1.6 hr
Overview
This hike combines visits to three of Mount Hood’s alpine “parks”: idyllic Eden Park, rugged Cairn Basin and starkly beautiful Wy'East Basin. Each was named by a Mazama Club expedition in the early 1900s, helping lead to the construction of the Timberline Trail. The scenery on this loop is some of the finest on the mountain, with lush wildflower displays in July and early August. Note that much of the trail below the Timberline Trail was burned in the 2011 Dollar Lake Fire. Compensating for the lack of a forest canopy, the wildflower displays in the understory are impressive. From the Vista Ridge Trailhead, the route initially follows a rocky, overgrown roadbed before entering deep forest and finding a softer trail surface. At 0.4 miles, you'll come to the Vista Ridge Junction and a wilderness registration kiosk. This trail leading left is the original alignment of the Vista Ridge Trail which starts at a former trailhead near Perry Lake, now designated the Old Vista Ridge Trail #626A. Trailkeepers of Oregon maintains this trail as far as Owl Point. For this hike, fill out your wilderness permit at the registration station and follow the Vista Ridge Trail to the right, as it gently climbs through burned snags from the Dollar Lake Fire for 1.8 miles at a surprisingly easy grade. Then there's a bit of steeper climbing, but it's less than a quarter mile. The top of the steep section is marked by a junction with the Eden Park Trail and the first of many fine views of Mount Hood. Turn right here, following the sign to Eden Park. The trail drops in short switchbacks from Vista Ridge, soon passing several steep meadows with views that include Lost Lake, nestled in the forests far below. After traversing a pair of flower-lined swales, reach rushing Ladd Creek. Like most glacial streams within the Mount Hood Wilderness, the crossing is bridge-less and can be quite tricky. After finding your way across, look for the resumption of the trail a bit further downstream, and after a brief walk through open forest, reach the
Trail Stats
0.0 km
475 m
0 m
0 m
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Photos
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350px-VistaRidgeCairnBasinMap
350px-VistaRidgeCairnBasinMap
250px-EdenParkRidgeView
250px-EdenParkRidgeView
250px-VistaRidgeSunset
250px-VistaRidgeSunset
250px-VistaRidgeCreek
250px-VistaRidgeCreek
400px-VistaRidgeHoodSunset
400px-VistaRidgeHoodSunset
TKO put tools to trail here.png
TKO put tools to trail here.png