Mount Hood National Forest

We craved cool days again so we headed to the Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon.  The drive followed the Snake River and then the Columbia River.  Rolling ‘palouse’ hills gradually got a little higher and more pines started appearing.  By the time we reached the town of Hood River we were in the foothills of the Cascades. Orchards of apples and pears plus berry farms and vineyards were planted on the rolling hills with pines and mountains as the back drop. As we turned south off I - 84, a magnificent view of Mt. Hood appeared.

Traveling Oregon 35 to US 26, we found a lovely campground in the Mount Hood National Forest about 8 miles from the Mt. Hood Snowpark Area.  Camp Creek was to be our home for the next 5 days and nights.  It was a small campground not far off the highway but the sounds of the creek drowned out most traffic noise.

This area of the Mt. Hood National Forest offers so many outdoor activities – year round skiing and snowboarding on Mt. Hood, hiking trails, mountain biking trails and camping. Being less than 50 miles from Portland, it is very accessible to  the city so there were more people.  But even at the height of summer, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as it could have been.

The forests here receive more rainfall than the forests we have visited so far.  The trees are taller, filled with lichen and most rocks are covered in moss. Lush fern carpets the forest floor and waterfalls are abundant.

Trail to Ramona Falls