Mt. Hood & Mt. Hood National Forest

Ski Areas
Nearby Hotel
Clark Expedition
Mt. Saint Helens

A recreational utopia along the Columbia River, Mt. Hood is the tallest mountain in Oregon. A stratovolcano of lava flows and domes, Mt. Hood’s glaciated peak is one of the most popular destinations for skiers, hikers, and mountain climbers. Encompassing a million acres and extending from the Columbia River Gorge across 60 miles of forested mountains, lakes and streams, Mt. Hood National Forest is a playground for skiing, biking, hiking, boarding, boating, rafting, camping, fishing, climbing, backpacking, horseback riding, and hunting. The national forest offers 1,000 miles of scenic trails that offer challenges for hikers, horseback rides, mountain bikers, and off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts. Fish in countless streams or enjoy panoramic views from Timberline Lodge atop Mt. Hood. The dramatic drop from Mt. Hood’s forest to the Columbia River offers the highest concentration of waterfalls in the world, offering beautiful hikes through rainforests to cascading rivers. For the energetic hiker, the 35-mile Columbia Gorge Trail is one of the most spectacular trails in the country. Rewarding destinations include Wahclella Falls, Lost Lake, Trillium Lake, Timothy Lake, Rock Creek Reservoir, Old Oregon Trail, and the Mt. Hood Wilderness. The Forest also has many scenic picnic areas. Visit www.mthood.org, www.stayandplayhood.com or www.mthood.info.

Mount Hood Ski Areas. There are several ski resorts on the beautiful slopes of Mount Hood. Portland powder hounds enjoy miles of downhill ski trails, marked cross-country ski trails and all-terrain areas for snowboarding. The highest ski area on Mount Hood, Timberline Ski Area offers excellent skiing, cross-country and snowboarding, and has one slope that is open through summer. Mount Hood Meadows features more than 2,000 skiable acres, 2,777 vertical feet, and a wide variety of terrain for skiing, XC, and snowboarding. The best cross-country skiing on Mount Hood is at the Nordic center at Mount Hood Meadows. The closest ski area to Portland, Mt. Hood SkiBowl offers 1,500 vertical feet of skiing and has more expert slopes than any other ski area on the mountain. SkiBowl is also one of the largest lighted ski areas in the country. [Top]

The Heathman Hotel - Portland, Oregon’s Premier Luxury Boutique Historic Hotel. Located within an hour’s drive of Mt. Hood, Mount St. Helens and The Lewis & Clark Expedition Trail, The Heathman Hotels is a historic premier luxury boutique hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon’s Financial/Cultural District. The Official Hotel Sponsor of the Oregon Historical Society's Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration (2005 - 2006), The Heathman features luxurious décor, deluxe accommodations, unsurpassed service, meeting and event venues, Portland’s finest dining restaurant, and an array of unique amenities, including wireless high-speed internet, a one-of-a-kind library, a world-class art collection, a business center, a fitness suite and Personal Concierge service. Find out about our Specials & Packages. [Top]

Lewis & Clark Expedition. The famous Lewis and Clark expedition across western America is an exploration of epic proportion that mapped our nation. Between May 14, 1804, and September 23, 1806, the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled more than 8,000 miles from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean and back. As explorers, they documented the western terrain, collected natural specimens and engaged in diplomatic and commercial negotiations with native cultures. Today, thousands of curious travelers trek and bike the Lewis and Clark Trail to experience the amazing expedition. In 2006, events, exhibits and art projects throughout Portland and Oregon commemorated the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark expedition, its far-reaching discoveries and historic events.

Explore the North Oregon Coast and visit the preserved historic sites that mark Lewis & Clark’s monumental journey to the Pacific. These preserved sites, parks and hiking and biking trails embody the stories of exploration and discovery

Lewis & Clark at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve - The trail of Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery flowed through the Portland/Vancouver basin on the Columbia River.
Fort Clatsop National Memorial. Located in Seaside, Oregon, Fort Clatsop National Memorial commemorates the 1805-06 winter encampment of the 33-member Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Seaside’s Promenade & Turnaround. Stroll Seaside’s historic ocean front Promenade for a unique tribute to the famous explorers. Near the southern end of Seaside Promenade along Lewis & Clark Way sits a replica of the salt cairn used by the Corps of Discovery.
Cape Disappointment State Park. Cape Disappointment State Park is a 1,882-acre park on Long Beach Peninsula, fronted by the Pacific Ocean. The Park offers Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and 27 miles of ocean beach, a boat launch, two lighthouses, hiking trails and rich history.
Ecola State Park. Hike the path of Lewis and Clark along the north side of Tillamook Head at Ecola State Park. Experience the challenging hike over a 7-mile trail with spectacular ocean views from high cliffs.
Lewis & Clark Explorer Train. Ride the Lewis & Clark Explorer Train along the Oregon side of the lower Columbia River to Astoria. The train takes you close to several historic sites visited by the famous Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery expedition.
The Columbia Gorge Riverboat. Learn the history of the Columbia River Gorge and the Lewis and Clark Expedition during a two-hour narrated cruise from Portland on the 147-foot sternwheeler patterned after a 19th-century steamboat. [Top]

Experience Mt. Saint Helens. A majestic, volcanoclastic mountain of 8,366 feet, Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980. Shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall mountain collapsed in a massive rock avalanche. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown down or buried beneath volcanic deposits. A mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward, turning day into night as dark gray ash fell over eastern Washington. After the 9-hour eruption, Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscapes were dramatically affected. In 1982, Congress created the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument for research and recreation. While the growth of the new lava dome inside the crater continues, Mount St. Helens is an enchanting destination for mountain climbing, hiking, fishing and exploration. Experience breathtaking views of the might volcano, lava dome, and crater from the Johnson Ridge Observatory - in the blast zone - or see interpretive displays of the geologic events that transformed the landscape. Incredible hiking adventures await you in Seaquest State Park, which offers scenic hiking and picnic areas, Silver Lake Wetlands Trail, and the ½-mile Eruption Trail. Enjoy full-day van tours of Mt. St. Helens, which include narration, professional guides specializing in Pacific Northwest nature and history. Visit www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm. [Top]