Mount Hood's iconic Timberline Trail reopens to public

One of the most spectacular trails in the United States — and the most iconic pathway around Oregon’s tallest mountain — has reopened in full.

The Timberline Trail, a 41-mile circuit of Mount Hood, was reconnected last week with the completion of a re-routed trail section near the Eliot Glacier field.

That section of trail had been closed since 2006 when a debris flow destroyed a bridge and washed out a large swath of trail.

“Hikers will now be able to circumnavigate Mount Hood along the entire 41-mile route,” Mount Hood National Forest wrote in a news release. “The trail travels through alpine vistas, waterfalls, meadows and west side Cascade forest as it climbs in and out of glacial-fed drainages.”

Terwilliger Hot Springs to close for repairs

Forest engineering specialists determined that a permanent bridge at the old location wasn’t feasible, so they opted to relocate the section of trail, the federal agency said.

“The 1.5-mile reroute will minimize exposure to loose boulders, which otherwise could pose as hazards for hikers,” said Claire Pitner, east side recreation manager for Mount Hood National Forest in January.

The trail wasn't officially closed. The washout simply forced hikers to either navigate across a difficult crossing or simply cut their trip short.

Forest Service employees said finding a sustainable solution was difficult given the mountain’s unstable geology of loose rock and melting glaciers. The cost was also an issue, given Timberline Trail has been rerouted many times in the past due to similar problems.

More than half of the trail is located inside Mount Hood Wilderness. Wilderness permits are required from May 15 to Oct. 15, and group size is limited to 12.

Trillium Lake offers great views of Mount Hood

Most hikers find the fast-moving river fords to be the most challenging part of the trail, the agency said. There is no bridge at the Eliot Branch Crossing, and most glacial river crossings on the flanks of the Mt. Hood Wilderness do not have bridges so hikers should be familiar with safe river crossing practices and be willing to turn back if conditions appear unsafe.

Hike to Mount St. Helens’ Chocolate Falls and beyond