Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail

This 60-mile route spans the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness end to end, from Multnomah Falls Lodge to Starvation Creek Falls. The wilderness is the remote high country of the Oregon Gorge, expanded in 2009 to stretch from Larch Mountain and Multnomah Creek west to Mount Defiance and the Starvation Creek canyons east. The trail is usually walked as a five-night trek with roughly 13,500 feet of elevation gain — one of the longest and most demanding routes the Oregon Gorge offers. After the first popular miles through Multnomah Creek to Sherrard Point on Larch Mountain, the route drops the crowds and stays almost entirely in wilderness.

The itinerary crosses Bell Creek, Nesmith Point, Tanner Creek canyon, Dublin Lake, Tanner Butte, Eagle Creek, Indian Springs, Wahtum Lake, Herman Creek, Green Point Mountain, North Lake, Mount Defiance, and Warren Lake before descending to Starvation Creek. Intermediate access at Larch Mountain, Wahtum Lake, and Rainy Lake trailheads allows section hiking. The Hatfield terrain moves constantly up and down — day two, Bell Creek to Dublin Lake, covers 12.8 miles including a 2,510-foot drop into Tanner Creek and climb back out. Water sources are generally reliable at the camps, less so on the high ridges between.

The 2017 Eagle Creek Fire burned much of the backcountry between Larch Mountain and Eagle Creek. Conditions on some segments remain unknown, and no trail maintenance has happened in the burn zone since the fire. Downed trees, brush, and indistinct tread are likely. The Hatfield Wilderness backcountry has long been lonely; post-fire it is now genuinely challenging route-finding in places. Strong experience, self-sufficiency, and current condition research are required before this trek.