Oregon · Hiking · Near Mount Hood Villages

Old Elk Meadows Trail

0.7 mi
round trip
433 ft
climb
4,553 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Old Elk Meadows Trail 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.

Old Elk Meadows Trail is a short, easy hike in the Hood River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon, about 6 miles from the town of Government Camp. The trail is an out-and-back, roughly 1.3 miles long, with a total climb of about 430 feet from the low point at 4,329 feet to the high at 4,553 feet. The steepest stretch comes early on, with a grade of about 8 percent at about 0.12 miles in. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Government Camp 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. Sahalie Falls and Raven Way, a cross-country ski route, both sit about 0.1 mile away. Alpine Campground and Badger Lake are both within about 4 miles.

Around this trail

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

    Dispersed Camping near Jean Lake (Mt. Hood National Forest)

    Campground

    Campground · 3.2 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 Old Elk Meadows Trail

    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, 5.8 mi away at 3,980 ft. The station sits about 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.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors