Forest Service lands, roads, trails and recreation sites in the Grasshopper Fire area east of Mt. Hood are closed to protect visitors and firefighters. In effect through December 31, 2026.
Read the official closure orderThe big payoff on this loop, a favorite with mountain bikers east of Oregon Highway 35, is the lookout tower near Fivemile Butte, with views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. It begins at the Eightmile Loop Trailhead, in the picnic and day use area of Eightmile Campground off Dufur Mill Road.
The trail crosses Eightmile Creek and Forest Road 4430 to reach the loop junction. Going clockwise, it recrosses the creek on a bridge, shares a short piece with Bottle Prairie Trail #455, reaches the spur to Fivemile Butte Lookout, and descends switchbacks back to the junction. The 44 Trails Association helps maintain parts of it.
Trail map & elevation
- Trail class
- Class 2 of 5
- Typical grade
- 0-5%
- Surface
- Native material
- Ranger district
- Barlow
Connects to: Bottle Prairie Trail #455, Lookout Mountain Trail #450, Knebal Springs Trail #474
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.
Things to do
- Outdoor Science and Learning
- Interpretive sites
Getting there
From Hood River, OR
- to the east 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 go 10 miles to Forest Road 4430.
- Turn left (north) on 4430 and go 0.3 miles northwest to Eightmile Campground (Forest Road 4430-150).
- Park at the trailhead in the day use area.
- The trail starts on the north side of 4430-150, approximately 0.2 miles past the turn into the campground.
- The trail leaves from the picnic area.
From the Forest Service
Rules and restrictions
Horses and motorized vehicles are prohibited.
All fees
$10 per vehicle per day required at Eightmile Trailhead.
Passes and permits
The Northwest Forest Pass may be used as a form of fee payment.
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
Bottle Prairie Trail #455
9.6 mi round trip
2,073 ft
Very hard
Lookout Mountain Trail #450
7.8 mi round trip
1,230 ft
Hard
Knebal Springs Trail #474
8.4 mi round trip
1,644 ft
Hard
Eightmile Interpretive Trail #496A
1.2 mi round trip
106 ft
Easy
Cooks Meadow Trail #639
13.4 mi round trip
2,512 ft
Very hard
Surveyor’s Ridge Trail #688
35 mi round trip
6,218 ft
Very hard
Underhill Trail #683
5.6 mi round trip
1,483 ft
Hard
Fifteenmile Trail #456
22.4 mi round trip
4,064 ft
Very hard
Cedar Creek Trail #457
9.2 mi round trip
2,054 ft
Hard
