White River Canyon Hike from Timberline Lodge
An early snowfall at Timberline Lodge has made me late to the game with this publishing this week, so in honor of my premature longing for next summer, here is the hike to White River Canyon and the Buried Forest Overlook on the slopes of Mt Hood. The shortest and easiest hike from Timberline Lodge that leads to a spectacular destination, the trek out to White River Canyon is great for families, beginners, and anyone looking for dramatic alpine scenery without needing to do intense conditioning beforehand. Hiking a short section of the Pacific Crest Trail will bring you to a glacially carved valley where you can see the headwaters of the White River and the stumps of an old forest that volcanic flows destroyed during Mt Hood’s last eruptive period. Here is everything you need to know about the hike to White River Canyon.
Mt Jefferson
Know before you go
It is free to park at Timberline Lodge from May 1st - October 31st. You don’t need a pass or permit. The parking lot closest to the lodge is for hotel guests. Use either of the two lower parking lots for day use. The parking lots fill up quickly on summer weekends. Consider arriving early.
If you visit during winter (November 1st - April 30th), you will need a Sno-Park Pass to park. You can purchase one on-site from Timberline Guest Services or at the Wy’East Day Lodge.
Timberline Lodge has a groomed snowshoe trail (not the trail to White River Canyon) that is good for winter hiking. It’s the only place near the lodge where snowshoes are permitted.
Wildflowers will be best at high elevations on Mt Hood from late July through August.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail. Only service animals are allowed inside Timberline Lodge.
There are nice indoor restrooms at Timberline Lodge.
Make sure to stay on the trails to protect the wildflowers that grow on the mountain. They are more delicate than people sometimes realize.
There is almost no shade on this hike. Although short, it is also hot and dusty in summer. Bring water. You can fill your water bottle at Timberline Lodge.
On the trail
Distance: 1.8 miles out and back with options to continue
Elevation gain: 300 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Pass required: None May 1st - October 31st. Sno-Park Pass required November 1st - April 30th.
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trails.
ADA access: No, not beyond Timberline Lodge.
Season: July - October
Mt Jefferson and the Cascade foothills to the south
Basic directions:
Take the paved path on the east side of Timberline Lodge uphill for about 0.1 miles until you reach the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail.
Take a right on the Pacific Crest Trail. Continue straight when you reach the junction with the Mountaineer Trail to stay on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Follow the Pacific Crest Trail until you reach the unmarked overlook for White River Canyon. It will be about 0.5 miles from the junction with the Mountaineer Trail.
The details:
The hike to White River Canyon starts at Timberline Lodge, where you can expect incredible mountain views beginning at the parking lot. At 6,000 feet of elevation, Timberline is the highest place you can drive to on Mt Hood. Before or after your hike, it’s worth exploring the rustic-style ski lodge to see its roaring fireplaces, locally sourced wood beams, and comfy armchairs. But first, the trail.
Head uphill on the paved trail until you reach the Pacific Crest Trail
Follow the Pacific Crest Trail east
There is a small network of trails around Timberline Lodge that can be confusing, but if you head uphill from the lodge on any of them, you should run into the Pacific Crest Trail. The simplest way to find it is by taking the paved trail on the east side of the lodge and following it uphill. You will reach the Pacific Crest Trail in about 0.1 miles. Take a right onto the Pacific Crest Trail. You will be heading east toward White River Canyon. You’ll cross a small creek, which will dry up by fall.
Buckwheat blooms along the trail in late July
In mid to late summer, wildflowers line the trails around Timerbline Lodge. Look for spreading phlox appearing around early July and many more blooms to come as summer progresses. Along the trail to White River Canyon, look for lupines, sulfur-flower buckwheat, asters, and penstemon. By October, the blooms will have faded, although you can find a little fall color even where elevation makes the vegetation scarce. Expect the hike to be crowded on summer weekends. When my sister and I visited in mid-October, we found an empty parking lot and no one on the trail but us.
Pass the junction with the Mountaineer Trail, marked with a sign
After about 0.2 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, you’ll reach a grove of trees and the junction with the Mountaineer Trail, a steep uphill trail. Skip this one and continue straight through the junction to stay on the Pacific Crest Trail. One of the pleasures of this hike is that it does not require intense uphill climbing despite being on the slopes of Oregon’s tallest peak.
Head down into the Salmon River Canyon
Past the trail junction, you’ll cross an unpaved access road and then descend into the Salmon River Canyon. Here you’ll see the headwaters of the Wild and Scenic Salmon River. Snow and glacial melt feed the river, which will have slowed to a trickle by late summer. Mt Hood’s summit is visible looking up the canyon.
