Oregon · Hiking · Near Mount Hood Villages

Elk Meadows Trail #645

Elk Meadows Trail #645Photo: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
8.6 mi
round trip
3,636 ft
climb
5,276 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Elk Meadows Trail #645 open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Hood River Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Hood River Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Elk Meadows Trail #645 is an out-and-back hike in Oregon's Mount Hood Wilderness, within the Hood River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail crosses wilderness boundaries, so plan for a full day on foot. The route is 17.3 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 3,636 feet. The climb starts at about 2,939 feet and reaches a high point of 5,276 feet. That makes it a demanding outing, and the trail is rated expert. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Government Camp show July and August highs around 70°F with only about four wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the mid-30s and rain on most days. The trip takes about 7.5 hours. The Elk Meadows Perimeter and Gnarl Ridge hikes both start within a quarter mile of the trail. Nottingham campground is about 3.3 miles away, and the East Fork Hood River offers canoeing about 3.8 miles off.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Nottingham

    Campground

    Campground · 3.3 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Vertical

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi
  • If it rainsJmasterson, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 24 mi from Mount Hood Villages

    Aviation and automobile museum in Oregon, United States

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Jmasterson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

More in Mount Hood Villages

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Elk Meadows Trail #645

    Best months: June–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      37° / 26°

      20 wet

    2. Feb

      38° / 26°

      17 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 28°

      20 wet

    4. Apr

      45° / 31°

      18 wet

    5. May

      54° / 36°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      59° / 41°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      69° / 48°

      4 wet

    8. Aug

      70° / 48°

      4 wet

    9. Sep

      64° / 45°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      53° / 37°

      13 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 30°

      18 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 26°

      21 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Government Camp, OR, 6.4 mi away at 3,980 ft. The station sits about 1,300 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors