Part of the multi-use 44 Trail System, Cooks Meadow Trail #639 is a little-used route shared by hikers, horse riders and mountain bikers, and it makes a good ride on a bike. It runs between Forest Road 4410 and Dufur Mill Road (Forest Road 44), both reached from Highway 35 south of Hood River.
From the Road 4410 end, the trail climbs right away through a logged area to its high point, then mostly descends, dropping 1,150 feet to Dufur Mill Road. Expect a bumpy, uneven surface. The 44 Trails Association rerouted and rebuilt the trail and helps maintain it, and a newer 5-mile extension to the High Prairie Trailhead makes it 8 miles in all.
Trail map & elevation
- Trail class
- Class 3 of 5
- Typical grade
- 12-20%
- Surface
- Native material
- Tread width
- 18-24 inches
- Ranger district
- Barlow
Connects to: High Prairie Trail #493
Line, length and trail class: U.S. Forest Service trail data. Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Difficulty is our estimate for hiking it out and back (once around for a loop), from distance and total climb. Lines can be off by a few hundred feet; carry a real map and check the official page for closures.
Getting there
From Hood River, OR
- To the south end of the trail, take OR Hwy 35 south 26 miles, approximately 0.15 mile past milepost 71, to Dufur Mill Road (Forest Road 44).
- Turn left (east) on Dufur Mill Road and drive east approximately 3.7 miles to Forest Road 4410.
- Turn right (south) on Forest Road 4410 and travel approximately 2.5 miles and park in the pullout on the east side of the road.
- The trail starts on the east side of the parking area.
From Hood River, OR
- to the north end of the trail, take OR Hwy 35 south 26 miles, approximately 0.15 mile past milepost 71, to Dufur Mill Road (Forest Road 44).
- Turn left (east) on Forest Road 44 and travel 5 miles and park in the pullout on the right (south) side of the road.
- The trail starts on the south side of road near the west end of the pullout.
From the Forest Service
Good to know
The 44 Trail System on Mt. Hood National Forest is a multi-use system and trails are open to hiker, horse and biker traffic. Please be respectful of all users.
Ranger office
Barlow Ranger District
Address: 780 NE Court St Dufur, OR 97021
Phone: 541-467-5100
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed 12 to 1 for lunch. (Closed on federal holidays)
Trails nearby
High Prairie Trail #493
4.6 mi round trip
872 ft
Moderate
Surveyor’s Ridge Trail #688
35 mi round trip
6,218 ft
Very hard
Divide Trail #458
15.4 mi round trip
4,865 ft
Very hard
Knebal Springs Trail #474
8.4 mi round trip
1,644 ft
Hard
Lookout Mountain Trail #450
7.8 mi round trip
1,230 ft
Hard
Bottle Prairie Trail #455
9.6 mi round trip
2,073 ft
Very hard
Eightmile Loop Trail #496
6.2 mi loop
1,314 ft
Hard
Gumjuwac Trail #480
9 mi round trip
3,225 ft
Very hard
Gunsight Butte Trail #685
10 mi round trip
2,058 ft
Very hard
Dog River Trail #675
10.6 mi round trip
2,565 ft
Very hard
Zig Zag Trail #678
1.8 mi round trip
892 ft
Moderate
Tamanawas Falls Trail #650A
2.2 mi round trip
458 ft
Easy