Climb Squaw Mountain
Added by Dan Moe
Short, remote climb to one of the best views in Mt. Hood National Forest. Distance: 3.6 miles roundtrip. Elevation gain: 1157'Two hour drive from Portland keeps most day hikers away. Summer wildflower displays rival any in the Mt. Hood Nat'l Forest. Summit would make an unbelievable campsite. Site of a former fire lookout.
On a clear day, this short, secluded hike offers breath-taking views of Mt. St. Helens, Rainier, Adams, Hood, and Jefferson, as well as of downtown Portland, Coast Range, and the Roaring River Wilderness.
Begin the hike from the Twin Springs Trailhead and immediately take your first left at the T. Follow the trail up and over a hill before crossing two saddles, one of which affords views of the Squaw Lakes in the valley below. Once you've reached the second saddle, a moderate climb of around 1,000 feet lies ahead. Around a mile in, the trail switchbacks four times uphill before meeting the Old Baldy Trail. Stay to the left and continue climbing. Just shy of the summit, the trail reaches an old service road that accessed the old fire lookout, which once stood atop the summit.
Take time to explore and relax before returning the way you came!
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Overall rating:
Hard To Find, But Worth It.
I don't think we ever found the proper trail head, but we did find where the 505 trail crossed a logging spur. After starting up the trail with some hesitance, we found a well marked trail crossing of Old Baldy Trail and "Squaw" Mountain. The views from the top were breathtaking. We could see 6 peaks! We hiked on the 4th of July and only saw 3 other groups of hikers. If you are looking for remote and great views, you've found it. If you can find the trailhead that is.
4.0
explore the area
Hiking this area is remote and beautiful. The trails are not well traveled, but fairly easy to find. I ended up dropping down into the Salmon huckleberry Wilderness area and followed the Eagle Creek trail back out. This is not to be confused with the Eagle Creek trail on the Columbia, this is near Estacada. Once into the wilderness area it is very beautiful and remote. The size of the old growth fir trees is well worth the drive time. I doubt you will see anyone else. I recommend this to anyone looking for something off the beaten path
5.0
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