Mount Hood National Forest
~49 mi from PortlandOregon
Complete guide to Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon. Trail recommendations, campgrounds, permits, seasonal tips, and everything you need to plan your trip.
11 min read
OR · Pacific Northwest
National Forests Near Portland, OR
8 forest guides within driving distance
Planning a trip near Portland? Our curated guide has the top picks.
Read the guide →National Forests Near Portland
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
~55 mi from PortlandWashington
Complete guide to Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington. Trail recommendations, volcanic landscapes, campgrounds, permits, and trip planning for this underrated Pacific Northwest gem.
9 min read
Willamette National Forest
~97 mi from PortlandOregon
Complete guide to Willamette National Forest in Oregon. Trail recommendations, campgrounds, permits, seasonal tips, and everything you need to plan your trip.
12 min read
Siuslaw National Forest
~110 mi from PortlandOregon
Siuslaw National Forest spans 630,000 acres along the Oregon Coast, protecting the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, coastal headlands, old-growth forest, and some of the most diverse terrain on the Pacific Coast.
6 min read
Deschutes National Forest
~130 mi from PortlandOregon
Complete guide to Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon. Trail recommendations, campgrounds, permits, volcanic landscapes, and trip planning resources.
9 min read
Ochoco National Forest
~141 mi from PortlandOregon
845,000 acres of ponderosa pine plateau, painted hills country, and volcanic rimrock in central Oregon, one of the Pacific Northwest's least-visited national forests and most rewarding drives.
7 min read
Snoqualmie National Forest
~144 mi from PortlandWashington
Snoqualmie National Forest covers the central Cascades east of Seattle, Washington, anchoring the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Snoqualmie Pass, and some of the most-hiked trails in the Pacific Northwest.
5 min read
Umpqua National Forest
~155 mi from PortlandOregon
Umpqua National Forest protects 983,000 acres of western Oregon Cascades, including the North Umpqua River corridor, Diamond Lake, and one of the state's most diverse waterfall collections.
6 min read
Trails Near Portland
easyloop
Lost Lake Loop Trail
3.1 mi80 ft gain
~41 mi from PortlandMay 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
strenuousout-and-back
McNeil Point Trail
8.6 mi2,500 ft gain
~44 mi from PortlandJuly 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
moderateloop
Ramona Falls Trail
7.1 mi1,000 ft gain
~45 mi from PortlandJune through October
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
easy-moderateout-and-back
Mirror Lake Trail
3.2 mi700 ft gain
~45 mi from PortlandJune through October
Guide to the Mirror Lake Trail near Government Camp, Oregon. A 3.2-mile hike to an alpine lake with views of Mount Hood's south face, popular with families and hikers of varying experience levels.
8 min read
easy-moderateout-and-back
Falls Creek Falls Trail
3.4 mi700 ft gain
~47 mi from PortlandApril through November
Guide to the Falls Creek Falls Trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A 3.4-mile out-and-back hike to a dramatic 335-foot three-tiered waterfall, popular with families and hikers of varying experience levels.
9 min read
moderateout-and-back
Ape Cave Lava Tube
2.9 mi100 ft gain
~47 mi from PortlandYear-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
Tom Dick and Harry Mountain Trail
8.8 mi1,800 ft gain
~48 mi from PortlandJuly through October
An 8.8-mile out-and-back from Government Camp to a 5,066-foot summit in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon, passing the Mirror Lake basin and climbing to panoramic views of Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and the Sandy River Valley.
8 min read
strenuousloop
Timberline Trail
41.1 mi9,000 ft gain
~49 mi from PortlandLate 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.
9 min read
moderateout-and-back
Elk Meadows Trail
6.4 mi800 ft gain
~52 mi from PortlandJuly 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.
7 min read
moderate-hardloop
Lava Canyon Trail
6.5 mi1,500 ft gain
~53 mi from PortlandJune through October
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
moderateloop
Indian Heaven Wilderness Loop
10.3 mi800 ft gain
~55 mi from PortlandLate 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.
10 min read
easy-moderateout-and-back
Tamanawas Falls Trail
3.8 mi430 ft gain
~55 mi from PortlandMay 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
moderateout-and-back
Lewis River Falls Trail
9 mi1,400 ft gain
~58 mi from PortlandMay 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
moderate-hardout-and-back
Sleeping Beauty Trail
3.4 mi1,400 ft gain
~60 mi from PortlandJune through October
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
moderateout-and-back
Norway Pass Trail
4.4 mi900 ft gain
~63 mi from PortlandJune through October
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
easy-moderateout-and-back
Pamelia Lake Trail
4.4 mi800 ft gain
~66 mi from PortlandLate June through October
Guide to Pamelia Lake Trail in Willamette National Forest, Oregon. A 4.4-mile out-and-back through old-growth forest to the largest backcountry lake in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness, framed by the glacier-clad flanks of Oregon's second-highest peak.
6 min read
moderateloop
Marion Lake Trail
5.2 mi935 ft gain
~68 mi from PortlandLate June through October
Guide to the Marion Lake Trail in Willamette National Forest, Oregon. A 5.2-mile loop through Mount Jefferson Wilderness, passing Lake Ann and arriving at one of the largest alpine lakes in the Oregon Cascades.
5 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Goat Ridge Trail to Snowgrass Flat
10.2 mi2,000 ft gain
~77 mi from PortlandJuly 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
moderate-hardout-and-back
Iron Mountain Trail
3.5 mi1,368 ft gain
~81 mi from PortlandJune through October
Guide to Iron Mountain in Willamette National Forest, Oregon. A 3.5-mile out-and-back to a summit observation platform surrounded by one of Oregon's richest wildflower displays, with over 300 species across eleven distinct habitats.
6 min read
moderateout-and-back
Mary's Peak Summit
3.8 mi1,100 ft gain
~82 mi from PortlandApril through October
Mary's Peak is a 3.8-mile out-and-back trail to the highest point in the Oregon Coast Range at 4,097 feet, crossing through noble fir forest and open meadows with views extending from the Pacific to the Cascades.
4 min read
moderateloop
Drift Creek Wilderness Loop
5.5 mi900 ft gain
~85 mi from PortlandApril through October
The Drift Creek Wilderness Loop is a 5.5-mile circuit through one of the last old-growth temperate rainforest stands on the Oregon Coast Range, following Drift Creek through ancient Sitka spruce and western hemlock.
4 min read
moderatepoint-to-point
McKenzie River National Recreation Trail
26 mi800 ft gain
~86 mi from PortlandYear-round (lower sections accessible in winter)
Guide to the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail in Willamette National Forest, Oregon. A 26-mile point-to-point trail (or shorter segments) through old-growth forest, volcanic formations, and past the famous Blue Pool at Tamolitch Falls along one of Oregon's most scenic rivers.
6 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Obsidian Trail
12.2 mi2,000 ft gain
~99 mi from PortlandJuly through October
Guide to the Obsidian Trail in Willamette National Forest, Oregon. A 12.2-mile out-and-back through the Three Sisters Wilderness, crossing ancient lava flows and passing Obsidian Falls on the way to the glacier-draped base of North and Middle Sister.
6 min read
easyloop
Proxy Falls Loop
1.6 mi164 ft gain
~100 mi from PortlandLate May through October
Guide to the Proxy Falls Loop in Willamette National Forest, Oregon. A short 1.6-mile circuit through ancient lava fields and old-growth forest to two dramatic waterfalls on the west slope of McKenzie Pass.
6 min read