Cooper Spur

Cooper Spur is located on the north east side of Mount Hood. This is the hike to do if you want to get up close and personal with the mountain.

To get there you have to drive around 10 miles up a bumpy dirt road, once off the main road. Low-clearance vehicles can make it but high clearance vehicles with four-wheel drive will have an easier time.

Cooper Spur trail is accessed from the Cloud Cap Trailhead parking lot, which is also home to Cloud Cap Inn and Cloud Cap Campground. The Inn is closed to visitors but the camp ground is a good place to spend the night if you want to get an early start on the trail.

The trail starts out in an old-growth forest. Shortly after you will come across a split in the trail. The left is a more gradual trail while the right is steep and will take you immediately up on the ridge-line. Once on the ridge there are steep drop-offs to the right so if you are afraid of heights take the left trail.

A little over a mile in you will come across the Cooper Spur shelter, one of the few remaining stone shelters along the Timberline Trail. If you are backpacking you will find a few flat spots around the shelter to pitch a tent.

From here you'll climb higher, going up switchbacks until you reach the top of Cooper Spur.

Notes:

• A Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at the trailhead. You can pay for a day pass at the trailhead ($5) or you can obtain a year pass ($30) at a ranger station or at your local REI.
• This trail is popular and gets pretty busy on the weekends. Either go early in the morning or late in the afternoon. If you pick the later just make sure to bring a headlight as the terrain can be pretty tricky navigating in the dark. The upside is you will be rewarded with an amazing sunset view.
• Most years the snow doesn't clear till the end of June, making this a good July - October hike.