4.4 hr
Overview
If you want to get a good impression of the different layers of climate/vegetation zones on the west slope of Mount Hood, this loop hike starts you in typical lowland woodland and then passes you into the montane forest zone, which is followed by subalpine parklands. The destination, of course, is the alpine fell area above the treeline in Paradise Park, best visited from late July through August for prime-time flower blooms. The hike, in essence, takes you up one side of the deeply incised Zigzag River Canyon and then down the other, via the Hidden Lake Trail, with the loop around Paradise Park making it a figure of eight. Be prepared for a long day, as you'll want to tarry in the alpine zone and also, perhaps, splash yourself down at any of the numerous creek crossings. While there will be a lot of human action along the Timberline/Pacific Crest Trail and in Paradise Park, your long access and egress using the forested lower slopes will most likely be quite peaceful. The Paradise Park Trail is used by horses and is usually well-maintained; the Hidden Lake Trail can get brushy on its upper reaches. The trail begins in an old campground with the Zigzag River rushing to the right. It’s a clear understory at first, quiet and shady and carpeted with moss. Hemlock, cedar and Douglas-fir provide the canopy. The path switchbacks past an information kiosk and up a bank. Salal, pipsissewa, rhododendron, and red huckleberry contribute to the understory here. Hike gradually up past the wilderness permit box. Then switchback past large Douglas-firs in a vine maple understory. Traverse up and swing right with lady fern, sword fern and Oregon grape dominating now. The trail makes three long switchbacks and then levels in rhododendron, cedar and hemlock woods. Drop a little to reach the edge of Zigzag Canyon. The track heads up in the woods on the edge of the canyon. A spur leads right to the Paradise Park Lower Viewpoint, where you can get vistas towards Mirror Lake and Tom Dick and Harry Mountain. Now mountain hemlock and
Trail Stats
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1310 m
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Photos
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400px-ParadiseParkHiddenLakeMap
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