Relaxing. Very good view of mt hood. Picnic areas clean. Public restroom available. You can go on…read morefishing here.

Amazing scenic place Must visit place if you are in Oregon…read more Might be an hour drive from main place but it's worth it. Only few coffee shops on the way. But must visit for the scenic vi

Great hike with beautiful views of Mt Hood from the Meadows clearing. We were a bit disappointed…read morethat we didn't get Mt Hood views all throughout the hike. There is a river crossing in the middle to get to the other side of the river which was fun to cross. Parking is limited so recommend getting there early. The falls were beautiful and very refreshing on a hot day!

Stunning second half. Did the loop and was very happy we didn't double back. The falls are…read moregorgeous, the river crossing was pretty easy this time of year. I found it a pleasant hike, we clocked 7.5 miles. Plenty of parking.

Very close access to the lake and super quiet and clean campsite. Not rv or trailer friendly due to…read moreno hookups. Perfect for tent camping!

Had a great camping trip to Gone Creek last weekend. Not sure why they call it Gone Creek since…read moreit's on Timothy Lake, but whatevs. Located just under 2 hours from Portland at the feet of Mount Hood, Gone Creek is a perfect weekend camping destination. Upon arrival we found our site we had reserved. Only about a quarter of the site is reservable with the rest of it being first-come first-served. The park host said that you really need to get there mid-week to get a non-reserved spot. The sites here are great. They are large and you don't feel crowded in the campground. Our site had a driveway to fit 3 cars and 3 tents for our group. You have your standard picnic table and firepit available as well. This campground does not have showers, so be prepared to have grungy hair by the time you leave. They also use vaulted toilets. There are water spigots within a few steps of all the campsites for fresh water too. During our trip, we fished along the shore and got our haul of a dozen rainbow trout. I saw a bunch of boats out on the lake, but we were the only ones I saw reeling them in! The lake is great for an afternoon swim. It's the right temperature and felt really good on an 88 degree day at the campground. Definitely worth checking out if you're a camper.

I love using Mt. Hood Outfitters, they are so great. The first time I used them was perhaps over 7…read moreyears ago, we rented some Stand-Up-Paddleboards around on Trillium Lake, and the service was great, and the equipment was really great. We did that twice through them, circa 2014. And, recently we were camping at Clackamas Lake for an Ultra-Trail Race in July, and we decided to rent a canoe on a whim at Timothy Lake. Once, we found out where the Outfitters were set up by the Dam, they were really easy to work with. We were able to run a credit card, and they provided life jackets- we were even able to take our doggo with us (who had a life jacket). And, the whole transaction took less than 5 minutes, and we were on the lake! It was really low key, and low pressure, and convienent. I will definitely be using this company in the future. I also would speculate some of the other reviews were for different look-alike-sound-alike company names, perhaps they were not Mt. Hood Outfitters. They are the perfect component to a great summer vacation day!

Great looking shop. Lots of great rental options. Whether it's skis or snowboards, they have an…read moreawesome rental selection that will provided such a fun experience on the mountain. Quick service and nice people.

Excellent 8 mile in and out. A few water spots to cross, a little mud but absolutely worth it…read more Great hike!!! No bathrooms, limited parking. Not many bugs, still a bit of snow - end of May.

Another great PNW hike. Soft pine needle floor, lush ferns and abundant fungi. And the canopy!…read moreGorgeous. The mountain never really got out of bed today, but Wy'east did pull the covers back a couple of times. The hike up was strenuous buy not terrible, with many creek crossings. The lake itself was still and green, disturbed only by a hawk that flew low over it. I got a late start and by the time I got to the lake I was the only one there. The quiet was incomplete - many bees were still hard at work. I stayed there for a while, then dark clouds rolled in and the wind picked up. I realized I had 3.5 miles to go and was completely alone with night falling. I hurried back with looks over my shoulder the whole way. It was beautiful, but also kinda unsettling. I won't lie, I loved it. Great hike. Next time I'll go up to Zig Zag point.

