Oregon · Hiking

Ouroboros

OuroborosPhoto: ReinventedWheel, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.0 mi
round trip
319 ft
climb
657 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Is Ouroboros 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.

Ouroboros is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, managed by the Forest Service. The route is about 2 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 78 feet, and it starts and ends near 644 feet, with the high point at 657 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 0.84 miles in, where the grade reaches 12 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cascade Locks show July highs around 80°F and lows near 56°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. That station sits about 500 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the hike run a little cooler. Jokulhlaup and Buteo Drop are both within a mile, and Wyeth Campground is about 1.7 miles away. Windy Slab, a climbing area, is roughly 2.6 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Ouroboros

    Best months: April–October. 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

      42° / 33°

    2. Feb

      48° / 34°

    3. Mar

      54° / 36°

    4. Apr

      61° / 41°

    5. May

      68° / 47°

    6. Jun

      73° / 52°

    7. Jul

      80° / 56°

    8. Aug

      82° / 57°

    9. Sep

      76° / 51°

    10. Oct

      63° / 45°

    11. Nov

      50° / 39°

    12. Dec

      43° / 33°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cascade Locks, OR, 3.3 mi away at 142 ft. The station sits about 500 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

JokulhlaupPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Jokulhlaup

Next door

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Nick EatonPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

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

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Pct - Washington Section HPhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Buteo DropPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Herman CreekPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

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AugspurgerPhoto: mjfmjfmjf, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Pandion DriftPhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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~1 min drive

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Gorge Trail #400Photo: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~3 min drive

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