Why Mount Hood's McNeil Point is worth the climb
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If you get somehow get tired of the epic views, you can take shelter from the wind in a century-old stone hut. Photo: Kale Williams/Axios
The McNeil Point trail packs misty forests, wildflowers and one of the best close-up views of Mount Hood into one demanding, but rewarding, day hike.
The big picture: McNeil Point is one of the most popular hikes on Mount Hood, and for good reason.
- The out-and-back trail gains more than 3,300 feet of elevation over roughly 10 miles, though there are ways to make it shorter for the adventurous.
Zoom in: I started the hike around 8am on a Saturday and the lot was already full with cars lining the dirt road leading to the Top Spur Trailhead.
- I climbed steadily for a little less than a mile before reaching the first junction. From there, I took the Pacific Crest Trail to the Timberline Trail along the south side of Bald Mountain.
- This is where you'll get your first stunning views of the mountain — unless the morning clouds haven't burned off yet, which was the case for me.
A few miles later you'll take a cutoff trail back to the main route up to McNeil Point.
- Numerous trails intersect here, so having a map or GPS is helpful.
Choose your own adventure: After another couple of miles meandering along the ridgeline, you'll be faced with a fork in the trail and a decision.
- Go right and you'll need to channel your inner mountain goat for a very steep scramble up loose rocks, shaving a couple of miles off the hike at the expense of your thighs.
- Go left and you'll take a longer — though much more mild — jaunt through alpine meadows painted in wildflowers with glacier-fed streams crisscrossing your path.
Whichever way you choose, you'll end up at the McNeil Point shelter, one of nine stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and one of the few that still stands.
- The views of the mountain here are unmatched. Take them in for a bit, or continue all the way to the end of the trail at Ho Rock before heading back down to the trailhead.
- Come prepared for a strenuous day and don't forget to leave no trace,
The bottom line: Don't head to this trail if you're looking for solitude, especially on the weekends, but if you're willing to brave the crowds, the payoff is one of the best around.