John Muir once said, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” Today was a ‘dirt-path’ day…I was heading to Mount Hood in Oregon and ready for a fun, stunning hike.

We stayed overnight in The Dalles, and drove about an hour to the Pacific Crest No. 2000 Trailhead via Lolo Pass and began our thrilling hike. I can’t even put into words how gorgeous the views were, and my mouth visibly dropped at the first sight of Mount Hood along this trail. The path is approximately a 7-mile round trip and provides incredible views of Mount Hood’s massiveness and snowy peak. I would recommend bringing water and some snacks along the hike so you can take breaks and enjoy the scenery.
Unfortunately we didn’t encounter a lot of wildlife, but we found out it isn’t very common to see bigger animals. On the other hand, I saw so many beautiful wildflowers (since it was mid July) which made each step of the hike well worth it.
Overall, the hike wasn’t incredibly difficult for me, and it is considered a moderate hike in Oregon. Throughout the trail, the scenery changes a lot: from the start there were a lot of flowers and tall trees everywhere, and seemingly out of nowhere, the hike opens up and provides an astounding view of Mount Hood and other mountains all around.

There are also a lot of other trails you can take when you’re in the area looking for a good hike, but I will say that most of them are long and not super easy. (They’re all actual hikes and not strolls in the park.) After a successful hike, we came back to The Dalles and went to Bargeway Pub for dinner. If you’re ever in The Dalles, I highly recommend Bargeway Pub. It’s a gorgeous restaurant right on the river and has a live band as well as outdoor & indoor seating. There are also mountains in the background and it truly feels like you’re in a movie!
A hefty meal was just what I needed after the hike, and I’m sure John Muir would be proud of my day on a dirt path!
Be sure to join me on my next adventure: the Clarno Unit of John Day Fossil Beds :)
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