On Saturday, August 26, I hiked to Ramona Falls from the Ramona Falls Trailhead in the Mt. Hood Wilderness area. We did a “lollipop loop” that took the PCT along the Sandy River and up to the falls, and the Ramona Falls Return Loop Trail on the return, which then connected with the PCT to take us back to the trailhead and parking lot. This was an absolutely gorgeous hike and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
If you like hikes with…
🏔 Mountain views
🏞 Scenic rivers
👌🏼 Between 5 – 10 miles of distance
↗️ Less than 1,000 ft of elevation gain
🐕 Dog-friendly
🚗 Less than 2 hours from Portland
💦 And a waterfall at the end…
Then the Ramona Falls Loop trail is for you ✅
The drive up is beautiful and easy until the last 0.1 miles, when the paved road becomes patchy and full of deep potholes. Fortunately, this stretch is very short (less than a long city block) and easily traversed by driving slowly and carefully. If you have a high-suspension vehicle, that would make the going easier, but we did see both a Tesla and a Nissan Altima make the trek successfully.
This trailhead leads to the PCT, the Timberline Trail, and an iconic PNW waterfall, so we were not surprised to see dozens of cars in the parking lot. Based on the number of cars, we expected to see more hikers, and although there were plenty of people, we were surprised it was not more crowded. There were plenty of dogs, both on and off leash, and Alder did a great job staying focused on the trail and away from the other dogs. She also crossed the river like a champion, and didn’t hesitate at all when it came to crossing the rushing water over a logjam bridge. She is the best trail dog I could have imagined!
The hike was absolutely gorgeous. The trailhead starts in pine and shrub territory, alternating between shade and sun while meandering along the shallow Sandy River canyon. After about a mile, you cross the Sandy River—a crossing that, in May – July, would likely be terrifying if not impassible, but in August, we hardly batted an eye—and continue hiking through dusty, sandy trails up to the falls.
The hike itself is a gradual climb, with only one short section that could be qualified as “steep”, where the trail climbs away from the river gorge, gaining elevation towards the falls. The first mile, until the river crossing, is quite tame, and only after that does the climb become moderate.
At the falls, the forest closes in and the temperature immediately drops about 10 degrees. Dozens of people were resting, eating lunch, lounging around, or taking photos—and it was clear why, as the falls were stunning—nearly 50 feet high if not more with water tumbling over mossy, granitic columns like the Cliffs of Moher. The cooler temperatures plus the beautiful views made it a natural place to stop, rest, and take lunch. I could have sat and watched the waterfall all day.
On the return, we took the Ramona Falls Return Loop Trail, which led us through a stunning creek bed more in line with the traditional PNW Jurassic Park vibes. With dappled sunlight, moss-covered rocks, tall Doug Firs and a trail carpeted in fir needles, not to mention a gentle creek with a few pools big enough to dip in, this was a classic Pacific Northwest hiking experience.
The views overall were incredible! Not only was Ramona Falls itself spectacular, but the views we got of Mt. Hood were insane. We also enjoyed the varied terrain, from more high-desert feeling to more classic PNW vibes.
The whole loop was somewhere around 7 and 8 miles: my Health app showed 7 miles in total, my partner’s Strava showed 8.2, and AllTrails has the round trip at 7.5 miles, while the elevation gain was somewhere around 1,000 feet total.
Hike Statistics:
- Mileage: 7 – 8 miles
- Elevation gain (approx): 1,000 feet
- Hike difficulty: 4/10
- Hiking time: About 4 hours
- Crowd size: 6/10
- Ease of access: 5/10
- Parking: Large parking lot, $5 day pass or OR Recreation Pass required
- Permits: Free wilderness permit, available at wilderness area entry point
- Dog friendly: Yes (leashes required, although we had Alder off-leash most of the time and only leashed her when around other dogs)
- Variables: River crossing! It was not difficult for us but could be more difficult for those who are not sure-footed or get nervous in tricky situations. Probably not appropriate for young children.
- Attributes: River gorge, river crossing, wading pools, waterfall, mountain views, gentle climb, 5 – 10 mile hike
- OVERALL VIBES: 9/10
Where should Alder and I go next? Leave a comment to let me know what you’d like to hear about in my next post, or share your favorite hike you’ve been on lately. I can’t wait to hear your recommendations and adventures!
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The Z-Axis 