Pacific Northwest

Black Crater Trail

7.8 mi2,500 ft gain

A strenuous 7.8-mile out-and-back to the 7,251-foot summit of Black Crater in Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, with views of the Three Sisters, Mount Washington, and the high desert that few Cascade trails can match.

6 min read

easyout-and-back

Fall River Trail

4.4 mi50 ft gain

year-round

An easy 4.4-mile out-and-back along the spring-fed Fall River in Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, a crystal-clear, 48-degree stream through ponderosa and lodgepole forest south of Sunriver.

6 min read

Green Lakes Trail

9 mi1,100 ft gain

Guide to the Green Lakes Trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness. A 9-mile out-and-back hike to stunning alpine lakes beneath Broken Top and South Sister.

8 min read

Paulina Peak Trail

4 mi1,500 ft gain

A strenuous 4-mile out-and-back climb to the highest point in the Newberry Caldera at 7,985 feet, with 360-degree views of the Cascade volcanoes, two crater lakes, and obsidian flows on the caldera floor below.

7 min read

easyloop

Proxy Falls Loop

1.6 mi100 ft gain

A short 1.6-mile loop in the Three Sisters Wilderness connecting two dramatically different waterfalls, including 226-foot Upper Proxy Falls and Lower Proxy Falls, which vanishes into a lava field with no stream outlet.

7 min read

South Sister Summit Trail

12 mi4,900 ft gain

July through September

Complete guide to summiting South Sister, Oregon's third-tallest peak at 10,358 feet. Route details, permit requirements, and tips for this strenuous 12-mile day hike.

8 min read

easyout-and-back

Todd Lake Trail

1 mi200 ft gain

A short, easy hike to a quiet alpine lake beneath the north face of Broken Top, with direct views of South Sister and a gentler pace than the crowded trailheads nearby on the Cascade Lakes Highway.

7 min read

Tumalo Falls Trail

7 mi600 ft gain

Guide to the Tumalo Falls Trail near Bend, Oregon. A scenic 7-mile out-and-back hike past a 97-foot waterfall and along Tumalo Creek.

9 min read

Ape Cave Lava Tube

2.9 mi100 ft gain

Year-round

Guide to Ape Cave in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The longest lava tube in the continental United States, with two distinct routes for different skill levels.

10 min read

moderate-hardout-and-back

Falls Creek Falls Trail

3.4 mi700 ft gain

April through November

Guide to the Falls Creek Falls Trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A family-friendly 3.4-mile out-and-back hike to a dramatic 335-foot three-tiered waterfall.

9 min read

Goat Ridge Trail to Snowgrass Flat

10.2 mi2,000 ft gain

July through September

A 10.2-mile out-and-back through the Goat Rocks Wilderness in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, climbing through old-growth forest to alpine meadows with views of Mount Rainier and Mount Adams.

7 min read

moderateloop

Indian Heaven Wilderness Loop

10.3 mi800 ft gain

Late July through September

Guide to the Indian Heaven Wilderness Loop in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A 10.3-mile loop across a gentle volcanic plateau dotted with over 150 lakes, historic huckleberry grounds, and far fewer crowds than better-known Cascades destinations.

9 min read

moderate-hardloop

Lava Canyon Trail

6.5 mi1,500 ft gain

Guide to the Lava Canyon Trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A dramatic 6.5-mile loop through a volcanic gorge carved by the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.

10 min read

Lewis River Falls Trail

9 mi1,400 ft gain

May through October

Guide to the Lewis River Falls Trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A 9-mile out-and-back hike past three major waterfalls along the Lewis River.

8 min read

Norway Pass Trail

4.4 mi900 ft gain

moderate-hardout-and-back

A 4.4-mile out-and-back through the Mount St. Helens blast zone to Norway Pass in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, with views of Spirit Lake and the volcanic recovery landscape.

7 min read

Sleeping Beauty Trail

3.4 mi1,400 ft gain

Guide to the Sleeping Beauty Trail near Trout Lake in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A short, steep 3.4-mile out-and-back to a rocky summit with 360-degree views of Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Rainier.

8 min read

Elk Meadows Trail

6.4 mi800 ft gain

A 6.4-mile out-and-back on the northeast side of Mount Hood in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon, reaching a broad subalpine meadow with a direct close-up view of Eliot Glacier and exceptional late-July wildflower blooms.

7 min read

easyloop

Lost Lake Loop Trail

3.1 mi80 ft gain

May through October

Guide to the Lost Lake Loop Trail in Mount Hood National Forest. A flat 3.1-mile loop around a 240-acre lake on Hood's north side, with iconic reflections of the mountain and old-growth Douglas fir forest.

8 min read

McNeil Point Trail

8.6 mi2,500 ft gain

July through September

Guide to the McNeil Point Trail in Mount Hood National Forest. A strenuous 8.6-mile hike to a 6,100-foot ridge on Hood's northwest shoulder, with panoramic glacier views and a 1930s CCC stone shelter.

8 min read

Mirror Lake Trail

3.2 mi700 ft gain

Guide to the Mirror Lake Trail near Government Camp, Oregon. A family-friendly 3.2-mile hike to an alpine lake with views of Mount Hood's south face.

8 min read

moderateloop

Ramona Falls Trail

7.1 mi1,000 ft gain

Guide to the Ramona Falls Trail in Mount Hood National Forest. A 7.1-mile loop to one of Oregon's most photogenic waterfalls through old-growth forest.

10 min read

Late July through September

Tamanawas Falls Trail

3.8 mi430 ft gain

May through November

Guide to the Tamanawas Falls Trail in Mount Hood National Forest. A 3.8-mile hike through old-growth forest to a 100-foot waterfall dropping from a basalt lava cliff on Hood's east side.

7 min read

strenuousloop

Timberline Trail

41.1 mi9,000 ft gain

Complete guide to the Timberline Trail, a 41.1-mile loop circumnavigating Mount Hood. Route details, river crossings, permit info, and tips for backpacking Oregon's most iconic alpine trail.

9 min read

moderate-hardout-and-back

Tom Dick and Harry Mountain Trail

8.8 mi1,800 ft gain