Salmon River Canyon
After crossing the Salmon River, you’ll round a ridge on a narrow crushed pumice trail. Look for views of Mt Jefferson and the Cascade foothills to the south as you go. Once you round the corner, you’ll reach a sign that marks the beginning of the Richard L. Kohnstamm Wilderness. Tree cover is scarce here, but you’ll see some whitebark pines and mountain hemlock growing in the sandy soil. Look for lupines and asters in summer.
A sign marks the boundary of the Richard L. Kohnstamm Wilderness
From here, you’ll follow a ridge that rises above two glacial valleys, the Salmon River and White River canyons. Look for a distant Mt Jefferson as you head toward a grove of trees. The White River Canyon overlook will be in this grove, visible through a gap in the tree cover along the trail. The overlook is an informal one without a sign to mark it. Note that there is a drop-off near the trail if you are hiking with small children.
The trail follows a ridge between the Salmon River and White River Canyons
At the overlook, you’ll get a clear view of the glacial valley carved by the White River Glacier. The White River flows at the base of this canyon, forming a small waterfall along its course that you can see from the overlook. From its origin on the slopes of Mt Hood, the White River flows 53 miles until it joins the Deschutes River.
White River Canyon
Looking down into the White River Canyon, you can see remains of the Buried Forest in the canyon walls. Glimpses of mountain hemlock stumps and logs will appear tiny but visible from the rim of the canyon.
The White River and the Buried Forest. Blue arrows point to forest remnants.
Look south for a view of the White River Canyon widening toward the base of Mt Hood. In the far distance, you might be able to glimpse the arid plains of the high desert in the rainshadow of the Cascades on a clear day. Once you’ve taken in the views from the overlook, head back the way you came to return to Timberline Lodge for a hot chocolate or cold beer. Or, read on for more hiking options.
Longer hike options
The Pacific Crest Trail continues along the rim of the White River Canyon
After admiring the White River Canyon Overlook, it is tempting to continue the hike. Since the Pacific Crest Trail heads down the mountain and then to Mexico, the trail will not be the limiting factor. If you continue past the overlook, the trail begins to lose elevation pretty quickly. After another 0.5 miles or so along the canyon rim, you’ll reach the junction with the Timberline Trail. From here, the Pacific Crest Trail keeps heading down the mountain while the Timberline Trail will take you east down into White River Canyon.
A sign marks the junction between the Pacific Crest Trail and Timberline Trail
I went as far as the trail junction when I visited and found that although the mountain scenery was still lovely and dramatic, the view from the White River Canyon Overlook was the highlight of the hike. In other words, carry on if you’re craving more but don’t feel like you’re missing anything just up ahead by turning around at the overlook.
The lovely but uphill trek back to the overlook
For another longer hike option, you can turn around at the White River Canyon Overlook and make a detour to Silcox Hut on your way back. After crossing the Salmon River Canyon, take a right on the unpaved access road and head uphill for about 1 mile. This road will take you to rustic Silcox Hut and the top of the Magic Mile chairlift at 7,000 feet of elevation. This hike has more elevation gain and is more strenuous than the trek to White River Canyon so make sure you have enough energy and water if you decide to tackle it.
Silcox Hut
Geology of White River Canyon and the Buried Forest
White River Canyon
At 11,239 feet, Mt Hood is the highest peak in Oregon. This stratovolcano experienced most of its growth over the past 500,000 years thanks to eruptions that built its slopes. Its last eruptive period, the Old Maid period, lasted from the late 1700s until the early 1800s. Recent enough, in other words, to make a reasonable person somewhat uncomfortable while hiking on it.
The Buried Forest that you see from the White River Canyon Overlook is a casualty of the Old Maid eruptions. Pyroclastic flows from Mt Hood covered the forest with volcanic debris less than 300 years ago. Erosion by the White River Glacier and its meltwater has exposed a few of these mountain hemlock trunks in the canyon walls as well as some of the old glacial valley floor. You’ll have to look carefully to spot the stumps. Look for them in the faint ridgeline toward the base of the canyon near the small waterfall.
White River Canyon is a glacial valley
Other than its eruptions, glaciers have had an enormous impact on the contours of the mountain. Mt Hood has 12 named glaciers today. The White River Glacier is a long, thin one on the mountain’s southern face. The erosive power of this glacier and its meltwater carved the White River Canyon. If you look closely, you can see the glacier high on the mountain from the White River Canyon Overlook.
Getting there
To reach Timberline Lodge from Portland, take Highway 26 East until just past Government Camp. Turn left onto Timberline Highway and follow it up the mountain for about 5 miles until you reach the large parking area near the lodge. This road is paved and in good condition. The drive from Portland takes about 1.5 hours.
Use chains or traction tires when driving to the lodge during winter. Lighted signs on Highway 26 will indicate when they are required.
Getting to Timberline Lodge and its trails is also possible without a car. Find details here. Plan for 2-3 hours of travel time from Portland.
Enjoy your hike to White River Canyon and the Buried Forest!
With love,
Emma
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