5 Easy Snowshoe Trails near Portland

Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links

Ah, snowshoeing, the people’s winter sport. You don’t need lessons, lift tickets, or expensive gear to enjoy Mount Hood’s beautiful winter scenery. As the adage goes, if you can walk, you can snowshoe. Here are the best easy snowshoe trails near Portland. They’re great for beginners, families, or anyone wanting a peaceful day in a snowy forest. If you don’t have a 4WD vehicle and chains, you can take the bus to two of them. I listed the destinations in order of drive time from Portland, but my favorite is #5, Tamanawas Falls. Enjoy!

1. Little Zigzag Falls

Little Zigzag Falls

Distance: 1.8 miles out and back

Elevation gain: 200 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Pass required: None

Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.

Restrooms: No

Drive time from Portland: 75 minutes

Bus access: No

Little Zigzag Creek

Best snowshoe trail for: finding a hidden gem

The trail to Little Zigzag Falls is a short and scenic journey with a big reward at the end. It’s also one of the closest snowshoe trails to Portland that consistently has snow in winter. In warmer months, you can park at the Little Zigzag Falls Trailhead and hike 0.4 miles to the waterfall. In winter, the road to the trailhead is plowed as far as Camp Kiwanis, about a half mile away. You can snowshoe over the last stretch of road to reach the trail, which starts at a pretty stone bridge over Little Zigzag Creek. From here, the beginner-friendly route follows the creek to Little Zigzag Falls. You’ll be snowshoeing next to a cliff for most of the way, where you can see some impressive chunky icicles. The trail ends at 41-foot Little Zigzag Falls, tumbling next to mossy rocks and a latticework of tree roots. The waterfall has two tiers that seem to merge into one since so much water flows over them.

Learn more about snowshoeing on the Little Zigzag Falls Trail.

2. Trillium Lake

Trillium Lake

Distance: 3.6+ miles out and back

Elevation gain: 400 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Pass required: Oregon Sno-Park Pass November - April

Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.

Restrooms: No

Drive time from Portland: 80 minutes

Bus access: No

Winter access to Trillium Lake

Best snowshoe trail for: first-time snowshoers

Trillium Lake is the most famous and popular snowshoeing destination on Mount Hood. There’s a lot to recommend it, especially for beginners. The trail is wide enough to accommodate a crowd and flat enough to keep it from becoming intense. A beautiful alpine forest surrounds the easy trail. Once you reach your destination, you’ll see a vista overlooking the white expanse of Trillium Lake ringed with conifer forests. On a clear day, Mount Hood’s summit looms in the background. From here, you can return the way you came or explore the less-traveled path around the lakeshore.

Expect crowds at Trillium Lake year-round, especially on the weekend. In winter, the road from Highway 26 to Trillium Lake closes. If you park at the winter trailhead just off the highway, it’s a little under two miles to snowshoe or cross-country ski to the lake. Both the parking lot and the trail can accommodate many visitors. Parking does fill up on some weekend days. Since the trail to Trillium Lake gets so much traffic, it’s usually packed down enough to get by with microspikes rather than snowshoes. When I visited, snow boots were plenty. Snowshoes can come in handy if you explore off-trail.

Learn more about snowshoeing at Trillium Lake.

3. Enid Lake

Enid Lake

Distance: 2.5-mile lollipop loop

Elevation gain: 300 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Pass required: Oregon Sno-Park Pass November - April

Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.

Restrooms: No

Drive time from Portland: 75 minutes

Bus access: Yes, use the Mt Hood Express stop in front of the Best Western hotel.

Maggie’s Trail

Best snowshoe trail for: avoiding the masses

If Trillium Lake sounds too crowded, Enid Lake is a great alternative. Maggie’s Trail is a shared snowshoe and cross-country ski route that starts in Government Camp and ends at a short loop around secluded Enid Lake. Even when crowds descend onto Government Camp, the trails around town stay surprisingly peaceful. Beautiful at any time of year, the easy trek to Enid Lake becomes otherworldly after a heavy snowfall. Rather than snowshoeing down a wide access road, you’ll be on a narrow trail beside towering hemlock trees and snow-covered rhododendron bushes. At the end of the journey, Enid Lake doesn’t have quite the same wow factor as Trillium Lake, but the solitude adds a lot of charm to the trip.

Enid Lake is easy to reach from Portland without taking a car to the mountain. The Mt Hood Express stops within a quarter mile of Maggie’s Trail. After your snowshoe trip, it’s a short walk to Government Camp’s main drag for huckleberry pie and hot chocolate from the Huckleberry Inn or pizza and beer from Ratskeller.

Learn more about snowshoeing to Enid Lake.

4. Timberline Lodge

The groomed snowshoe trail at Timberline Lodge

Distance: 0.75-mile loop

Elevation gain: 100 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Pass required: Oregon Sno-Park Pass November - April

Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.

