The Mount Hood National Forest is 62 miles (100Â km) east of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than 60 miles (97Â km) of forested mountains, lakes and streams to the Olallie Scenic Area, a high lake basin under the slopes of Mount Jefferson. The Forest includes and is named after Mount Hood, a stratovolcano. The Forest encompasses some 1,067,043 acres (4,318.17Â km2). Forest headquarters are located in Sandy, Oregon. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the Forest was 345,300 acres (139,700Â ha). The Forest is divided into four separate districts - Barlow (with offices in Dufur), Clackamas River (Estacada), Hood River (Mount Hood-Parkdale), and Zigzag (Zigzag).
In descending order of land area the National Forest is located in parts of Clackamas, Hood River, Wasco, Multnomah, Marion, and Jefferson counties.
HistoryEdit
Mount Hood National Forest was first established as the Bull Run Forest Reserve in 1892. It was merged with part of Cascade National Forest on July 1, 1908 and named Oregon National Forest. The name was changed again to Mount Hood National Forest in 1924.
In 2010, Mount Hood National Forest was honored with its own quarter under the America the Beautiful Quarters program.
RecreationEdit
The Mount Hood National Forest is one of the most-visited National Forests in the United States, with over four million visitors annually. Less than five percent of the visitors camp in the forest. The forest contains 170 developed recreation sites, including:
- Timberline Lodge, built in 1937 high on Mount Hood
- Lost Lake
- Burnt Lake
- Trillium Lake
- Timothy Lake
- Rock Creek Reservoir
- The Old Oregon Trail, including Barlow Road
Other common recreational activities in the Mount Hood National Forest include fishing, boating, hiking, hunting, rafting, horseback riding, skiing, mountain biking, berry-picking, and mushroom collecting. A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail passes through the National Forest on the flanks of the mountain. Mount Hood is a popular destination for mountain climbers.
Several nonprofits lead free hikes into the National Forest to build support for further protection from logging and off-road vehicle use, including BARK and Oregon Wild.
Mount Hood National Recreation Area was established within Mount Hood National Forest on March 30, 2009. The recreation area comprises three separate units.
WildernessEdit
There are eight officially designated wilderness areas within Mount Hood National Forest collectively adding up to 311,448 acres that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Acreages are as of 2011.
- Badger Creek Wilderness at 29,057 acres (118Â km2)
- Bull of the Woods Wilderness at 36,731 acres (149Â km2)
- Clackamas Wilderness at 9,181 acres (37Â km2)
- Lower White River Wilderness at 1,743 acres (7Â km2) not counting 1,063 acres (4Â km2) on BLM land
- Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness at 65,822 acres (266Â km2)
- Mount Hood Wilderness at 63,177 acres (256Â km2) includes the peak and upper slopes of Mount Hood
- Roaring River Wilderness at 36,768 acres (149Â km2)
- Salmonâ€"Huckleberry Wilderness at 62,455 acres (253 km2)
The Olallie Scenic Area is a lightly roaded lake basin that also offers a primitive recreational experience.
Push for National ParkEdit
A campaign which began in 2004 and is currently still running as of December 31st 2016. Mt. Hood has attempted at becoming a National Park since the early 20th century.
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Mount Hood National Forest - US Forest Service
- Mount Hood National Forest - Wildernet.com
- Hiking Mount Hood National Forest - GORP
- Mount Hood National Park Campaign - MHNPC
