Mt. Hood Scenic Byway
Welcome to the Mt. Hood Scenic Byway - Oregon's newest Scenic Byway, where once volcanoes spewed and mammoth floods scoured deep gorges. Discover exquisite geologic wonders, waterfalls, temperate rain forests and wild rivers, where natural flora and fauna thrive. Explore our pastoral valleys with farm-fresh produce. See what Lewis & Clark saw. Experience that formidable last leg of the Oregon Trail, the Barlow Road. Enjoy yourself in our bountiful wonderland. After all, the pioneers did call it "paradise."
The Mt. Hood Scenic Byway follows a breathtaking route around Mt. Hood offering panoramic views of stunning geologic diversity. Landscapes unfold from pastoral valleys and the splendid temperate rain forest into semi-arid uplands. Vistas created by catastrophic Ice Age events, our "sleeping" volcano, dazzling waterfalls, fertile farmlands, lush forests rife with wildlife, and gorgeous rivers will keep visitors entranced. History is embedded and alive: this is the same route traveled for thousands of years by local Native Americans, and more recently by pioneers traversing the "last leg" of the Oregon Trail in the mid-1800s. Accessible trails, signage, historical markers, monuments, and museums offer guidance and interpretation. Nowhere else can visitors experience the fantastic range of geology and nature entwined with human history, all within a few miles. The Byway is a traveler's delight.
1.
Troutdale to the Villages of Mt. Hood
As the traveler begins from the western portal, Troutdale awaits exploration in antique shops, art galleries and the historic McMenamins Edgefield inn and brewery. Travelers leave the suburban atmosphere and enter a more quiet and tranquil way of life. Small family farms and nurseries where trees, shrubs and flowers are grown for shipment all over the world dot the route. From this pastoral way of life, the route suddenly changes to a world of primeval forest, complete with canopies of huge old growth fir, small waterfalls, Wild and Scenic Rivers and national forest lands. All along the route, the absolutely breathtaking, ever-changing, dramatic and inspiring views of Mt. Hood loom as the backdrop. The many faces of Mt. Hood change as you loop around the route and you truly have to experience the view from all angles.
2.
The Barlow Road
The Oregon Trail marks one of the most legendary mass migrations in history. The Barlow Road segment exists nowhere else in the world and is readily documented in pioneer diaries as possibly the most horrific leg of their journey. Thousands used the Barlow Road to avoid the exuberant cost of rafting the treacherous rapids of the Columbia River. The interpretive sites along the route from Barlow Pass to Sandy tell the story and give travelers a sense of wonder the pioneers felt and visually showcases the hardships endured as wagons and people attempted to lower themselves down the near-vertical Laurel Hill Chute, and crossing of the Wild and Scenic Rivers.
3.
Timberline Lodge
Timberline Lodge, built in the 1930s through the efforts of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), sits at the 6,000-foot level of Mt. Hood proudly standing as the Crown Jewel, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and legacy of dedication. The Lodge is perched right at the timber line on the southern flank of Mt. Hood with inspiring views of the summit and panoramic vistas.
4.
Hood River Valley
Descending the mountain, the landscape changes once again to lavish vistas of the Hood River Valley with sweeping views of a country patchwork of small farms, vineyards and fertile orchards, into the dramatic Columbia River Gorge. The Byway beckons travelers to enjoy the bounty of Oregon as we harvest the fruits of our labor from the rich and fertile lands that resulted from a unique geologic history. From farmers' markets, Christmas tree farms, wineries, farms and orchards, to the wild mushrooms, huckleberries and salmon that call this region home, treasure is to be had by all.