1.5 hr
Overview
Angels Rest is an exposed bluff on the western end of the Columbia River Gorge. The platy andesite that composes this promontory is part of a million-year-old lava flow from Larch Mountain, a member of the Boring Lava Field. The summit is characterized by a long, rocky spine surrounded on three sides by cliffs, boasting a striking 270 degree view! While you can't see any of the Cascade volcanoes from the top, you do get great vantages of Beacon Rock, Silver Star Mountain and many other landmarks. The real draw, however, is the perspective of the Columbia River below - like you're on a balcony over a great auditorium. Its 1500 foot prominence and its proximity to the Columbia River give you the false sensation that you could dive from Angels Rest to the water below! Getting to this precipice takes a relatively short hike (2.4 miles one-way) with an easy to moderately-steep ascent. Its bang-for-the-buck makes this a long-time favorite of families and hiking clubs. When you consider that the drive time from downtown Portland to the trailhead is under 45 minutes, it is understandable how popular this destination can be on weekends throughout the year. The trail passes two waterfalls along the way, an overhead view of Coopey Falls and a quick detour to smaller Upper Coopey Falls. The forest expanses surrounding the summit burned in the Multnomah Falls Fire back in 1991, while the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire burned over most of the trail's route. Much of the latter was a ground fire that cleared out the understory, which is fast regenerating. Where the two fires overlapped, vistas have opened up and blackened snags sprout from the steep slopes. However, during the wet season, parts of the trail can get muddy and slick. It is a unique landscape - one quite varied from other locales in the Gorge. For a longer loop that gives you more elevation, see the Angels Rest-Devils Rest Loop Hike. There are two parking areas, one above the other at the Bridal Veil intersection on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The trails from
Trail Stats
0.0 km
449 m
499 m
0 m
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Photos
600px-Angels_Rest_Hike_Map
600px-Angels_Rest_Hike_Map
160px-Upper_Coopey_Falls%2C_Angel%27s_Rest_Trail
160px-Upper_Coopey_Falls%2C_Angel%27s_Rest_Trail
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250px-Andesite_pillars%2C_Angels_Rest
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250px-Angel%27sRest2
250px-Descending_the_Angels_Rest_Trail
250px-Descending_the_Angels_Rest_Trail
250px-Cape_Horn%2C_Angel%27s_Rest_Trail
250px-Cape_Horn%2C_Angel%27s_Rest_Trail
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250px-First_scree_slope_and_Archer_Mt
400px-GorgeSunsetAngelsRest
400px-GorgeSunsetAngelsRest
400px-AngelsRest_Summit4Small
400px-AngelsRest_Summit4Small
TKO put tools to trail here.png
TKO put tools to trail here.png