Oregon · Hiking · Near Mount Hood Villages

Horsetail Creek

Horsetail CreekPhoto: OregonDOT, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
10.0 mi
round trip
5,220 ft
climb
3,649 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Horsetail Creek open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

As of · Source: USFS · Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Horsetail Creek is a 10-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, managed by the Forest Service. The route starts at about 1,421 feet and climbs to a high point of 3,649 feet, with a total elevation gain of 5,220 feet for the round trip. That makes it a hard hike, and the steepest stretch comes around 4.3 miles in at a 33% grade. The trip takes about six hours. The climb is a major part of the challenge, so plan on time for both the ascent and the descent. Nesmith Point sits just 0.1 mile away, and Moffett Creek is 0.4 mile off. The Columbia Pearl climbing area and Oneonta Creek, a paddling spot, are both about 3 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Ainsworth Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 2.3 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Trailhead Taproom & Outdoor Store

    Bar

    Open after 6
  • If it rainsIan Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Harlow House Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 18 mi from Mount Hood Villages

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Mount Hood Villages

Local outfitters

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

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Nesmith PointPhoto: OregonDOT, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Nesmith PointPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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