33 min
Overview
This hike begins at one of the more crowded trailheads but quickly moves to one of the most forgotten spots in the Mount Hood Wilderness. At the summit of Bald Mountain, you'll not only be treated with a stunning view of Mount Hood, but you will also see traces of an old fire lookout that stood here in the 1940s. You'll likely have the summit to yourself. From the Top Spur Trailhead, climb through handsome, old-growth noble fir forest for one-half mile before joining the Pacific Crest Trail (#2000). Turn right and immediately arrive at the signed junction of four trails and a Mount Hood Wilderness registration box. The trail to the right, and downhill, is the continuation of the Pacific Crest Trail (#2000) and is marked with a sign to Timberline Lodge. The route to the left is the northward section of the Timberline Trail (#600), with a sign to Cairn Basin. The trail straight ahead, and uphill, is the southbound section of the Timberline Trail (#600), with a sign to the Muddy Fork, and is the route to Bald Mountain. From the registration box at the junction, continue on the Timberline Trail toward the Muddy Fork for about 450 feet, and then watch for an unsigned trail, heading left and uphill, between two large trees. (Ignore another boot path just beyond the junction, near a large stump, that dead-ends in the brush.) This is the historic Bald Mountain Trail. Follow this rustic path over a couple of logs as you climb parallel to the Timberline Trail. After a few hundred feet, switchback left and soon reach the more open forest on the slopes of Bald Mountain. The tread is always obvious, though you'll step over a number of fallen logs that have accumulated over the decades since this trail was maintained. They present only minor obstacles along the way. As you approach the summit, you'll re-enter a band of huckleberries and false azalea, and the trail will quickly level off on the broad, forested top of Bald Mountain. Walk through an opening in the woods where concrete blocks mark the location of the former
Trail Stats
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167 m
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Photos
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BaldMountainTopSpurHike.jpg
BaldMountainTopSpurHike.jpg
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