Timberline Trail Guide

The Timberline Trail circumnavigates Mt Hood. The Timberline Lodge sits at the bottom of the loop as a convenient starting point.

I’d also recommend working in a stay at Timberline Lodge , usually best done at the end of the hike and paired with celebratory dinner, drinks, and hot shower. And if you are staying overnight, there’s a great breakfast buffet as well.

The Cloud Cap Saddle Campground is not a typical camping spot as it is not officially in the Mt Hood Wilderness area. There are tent sites, picnic benches, a water spigot, and primitive toilet. There is a fee to camp here. Pay at the board by the parking l

There are also a few shelters along the route, dating back to the original construction of the trail. They’re probably great in a storm, but kind of dark and cool otherwise. Watch my video below to see what it looks like inside here, the Cooper Spur Shelte

Here’s a typical tent site on the Timberline Trail. Look for a flat area like this just off the trail. This one is on the larger side and also has a sitting log and fire pit. Many tent sites just have a flat spot to pitch a tent.

Most Timberline Trail access points have a permit kiosk like this.

Most people do the Timberline Trail as a backpacking trip. There are plenty of secluded spots just off the trail to pitch a tent.

The centerpiece of the Timberline Trail is the Timberline Lodge, built from 1936-38 by the New Deal created Works Progress Administration. It’s the informal gateway to Mt Hood, allowing access to the Timberline Trail, the PCT, and the USA’s only all-year s

Mt Hood sits in the middle of the Cascade Range, a string of volcanos (and part of the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire) that are relatively young in geologic terms (younger than 500,000 years old). The Cascades are still active volcanos. Mt St Helens had a ma

Here’s a high-level overview of the Timberline Trail, 41.5 miles around Mt Hood (11,250 feet). Most first-timers take the trail on in a clockwise direction, taking 3 or 4 days to complete the loop. There are three major landmarks along the way: Timberline

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