Mt Hood Vacation Home Activities

Each season at the Mt. Hood Vacation Home provides new views and different gifts of nature for relaxation and adventure. Below we list a few of the activities that are readily available to you during the year. Please note that listing here does not imply endorsement. While we have experienced all the natural places we list here, we cannot vouch for any of the businesses, other than the ski resorts, which are excellent. We welcome your feedback!

Nature viewing

The Salmon River, a National Wild and Scenic River — is literally in your backyard. The Salmon River has been nationally recognized for its outstanding anadromous fish runs and scenery. The 33.5-mile Salmon River is the only river in the lower 48 states protected as a National Wild and Scenic River for its entire length, from its headwaters on Mt. Hood to its confluence with the Sandy River, near Brightwood. The Salmon River has several species of anadromous fish (fish that are born in freshwater, go to the ocean to grow, and then return to freshwater to spawn) including wild salmon and steelhead. The salmon are protected and cannot be fished in the Salmon River.

  • Salmon spawning — View the wonders of fall on the Salmon River — during September or October, as you sit on a log overlooking the Salmon River or the side channel under the changing leaves, witness the wondrous salmon run as they return to their river to spawn.
  • Bird watching — from our living room, the back deck, the nature trails along the Salmon River, or the wetlands boardwalk that meanders through the Wildwood Recreation Site — all are excellent places to hear and see a variety of birds. We have seen woodpeckers, herons, Redwinged Blackbirds, and a Bald Eagle, to name a few!

Ski and Snowboard

10 miles to Government Camp on Mt. Hood — ski all 4 seasons! Downhill and cross-country.

Hike

You don’t even have to get in your car — have a great day of hiking from our door. Our Mt. Hood Vacation Home is surrounded by the Mt. Hood National Forest

  • Wildwood Recreation Site & Cascade Streamwatch
  • Wildwood Wetland Trail — nature lovers of any age will appreciate this trail - The Wildwood Wetland Trail consists of a one-mile loop of gravel and paved foot paths, a bridge crossing the Salmon River and an elevated boardwalk trail system. Observation decks extend out from the boardwalk, into the wetland at several locations. Interpretive signs describe wetland wildlife and habitat.
  • Salmon viewing window — Cascade Streamwatch — View young Salmon and Steelhead, and other underwater creatures and their habitat through a glass wall viewing window built into an actual streambed.
  • Boulder Ridge Trail — From the Wildwood Recreation Site, take a several-hour hike into the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness. The trail begins with a steep, narrow, scenic switchback trail, and leads into old growth forest, and eventually connects to Mt. Hood National Forest's wilderness trail system. The first viewpoint is roughly two miles up. Later there is great view of Mt. Hood’s snowy peak. The elevation gain is approximately 2,500 feet where the trail intersects Plaza Trail #783.
  • Huckleberry Mountain Trail
  • Old Salmon River Trail is a 5 minute drive away — hike through an amazingly beautiful Old Growth forest trail along the river
  • Many more nearby hikes are described in these books available for you to view at the Mt Hood Vacation Home: 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington by William L. Sullivan and 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles Portland by Paul Gerald.

Mountain Bike

There are trails throughout the area, whether you want downhill or singletrack

Golf

We have great golfing with stunning views from the picturesque greens

White Water Rafting

River Drifters , and other organizations offer river tours of the Deschutes River (Class III+), the White Salmon River (Class III — IV), the Clackamas River (Class III — IV), and many more nearby Oregon and SW Washington Rivers, which are reportedly some of the best in the country for whitewater rafting!