Oregon · Hiking · Mount Hood Wilderness · Near Mount Hood Villages

Gnarl Ridge Cut Off

1.2 mi
round trip
381 ft
climb
5,541 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Gnarl Ridge Cut Off open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Mt. Hood National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Mt. Hood National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Gnarl Ridge Cut Off is a short, easy out-and-back hike of about 1.2 miles in the Mount Hood Wilderness, within the Hood River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail's natural surface makes it a straightforward outing for a day in the wilderness. The route is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.29 miles from the start. The climb totals about 380 feet one way, and the high point reaches about 5,540 feet. The trail is short enough to fit into a longer day of exploring the surrounding area. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Government Camp weather station show July and August highs around 70°F with only about four wet days a month, while winter months bring highs in the mid-30s and rain on most days. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. Elk Meadows Perimeter and the Elk Meadows-Bluegrass Tie Trail #647B are both within half a mile. Nottingham campground is about 2.9 miles away, and the East Fork Hood River offers canoeing about 3.4 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Nottingham

    Campground

    Campground · 2.9 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 · 23 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 Gnarl Ridge Cut Off

    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, 6.7 mi away at 3,980 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Elk Meadows PerimeterPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Elk Meadows Perimeter

Next door

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Elk Meadows Trail #645Photo: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Elk Meadows Trail #645

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Sahalie FallsPhoto: Mike Fisher, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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East ForkPhoto: niiicedave, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

East Fork

~4 min drive

7.04-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 963 ft gain.

Elk Meadows-Bluegrass Tie Trail #647BPhoto: Ryan Snyder, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Elk Meadows-Bluegrass Tie Trail #647B

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Beargrass TrailPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~3 min drive

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Cooper Spur Trail #600BPhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cooper Spur Trail #600B

~6 min drive

2.56-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,864 ft elevation gain

Gnarl RidgePhoto: Ryan Snyder, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Gnarl Ridge

Next door

2.00-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 500 ft elevation gain.

POCKET CREEK NORDICPhoto: niiicedave, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

POCKET CREEK NORDIC

~3 min drive

8.46-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,249 ft elevation gain

Bluegrass RidgePhoto: pmuellr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Bluegrass Ridge

~6 min drive

10.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,888 ft elevation gain.