Hood River Meadows as viewed from the old Loop Highway (Tom Kloster)

Sign on highway 35 where to turn on the road to Hood River Meadows Trailhead (Jerry Adams)

Sign and port-a-potty at the trailhead (bobcat)

• Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
• Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
• Latitude, Longitude: 45.3231, -121.63575
• Elevation: 4450 feet
• Driving time from Portland: 90 minutes

Hikes starting here

• Elk Meadows Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)
• Elk Mountain-Elk Meadows Loop Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)
• Gnarl Ridge from Hood River Meadows Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)
• Hood River Meadows Loop Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)
• Umbrella Falls Loop Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)

Driving Directions

The Hood River Meadows Trailhead is located near the Mount Hood Meadows ski resort. The sign here states that this is the "Elk Meadows and Sahalie [sic] Falls Trailhead". There is a port-a-potty at the trailhead in the summer but no water.

From Portland, the trailhead can be reached by following Highway 26 past Government Camp, then turning north on Highway 35. Pass the Mount Hood Meadows interchange, and turn left onto a section of the old Mount Hood Loop at the next intersection. The well-marked trailhead is located on the right shoulder, approximately one-half mile from Road 35. Hood River Meadows, proper, can be located by continuing past the trailhead, then turning left onto an abandoned segment of the original Mount Hood Loop Highway. The meadows soon come into view from the side of the old road.

If you're coming from Hood River on Highway 35, turn right at the next road after the Teacup Lake Sno-Park and Clark Creek Sno-Park. If you reach the main Mount Hood Meadows ski area road, you've gone one road too far, turn around.

There are no signs on the road that say "Hood River Meadows Trailhead". At Highway 35 there is a sign saying "Sahale Falls Loop" and a large sign saying "Mount Hood Meadows Satellite Base Area and Nordic Center". This used to be the Hood River Meadows ski area.

When you get on the trail to Elk Meadow you can find some old trail signs referring to Hood River Meadows Campground. There used to be a walk-in campground at the trailhead, but there are no signs of it anymore.

Page Contributors

• Splintercat (Tom Kloster) (primary)