with a mountain view. On a nice day, check out the Adirondack chairs on the back patio.
The back patio has stunning views of Mt Hood’s summit
Mt Hood geology
At 11,250 feet, Mt Hood is the tallest peak in Oregon. It’s also a volcano with an unsettling eruptive potential. Like most of the Cascade Mountains, the rock of Mt Hood is mostly andesite and dacite, all products of volcanic activity. The mountain is a young one. Most of its growth happened within the last 500,000 years. Since then, it had three major eruptive periods, the last of which ended around 1800. In other words, too close for comfort. I try not to dwell on these details while hiking on Mt Hood. The keyword there, try.
Getting there
Address: 27500 E Timberline Road, Government Camp, OR 97028
From Portland, take Highway 26 E past Government Camp. Turn left onto Timberline Highway and drive up the mountain for about 5 miles until you reach the lodge. Park in either of the lower two parking lots.
Use chains or traction tires when driving to Timberline Lodge in the winter. Lighted signs on Highway 26 indicate when they are required.
You can reach Timberline Lodge from Portland without a car. Find details here. Plan for 2-3 hours of travel time.
Explore nearby
See unbeatable Mt Hood views from Lookout Mountain.
Check out the best short hikes near Mt Hood.
Visit another fantastic Cascade Peak, Mt Adams.