I recently stayed one night at Alpine Campground on my way back from California…read more Alpine Campground is a Forest Service Campground, which means that the rules are pretty lax as compared to a state park or national park. There is a camp host, but they were away on vacation while I was there. This campground has 16 sites, which are currently all first come first serve. The way this typically works is that you occupy an open site that hasn't been reserved by anyone else, and then fill out the self registration envelope by the sign board within 30 minutes. When I arrived on Sunday evening, I noticed that most of the sites had tags on the sign posts, and other people who were looking for sites were passing them up. But I also noticed that the camp host was off duty, and upon inspecting the tags closer, I found that most of them had expired. So, I was easily able to snag my first choice site, which I think was site 15. It was close to the camp host site, and plenty big enough to set up my tent far away from the campfire ring. There is a vault toilet in the campground, but I didn't use it, because Timberline Lodge is literally within walking distance of the campground. So, I just brushed my teeth and used the restroom over there before bed and before leaving the next morning. The fee was $25/night, which you can get half off with a qualifying pass. This fee only includes one vehicle, because the campsites aren't really even big enough for two. Extra vehicles are $10, and that fee does not qualify for a discount. My campsite was really pretty. There were all kinds of flowers in bloom around the campground, in mid-August. Driving to and from the campground, I saw several random waterfalls cascading down the sides of the highway. There are so many opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and mountaineering in this area. The Zig Zag Ranger district website has a list of all of the trails and recreation areas managed by them, along with fees and season dates. Since I came on a Monday night, it was pretty peaceful. As far as I could tell, only one or two other campsites were occupied on my side of the campground. I was close enough to the road to hear some cars coming and going throughout the night, but it wasn't too bad. Not anywhere near as bad as Camp 4 Yosemite, for example. Overall this campground was pretty and peaceful, and I would definitely camp here again.

Mountain biking here is poetry in motion. MTBer's gonna get it!…read more discovered I holy ground upon Sandy Ridge where hands hath made a paradise for knobby treads there's a map with instruction just Follow the Leader and discover a whirlwind of thrills zigging and zagging through the forest rolling on some gnarly scree fields and blessed be your thrill ride not lead into self destruction so stay upright roll steadfast in the zone through curves extreme curves banked low curves banked high beware all curves play Hide and Seek climb up Homestead take that trail off the hairy Rock Drop feel adrenaline rushing the heart hammering climb back up Communication Breakdown pedaling insanely 'round Quid Pro Flow modulate the brakes and go jumping roots tied deep into earth snaking through the evergreen jungle heavenly dense northwest shade hyperventilating whoop-de-do's oops there goes an endo another downhiller bites the dust roll the fat tires on Three Thirty Eight drop into Two Turntables and a Microwave feel heat whipping through booming berms hold tight, spin out of sight keep your head attached it gets faster, looser and tighter berms bigger, dips wilder along these glorious single tracks only the righteous know for you must surrender your body heart and soul breath by breath, pedal by pedal climb Homestead again and again gotta climb to the mountain top before you are blessed to blast like the wind on fire and descend once again immersed in Oregonian green deliciousness along Sandy Ridge, there call out my name from the hallowed fat tire scroll when I saddled up my Salsa for a holy roller ride in Fat Tire Paradise

Killer trail system with lots of volunteers keeping the place up without wasting tax dollars since…read moreit's on BLM land. Snow on the upper trails during the winter. A good spot to head after is to the Ivy Bear for wings.

A girl on a silver mountain...that's me! Of all my visits to the Portland area I haven't made the…read moretrip to Mt. Hood in a long long, long time. A friend of mine and I headed to the forest for a spectacular view. This visit was fantastic, no crowds and just enough snow to make things look postcard perfect. The drive is so pretty and offers a few peek-a-boo spots of Mt. Hood, but you have to be quick and please don't try to snap shots if you're driving. It was a serene afternoon, we grabbed a couple Adirondack chairs and relished (for an hour or two) in the unobstructed view of Mt. Hood. It was meditative and super relaxing with the sun at our backs. About halfway through the St. Bernard trainer took Bruno out for his constitution and I didn't pass up the opportunity to give him a couple of strokes. As he frolicked in what was left of the snow I couldn't help but smile thinking about his important job in rescue. How cool is that? I asked the trainer if she would as Bruno to sit by the fire hydrant and that's how I got the pic of him. He's so sweet. I also smiled every time I spotted a familiar exterior spot...remembering The Shining filmed several exterior shots here. Don't look for the anything familiar on the interior...most of those shots were in studio as was the hedge maze (which by the way you can walk a hedge maze inspired by the film at The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO.) The junipers are about 4' tall now, so give it another couple years and you'll be in for a treat. Timberline is a lovely destination for a stay, a meal or to simply take in the scenery. Don't miss it.

How does this not have more reviews?!…read more My friend and I flew to Oregon for the sole purpose of hiking Mt. Hood -- it made the entire trip that much more amazing. I had never been to Oregon to begin with, but I feel like it wouldn't have been the same without visiting Mount Hood National Forest. The drive from PDX airport wasn't bad at all, maybe a little over an hour to the trailhead we used (Top Spur). Parking was ample on a Saturday by this route, as it's moderately trafficked. There were a good amount of people doing the 8 mile loop, as well. I would definitely recommend giving this hiking spot a try if you're ever in the area. The views are unforgettable and the scenery will make you feel like you're in another world. In June, there were a few snowfields to go through towards the top, so bring some versatile hiking boots that are waterproof. It wasn't cold at all, but you will need boots with good traction.