Oregon

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

Oregonyear-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

moderateout-and-back

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.

6 min read

OregonJuly through September

South Sister Summit Trail

12 mi4,900 ft gain

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

easy-moderateout-and-back

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.

8 min read

moderateout-and-back

Elk Meadows Trail

6.4 mi800 ft gain

OregonMay through October

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.

6 min read

easyloop

Lost Lake Loop Trail

3.1 mi80 ft gain

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.

7 min read

OregonJuly through September

McNeil Point Trail

8.6 mi2,500 ft gain

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.

7 min read

easy-moderateout-and-back

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

easy-moderateout-and-back

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.

9 min read

Tamanawas Falls Trail

3.8 mi430 ft gain

OregonMay 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

OregonLate July through September

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.

8 min read

moderate-hardout-and-back

Tom Dick and Harry Mountain Trail

8.8 mi1,800 ft gain