Leave No Trace on Mt. Hood starts before you reach the trailhead. Weather on the mountain turns quickly, remote corners of the Forest often have no cell service, and alpine meadows and lakeshores are fragile. This guide covers the seven principles, the Ten Essentials, the hazards worth planning for, and the rules that apply across the Forest.
The Forest Service says most Mount Hood Wilderness visitors are weekend day hikers, so a weekday trip means fewer people on the trail.
Along the Timberline Trail, camping is not allowed in any meadow or within 500 feet of Ramona Falls.
Climbers get free WAG bags in the Timberline climbers' registration area and pack their waste off the mountain.
In Bull of the Woods Wilderness you may pass mining relics dating back to the 1880s. Take a photo and leave them in place.
Campfires are not allowed within 100 feet of Burnt Lake, anywhere in Paradise Park, or within 500 feet of McNeil Point or Ramona Falls.
Pikas and marmots call from the rocky slopes near treeline. Enjoy them from the trail without sharing your snacks.
At a crowded sno-park, a car parked in a trailer-length space should pull all the way forward so a second car fits behind it.
Fast. The Forest Service describes Mt. Hood as known for quickly changing weather, and strong storms can blow in during any month with cold, wind and low visibility. Above treeline, a whiteout can leave you disoriented with no shelter. Much of the area's 150 inches of yearly precipitation falls as snow from October to April. Check the forecast right before you leave, and see our weather and road conditions page.
Soaked clothing keeps only about a tenth of its warmth. Pack wool or synthetic layers, not cotton, and a rain shell that works.
It can happen above 40 degrees if you get soaked by rain, sweat or cold water. Watch for hard shivering, slurred speech, fumbling hands and stumbling.
Get them out of the wind, into dry clothes and a sleeping bag, give warm sweet drinks if they are awake, warm the chest first, skip the alcohol, and get medical help.
Get off ridges and peaks, move into a building or a hard-topped vehicle, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder. Avoid lone trees, and spread a group at least 15 feet apart.
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Glacial rivers run lowest in the morning and rise as the day warms. Snowmelt in early and mid summer, and heavy rain, make crossings harder.
Look up and down the bank for a wide, shallow stretch with gentle banks and no hazards below. The safest spot may not be where the trail meets the water.
Turn around if the water is above your knees, moving fast, too murky to tell how deep it is, or you hear boulders rolling along the bottom. On the Timberline Trail, have a backup plan for high water.
Keep your pack on with the hip and chest straps undone, wear shoes, and plant a pole on the upstream side. Groups can line up facing upstream, hold on to each other, and step sideways.
A sudden fall into cold water can cause gasping and fast breathing that leads to drowning, even for strong swimmers. If you are swept away, float on your back with your feet pointed downstream instead of trying to stand.
From May through summer, toxic blue-green algae can bloom in lakes. Stay out of water that looks foamy, scummy or pea green, and keep dogs and kids out too.
Before you go, tell someone your trailhead, route, vehicle, group size and when you will be back. If you are overdue, they should call 911.
Remote parts of the Forest often have no cell service, and a GPS can lose signal or run out of battery. Carry a paper map and compass you know how to use; a satellite messenger or personal locator beacon adds a backup.
The moment you think you are lost, stop and stay calm. Panic is a bigger danger than the woods.
Retrace how you got here and which landmarks you passed, then check directions with your compass. If you are still on a trail, don't leave it; junctions are signed and trails carry diamond markers.
Move only with a clear reason and a route you trust. If night is falling, you are hurt or you are exhausted, stay where you are.
For any emergency, call 911. Oregon's 911 program says "call if you can, text if you can't," and text-to-911 is live in most of the area around Mt. Hood.
Oregon is black bear country, with an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 of them and no grizzlies, so any bear you see here is a black bear, even a brown one. The state also has more than 6,000 cougars. Both usually avoid people and attacks are rare, but a cougar killed a hiker on Mt. Hood in 2018.
Do not run. Stay calm, pick up small children, keep facing the bear, and slowly back off while talking. If it keeps coming, make yourself big and loud. Carry bear spray where you can reach it.
Do not run or crouch. Raise your arms, open your jacket, speak firmly, back away, and throw things if it comes closer. If it attacks, fight back and stay on your feet.
Keep food, trash, toiletries and pet food out of your tent and out of reach, and use bear-resistant lockers or containers where you can.
Hike in a group, keep kids close and dogs leashed, skip the headphones, and make noise near blind corners.
Wildfire and smoke: more than 80 percent of Oregon wildfires are caused by people. Before every trip, check our Mt. Hood fire conditions and closures and alerts. Never park or drive on dry grass, secure trailer chains so they cannot spark, and never leave a campfire, even for a few minutes.
Check air quality on AirNow when smoke is around. If officials order a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation, leave right away without stopping for belongings. To report a fire, call 911 or Columbia Dispatch at 360-891-5140. Never fly a drone near a wildfire: firefighting aircraft fly low, and a single drone can force them to stop flying.
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The seven principles are: plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of other visitors. On Mt. Hood that means staying on trail through meadows, packing out all trash, checking fire restrictions, and keeping your distance from animals.
The National Park Service groups the Ten Essentials into ten systems: navigation, sun protection, extra clothing, a headlamp or flashlight, first aid supplies, fire starting gear, a repair kit and tools, extra food, water with a way to treat it, and emergency shelter. Mt. Hood's fast-changing weather and spotty cell service make each one worth carrying, even on a short day hike.
It depends on current fire restrictions. When restrictions are in effect, Mt. Hood National Forest usually bans all campfires but allows propane stoves that shut off instantly. Some places have campfire limits all year, including Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness, Mount Hood Wilderness and Sportsman Park. Fireworks are never allowed. Check Mt. Hood fire conditions before you go.
Up to 14 days in a row in a single location, and no more than 28 days total in a calendar year anywhere on the Forest. The limit comes from Forest Order 06-06-00-24-06, in effect through September 30, 2027, and it applies at sno-parks too. See our Mt. Hood camping guide for campgrounds and dispersed sites.
In designated recreation areas on Mt. Hood National Forest, pets must stay on a leash no longer than 6 feet. On trails, the Forest Service asks you to leash your dog to protect wildlife and avoid spooking horses. Pack out your dog's waste and keep pet food away from wildlife.
You can fly a drone for fun on national forest land if you follow FAA rules for recreational flyers, but never from or inside designated wilderness, such as Mount Hood Wilderness, which takes in the mountain's upper slopes. The FAA asks pilots to stay at least 2,000 feet above wilderness. Never fly near a wildfire, keep away from campgrounds and trailheads, and launch at least 328 feet from wildlife. Learn more about Mt. Hood wilderness areas.
The Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) posts a daily Mt. Hood avalanche and mountain weather forecast from early winter through spring. High on the mountain, avalanche danger can develop in any month. If you plan to snowshoe, ski or climb outside ski area boundaries, read the forecast and carry a beacon, probe and shovel. Parking at most Mt. Hood sno-parks also needs a Sno-Park permit; see recreation passes and our skiing guide.
Call 911 for any emergency on the mountain: a serious injury, a lost or overdue person, signs of hypothermia, someone swept into water, or a wildfire. If you cannot talk, text 911, which works in most of the area around Mt. Hood. Cell service is spotty in remote areas, so leave your trip plan with someone at home who can call for you.
Rules change. Check official pages before you go.