Restrooms: Yes

Drive time from Portland: 90 minutes

Bus access: Yes, take the Mt Hood Express to Timberline Lodge.

The snowshoe trail

Best snowshoe trail for: panoramic views

Timberline Lodge is mostly a skiing and snowboarding destination but has a groomed snowshoe trail with great views of the Cascade Mountains from 6,000 feet of elevation. The trail is short and sweet. The downside is that it feels like it’s over just after you start. The views are spectacular enough to make you want to do the easy loop more than once. You’ll start heading toward Mount Hood’s summit and return looking onto Mount Jefferson, the Three Sisters, and the Mount Hood National Forest. For a longer and more strenuous route, you can snowshoe up the Sno-Cat track to Silcox Hut, a 2-mile roundtrip journey that gains 1,000 feet of elevation.

After snowshoeing, it’s worth heading inside Timberline Lodge for some time by the fireplace. The restaurant upstairs has super-deluxe hot chocolate, craft beer, and windows overlooking Mount Hood’s summit. Timberline Lodge gets crowded on weekends, especially after fresh snow. Prepare for traffic on the way up and a full parking lot. Chains may be required to reach the lodge. Instead of driving, you can take the Mt Hood Express to Timberline Lodge, which solves the parking problem if not the crowds. Wy’East Day Lodge next to Timberline rents snowshoes for $27/day. The snowshoe trail is free.

Learn more about snowshoeing at Timberline Lodge.

5. Tamanawas Falls

Tamanawas Falls

Distance: 3.5 miles out and back

Elevation gain: 600 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

Pass required: NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass, $5/day

Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.

Restrooms: Yes

Drive time from Portland: 90 minutes

Bus access: No

Andesite boulders on the way to Tamanawas Falls

Best snowshoe trail for: dramatic scenery

The snowshoe trail to Tamanawas Falls is a bit more rugged than the others on the list. Uphill walking and some uneven terrain make it more moderate than easy, but it’s still beginner-friendly, and the payoffs are huge. The trail follows the lovely cascades of Cold Spring Creek. Towards the end, you’ll feel like an ant as you pass through a field of huge snow-covered boulders. The trail ends at an incredible finale, 100-foot Tamanawas Falls plunging over an andesite cliff amid piles of blue-white snow. Cold mist from the falls freezes into strange and wonderful ice formations around the plunge pool. You can approach the falls for a closer look if you have good traction. It’s a slippery journey.

While it doesn’t get as many visitors as Trillium Lake, Tamanawas Falls is popular. When I visited, parking was no problem on a weekend. I think it helps that it’s a longer drive from Portland. Unless there’s been recent snow, the trail is often packed down enough to get by with microspikes rather than snowshoes. Snow boots alone aren’t enough. The trail gets icy.

Learn more about snowshoeing to Tamanawas Falls.

You can walk behind Tamanawas Falls, with some difficulty

Snowshoeing tips and gear

• Snowshoeing doesn’t take special training or coordination, but it is tiring. Think of it more like walking over loose sand than hiking. I’d suggest starting with a shorter and easier trail than you would pick for a day hike in the summer.

• You can rent snowshoes from stores in Portland, Sandy, or Government Camp. Rentals cost about $20/day.

• If you go snowshoeing more than a few times, it makes more sense to buy a pair. A set like this one is reasonably priced and has all the gear you need included. I go snowshoeing often and have been very happy with these snowshoes.

• If the snow is packed down, you can get by with microspikes, which are easier to walk in and work better in icy conditions. When the trail has fresh snow or you’re exploring off-trail, you’ll want snowshoes.

• Dress in layers, including non-cotton base layers, a warm coat, hat, gloves, and wool socks. Wear snow boots and snow pants to avoid wet ankles.

• If you drive to Mount Hood in the winter, you’ll need to carry chains or use traction tires. It’s a good idea to bring a 4WD vehicle with high clearance. Signs on Highway 26 indicate when chains are required. Prepare for slick roads and winter driving conditions. If, like me, you don’t have a good snow car, consider taking the Mt Hood Express.

• Many gas stations, convenience stores, and equipment rental companies between Portland and Mount Hood sell Sno-Park Passes. Find a list of vendors here.

• January through March are the best months for snowshoeing on Mount Hood. Snow lasts longer on the mountain, especially at higher elevations, but there are fewer fresh snowfalls and more crunchy snow towards the end of the season.

Enid Lake Loop

Best easy snowshoe trails near Portland, the summary:

1. Little Zigzag Falls

2. Trillium Lake

3. Enid Lake

4. Timberline Lodge

5. Tamanawas Falls

Enjoy the snowshoe trails on Mount Hood!

With love,

Emma

Explore nearby

Want to skip the snow? Check out these low-elevation winter hikes near Portland.

Find the best short hikes on Mount Hood.