Mt. Hood National Forest

Portland's beloved backyard wilderness, Mt. Hood National Forest surrounds Oregon's highest peak (11,249 ft) and its year-round glaciers supporting Timberline Lodge skiing even in summer. The forest stretches from the spectacular Columbia River Gorge -- a National Scenic Area famous for waterfalls like Multnomah Falls -- south for over 60 miles along the Cascade crest to Mount Jefferson. Seven wilderness areas protect over 189,000 acres, including the Mount Hood Wilderness with its eleven glaciers.\n\nThe historic Timberline Lodge, a National Historic Landmark built by the WPA during the Great Depression, sits at 6,000 feet on Mount Hood's south slope and anchors year-round skiing on the Palmer Snowfield, one of the few places in North America where summer skiing is possible. Old-growth Douglas fir forests, volcanic peaks, and wildflower meadows provide over 1,200 miles of trails through diverse terrain.\n\nRecreation is remarkably diverse, from windsurfing and kiteboarding in the Columbia Gorge to backcountry skiing, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and fly fishing pristine streams like the Sandy, Clackamas, and Salmon Rivers. The 40-mile Timberline Trail circling Mount Hood is considered one of Oregon's finest backpacking routes.