Trip Report: Hideaway Lake, Mt. Hood National Forest
When: 6/01/2018
Location: Hideaway Lake, Mt. Hood National Forest
Conditions: Beautiful sunny weather and bug-free. The lake itself is still too cold for a proper swim, but is great to float on and perfect for a quick post-hike dip!
Duration: Friday June 1st - Sunday June 3rd.
Difficulty: Great for novice campers and hikers, but also a nice make-your-own-adventure getaway for anyone!
Kid Friendly: Yes
Pet Friendly: Yes
Usefull links: www.fs.usda.gov
The Full Report:
Nestled in the MT Hood National Forest, Hideaway Lake is a fantastic getaway for a relaxing summer car-camping trip. Under two hours from Portland, the campground offers solitude, day-hiking access, fishing and swimming opportunities, and a pressure relief valve from Portland life. Drive right up to your campsite and get cozy in tents and hammocks and enjoy all the luxuries of not hiking in your gear!
I arrived at an empty campground on a Friday afternoon and enjoyed a nice innertube float on the still chilly waters. The lake is full of salamanders, especially active in this mating season! I made sure to bring lots of potable water and toilet paper - musts for this campsite! On Saturday, I opted for a nice little day-hike to nearby Shellrock lake, which is another beautiful body of water tucked below Mt. Hood. The hiking loop is just under 3-miles and offers great views of the coniferous valley of Roaring River Wilderness. I enjoyed nice dinners of grilled veggies and polenta cooked directly in the convenient fire-pit of my lake-side campsite.
The beauty of this trip is relaxation. Be sure to bring a guitar, a hammock, plenty of campfire wood when fire danger is low, and a good book. The lake doesn't offer views of majestic Mt. Hood, yet it provides a pleasant respite from phones (no service!) and the city hustle. The lake was mostly bug-free in early June yet expect some mosquitos as summer rolls on. Finally, the views of the stars as night settled in were fantastic - there's nothing better than starting at wonder at the constellations in beautiful silence.
The Full Report:
Nestled in the MT Hood National Forest, Hideaway Lake is a fantastic getaway for a relaxing summer car-camping trip. Under two hours from Portland, the campground offers solitude, day-hiking access, fishing and swimming opportunities, and a pressure relief valve from Portland life. Drive right up to your campsite and get cozy in tents and hammocks and enjoy all the luxuries of not hiking in your gear!
I arrived at an empty campground on a Friday afternoon and enjoyed a nice innertube float on the still chilly waters. The lake is full of salamanders, especially active in this mating season! I made sure to bring lots of potable water and toilet paper - musts for this campsite! On Saturday, I opted for a nice little day-hike to nearby Shellrock lake, which is another beautiful body of water tucked below Mt. Hood. The hiking loop is just under 3-miles and offers great views of the coniferous valley of Roaring River Wilderness. I enjoyed nice dinners of grilled veggies and polenta cooked directly in the convenient fire-pit of my lake-side campsite.
The beauty of this trip is relaxation. Be sure to bring a guitar, a hammock, plenty of campfire wood when fire danger is low, and a good book. The lake doesn't offer views of majestic Mt. Hood, yet it provides a pleasant respite from phones (no service!) and the city hustle. The lake was mostly bug-free in early June yet expect some mosquitos as summer rolls on. Finally, the views of the stars as night settled in were fantastic - there's nothing better than starting at wonder at the constellations in beautiful silence.