Mount Hood Meadows Loop
Mt. Hood AreaBest Jul–Sep
A 10-mile loop through what may be Mount Hood's most expansive wildflower meadows, linking Elk Meadows to the Timberline Trail above a Newton Clark Glacier moraine.
About This Trail
Paradise Park, Cairn Basin, and Elk Cove get most of the wildflower attention, but the meadows below the east flank of Mount Hood Meadows ski area rival any of them and cover more ground. The ski resort's footprint disappears from the trail; July and August bring massive blooms, a series of glacier-fed streams, and waterfalls that make the outing worthwhile even when clouds hide the summit. This 10.1-mile loop ties the Elk Meadows, Newton Creek, Timberline, Umbrella Falls, and Elk Meadows Trails together, hiked counterclockwise so the alpine vistas lay out before the descent through them.
From the Elk Meadows Trailhead, the route crosses the ski area's Nordic corridors, drops to the handrailed Clark Creek footbridge, and enters the Mt. Hood Wilderness. A Wilderness permit box sits at the bridge. The Newton Creek Trail gains 1,000 feet in two miles along the unstable rim above Newton Creek — glacial meltwater from the Newton Clark Glacier prone to massive flood years, with jumbled trees and boulders below. A ghost ridge of whitebark pine, some living and some bleached skeletons wearing wolf lichen, marks the climb to the Timberline Trail junction.
The upper loop crosses the largest moraine on Mount Hood, with Clark Creek, Heather Canyon, and the Newton Clark Glacier's icefall all in view. Clark Creek has to be crossed on rocks — see general advice on glacial stream crossings and aim for early morning when flow is lowest. The descent drops through summit hemlock woods, traverses the meadows that give the area its name, and passes Umbrella Falls on the way back to the trailhead. Carry a Wilderness permit, a NW Forest Pass, and time your crossings for early in the day.
Seasonal Highlights
Astronomy
Trail Conditions
Scorecard
Peak wildflower weekends draw big crowds at the lower meadows; the Newton Creek and Timberline ridge sections stay quieter. Weekdays and September feel almost empty.
Safety & Considerations
Today's Hazard
- Strong sun — sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses recommended
Persistent Hazards
- Newton Creek is a glacial stream prone to massive flood years — trail rim above is unstable
- Clark Creek rock-hop crossing; plan for early morning low flow
- Afternoon thunderstorms on exposed moraine and ridge sections
- Fresh snow possible into July; verify the Timberline Trail connector is clear
Getting There
Elk Meadows Trailhead lot off OR-35. NW Forest Pass required. Fills on summer weekends \u2014 arrive early.
From US-26 at Government Camp, take OR-35 north toward Hood River. The Elk Meadows Trailhead is off OR-35 near the Mt. Hood Meadows resort access road. NW Forest Pass required; Wilderness permit available at the self-serve box at Clark Creek.
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