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Trail

Elk Meadows Trail #645

A Mount Hood Wilderness trail on the mountain's east side that follows a long ridge from Highway 35 to Elk Meadows, with Mt. Hood views and wildflowers.

Representative photo, not this exact spot. Photo: Aleksey Kuprikov via Pexels ยท Pexels License

Elk Meadows Trail #645 crosses the east flank of Mount Hood inside the Mount Hood Wilderness, linking Polallie Trailhead on Oregon Highway 35 with the Elk Meadows Trailhead on Forest Road 3545. From the Polallie end, a short, steep pitch gains a ridge with a spur to an overlook, and the trail later follows that ridge south for 4.1 miles to the meadow.

Expect Mt. Hood views and wildflowers, plus campsites in the trees ringing Elk Meadows for anyone staying the night. Past the meadow, the trail drops to cross Newton and Clark creeks and ends 0.4 mile from the Elk Meadows Trailhead. Gnarl Ridge and Bluegrass Ridge trails branch off for longer trips.

Trail map & elevation

Length8.8 mi one way
Climb944 ft up, 2,495 ft down
Elevation3,010 to 5,273 ft
DifficultyVery hard
3,0004,1505,3000 mi8.7 mi
Elevation (ft) along the trail
Download GPX Directions to the start
Trail class
Class 3 of 5
Typical grade
12-20%
Surface
Native material
Tread width
18-24 inches
Ranger district
Hood River

Connects to: Sahalie Falls Trail #667C, Umbrella/Sahalie Falls Trail #667, Elk Meadows Bluegrass Tie Trail #647B, Newton Creek Trail #646, East Fork Trail #650, Bluegrass Ridge Trail #647, Tamanawas Tie Trail #650B, Lamberson Spur Trail #644, Gnarl Ridge Trail #652

More about the Mount Hood Wilderness and its trails →

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
  • Viewing

Getting there

  1. From Portland, OR travel 31 miles east of Sandy on US Hwy 26 to Oregon Hwy 35.
  2. Turn north onto Oregon Hwy 35 and travel 16.5 miles north to Polallie Trailhead, approximately 0.7 miles north of milepost 73, and turn left (west) into the pullout just south of Cooper Spur Road.
  3. East Fork Trail #650 leaves from the pullout.
  4. Follow this trail 0.1 mile to its junction with Elk Meadows Trail #645.
  5. From Hood River, OR travel 22.2 miles south on Oregon Hwy 35 to Polallie Trailhead, approximately 0.3 miles south of milepost 74, and turn right (west) into the pullout just south of Cooper Spur Road.
  6. Follow the directions above from the parking area to the trail.

From the Forest Service

Rules and restrictions

Wilderness restrictions apply

Passes and permits

A Recreation Pass is required at Polallie trailhead.

Season details

June

Details from the official Forest Service page, a public-domain U.S. government source.

Trails nearby

Sahalie Falls Trail #667C 4.2 mi round trip 873 ft Moderate Umbrella/Sahalie Falls Trail #667 6.4 mi round trip 1,420 ft Hard Elk Meadows Bluegrass Tie Trail #647B 0.6 mi round trip 413 ft Easy Newton Creek Trail #646 3.6 mi round trip 1,010 ft Moderate East Fork Trail #650 14 mi round trip 1,820 ft Very hard Bluegrass Ridge Trail #647 12.2 mi round trip 3,084 ft Very hard Tamanawas Tie Trail #650B 0.8 mi round trip 237 ft Easy Lamberson Spur Trail #644 3.2 mi round trip 1,330 ft Moderate Gnarl Ridge Trail #652 2 mi round trip 382 ft Easy Tamanawas Falls Trail #650A 2.2 mi round trip 458 ft Easy Teacup Lake Trail #677 0.4 mi round trip 44 ft Easy Zig Zag Trail #678 1.8 mi round trip 892 ft Moderate

Places on this trail

Elk Meadows Trailhead

Last checked November 4, 2026