Mt. Hood Scenic Loop

We have had an influx of visitors this summer, and by influx, I mean it's been unreal. We had 8 (yes, count them = EIGHT) weekends in a row where we either had visitors in town or were out of town ourselves. That, paired with major changes going on in the house (new electrical, new HVAC, hot water heater, insulation, etc.), has made this summer absolutely crazy. I don't know how I ever found the time to work a full time job, seriously.

But I'm not complaining... no sir. It has been wonderful having people come visit. Honestly, our friends and family have really stepped up to the plate and gone out of their way to come see us in our new city. It's been overwhelmingly emotional, and I love it. It's scary when you move away, you know? You never know if people will keep in touch, and will come see you. And when they do, it's totally awesome. The other thing that has been great is that it's given us lots of chances to explore parts of Oregon. For the first couple of visitors, our standard tour involved driving to the coast (which is awesome), but pretty soon that gets old and you need something new. So our favorite destination lately has been the Mount Hood Scenic Loop. Here's a little photo tour for you:

This is the view from the Vista House at Crown Point, along the old Historic Columbia River Highway (part of which follows the path of the original Oregon Trail - cool, huh?) Maybe you remember that sometime about a year ago I said the Columbia River Gorge wasn't that impressive... or maybe you don't. But in case you do, I take it back. All of it. Let's just pretend it never happened.


Traveling along the scenic loop, you pass several waterfalls right in a row (probably all within 3 or 4 miles of each other). The first one is called Latourell Falls, and it's really pretty. Plus there's a cool old bridge right by the trailhead, and there's some cool neon green algae-looking stuff growing on the rocks. It drops 249 feet off a cliff with no tumbling, which is pretty rare for this area. It's a lovely stop to make if you're traveling that way, and it's an easy walk from the road.

The next waterfall we stopped to see was Wahkeena Falls, which means "most beautiful" in the local Native American language. This waterfall is definitely worth seeing... it's very different from the others because it sort of cascades or tumbles down, rather than just dropping straight from the top. This one is a little more of a walk up from the road, but still pretty easy and worth a stop.

You'll pass a few other waterfalls in this area, including Horsetail Falls, Sheppard's Dell, and Bridal Veil Falls. We didn't stop at them all, because we were on a mission. But, if you like waterfalls, this area is a jackpot. But first, the crowned jewel of waterfalls in this area, I give you Multnomah Falls. At a total drop of 620 feet, it's the second-highest year-round waterfall in the country, something we Oregonians are very proud of. Other people like it too; nearly two million visitors come to gawk at it every year.

After these stops, it's a short drive to Hood River, the windsurfing (and kiteboarding) capital of the world. We stopped at the waterfront and watched the surfers for quite a while, and it looks so fun. I'm definitely adding it to the list of things to try, water phobia or not. Hood River is also home to the Fruit Loop, a scenic drive/bike route that takes you around to several local farms where you can pay a very small feel and pick your own fruit. Mmmm. And best of all, check out the backdrop:

After seeing this, how can you not want to drive up to the mountain? So... we did! It's an absolutely beautiful drive up to Mount Hood, and by the time you get there, you're definitely hungry. So, stop in at Timberline Lodge and visit the Blue Ox Bar for some yummy pizza and a local microbrew. And, here's a tip: skip the farmer's market brunch they offer. It looks yummy, but at $20 per person, I'd rather load up with my own goodies from the farmer's market.

Anyway, Timberline is a really cool stop, and the lobby even has some movie props from The Shining, which was filmed there. It's also a good starting off point for hiking a portion of the Timberline Trail, which we followed for a couple of miles. Along the trail, there are some beautiful views of Mount Jefferson (Oregon's second highest peak) in the distance.

Personally, I think Mount Hood is much prettier from far away. Once you're on it, it's kind of sandy and bald looking. But hey, that's just me.

On our way back to Portland, we decided to stop and do another hike up to Mirror Lake. It's a pretty easy hike (3 miles out and back), mostly shaded, and takes you through some beautiful forest.

It's a popular hike, though, and was somewhat crowded when we went on a weekend. I'd suggest going early or waiting until late afternoon to go. Take a lunch, and eat on the water! But watch out for mosquitoes!!

It was a beautiful way to spend a summer day, and I'd highly suggest this to anyone wanting to get out of the city for a while. I do wish we'd stopped in Hood River longer, so maybe next time we'll do that... and who knows? Maybe you'll see pictures of me on a kiteboard before you know it!