Timberline Trail — Mt. Hood
Oregon Cascades, OR
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
Rain moves in Wednesday night with near-certainty (93%) and sticks around through Friday. The bigger issue is daylight — you've got less than 11 hours of usable light per day, so plan your camp locations to account for early dark. Stream crossing data appears to be from Central California gauges (data error), so treat Hood River tributary crossings as unknown and scout everything.
49°/37°F · Mostly Clear
No Rating (0/5)
0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
10h daylight · Sunrise 6:51 AM · Sunset 4:52 PM
Full Briefing
The weather window is decent today but closes Wednesday night. You'll get a good first half-day — mostly sunny with temps topping at 49°F and virtually no wind. After that, light rain arrives Wednesday night at 93% probability and lingers through Friday with periodic breaks. Highs stay in the mid-to-upper 40s the whole trip, overnight lows in the upper 30s. No freezing temps in the forecast, so the rain stays rain at trail elevations, and with 0 inches of snowpack at Annie Springs (6021 ft) through Mcneil Canyon (1348 ft), there's no snowmelt factor complicating crossings. Conditions are cold and wet but not dangerous from a temperature standpoint.
Stream crossings are the variable I can't square for you. The gauge data in this briefing is from Central California watersheds — San Antonio River, Salinas River, Llagas Creek near Gilroy — none of which are relevant to Mt. Hood. That's a data feed error. What we do know: no snowpack means no snowmelt driving flows, and rainfall through the trip will be light and intermittent. Sandy River and Eliot Creek crossings on the Timberline Trail can run fast in autumn storm events, but with temps staying moderate and precipitation light, flows should be manageable. Scout each crossing before committing, particularly on day two after Wednesday night's rain has had time to drain into the system by Thursday morning.
Daylight is the most underrated constraint on this trip. Sunset is 4:52 PM and you're losing light fast this time of year. With 10 hours of usable daylight, you need to be moving by 7:30 AM to make miles in good light. Plan your camp locations so you're not navigating into camp in the dark on a wet, rocky trail. The Timberline Trail's north side — between Ramona Falls and Cloud Cap — has limited flat camping and some tricky route-finding; sort that out before the sun drops. No avalanche concerns at any elevation, no fire smoke, no freezing temps — the main job is staying warm and dry during the rain and not getting caught out after dark.
Leave camp by 7:30 AM each day. Set a hard turnaround of 3:30 PM to give yourself buffer before 4:52 PM sunset. Pack your rain layer where you can grab it fast — Wednesday night's rain is essentially guaranteed. If you get a break in the clouds Thursday, the mountain should be in reasonable shape for views. This is a solid late-season window; just respect the short days.
Waypoints
Timberline Lodge
Historic 1937 WPA lodge. Excellent starting point with resupply options.
6,001 ft
Paradise Park
Spectacular wildflower meadows. One of the most beautiful sections.
6,450 ft
Sandy River Crossing
The most dangerous crossing on the route. Can be thigh-deep in early July.
5,499 ft
Eliot Branch
Glacial meltwater crossing on the north side. Cold and fast in early season.
6,001 ft
Return to Timberline
Complete the circumnavigation back to Timberline Lodge.
6,001 ft
Route Details
Distance
41.0 mi
Elevation Gain
8,999 ft
Elevation Loss
8,999 ft
Max Elevation
7,300 ft
Estimated Days
4
Trailhead
Timberline Lodge
Best Season
July through September. Glacial stream crossings dangerous in June. Sandy River can require rope in early July.
About This Route
The Timberline Trail is a 41-mile loop circumnavigating Mount Hood in Oregon, staying high on the volcano's flanks between 5,400 and 7,300 feet. The trail passes through alpine meadows, crosses glacial streams, and skirts the lower edges of Mount Hood's multiple glaciers—offering a complete perspective of the volcano from every angle. Stream crossings are the defining challenge. Sandy River, Eliot Branch, and Ladd Creek can be dangerous in early season snowmelt, typically peaking in late June. By August, most crossings are manageable. Some years, Sandy River requires a rope system as late as July. The trail passes the historic Timberline Lodge on the south side—an excellent mid-route resupply and rest stop. The Paradise Park section on the southwest offers some of the best wildflower meadows in the Pacific Northwest, peaking in July and August. Most hikers complete the loop in 3-5 days. Some ambitious runners do it in a single day (under 24 hours). The Eliot Glacier crossing on the north side can require an ice axe in early season. Views of Hood's summit are spectacular from all sides, weather permitting.
Plan This Route
Get a personalized conditions briefing with detailed analysis for your trip dates.
Plan This Route