Oregon · Hiking · Near Mount Hood Villages

Shell Rock Lake

0.8 mi
round trip
273 ft
climb
4,242 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Shell Rock Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Clackamas River Ranger District. It doesn't name Shell Rock Lake, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Shell Rock Lake is an easy hike of about 0.8 miles in the Clackamas River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The nearest town is Ripplebrook, about 4.7 miles away. The trail is an out-and-back with a total climb of about 273 feet, so the one-way gain is about 150 feet. The steepest part comes early, at about 0.2 miles in, with a grade of about 13 percent. The route is natural-surfaced. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Government Camp weather station show July and August highs around 69 to 70°F with only about four wet days a month, while winter months bring highs in the mid-30s and rain on most days. Hideaway Lake campground sits just 0.3 miles away, and the Cottonwood Meadows and Shellrock Lake Trail #700 hikes are both within about 1.4 miles. Shellrock Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 1.9 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Hideaway Lake

    Campground

    Campground · 0.3 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Subway

    Fast food

    Open after 6
  • If it rainsIan Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Philip Foster Farm

    Museum

    Museum · 25 mi from Mount Hood Villages

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Ian Poellet, 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 Shell Rock Lake

    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, 16.4 mi away at 3,980 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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HIKE

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

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