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 Reporter |
Summary: This is a great trail to take on a sunny afternoon. Not the traditional way to get to Larch Mountain, but a very good look at several falls along the way. Once you pass Multnomah Falls, you enter a lush green forest and meander along the river for 6.8 miles and gains over 4000ft. You will pass no less than 5 waterfalls on the way; some are small and shallow, while others are up to 40ft or more and plunge into deep green pools. The trail crosses the river several times. Keep an eye on your footing as you go, the thick canopy does not let in large amounts of light to dry the trail out very quickly after a rainstorm. Once you get to the top of the trail there is a large picnic area with tables that makes for a nice lunch break. Be sure to take the 1/4 mile trail up to Sherrad Point. From this vantage point one can see the following Cascade Mountains. Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and the top of Mt. Jefferson. What an awesome view. Trailhead: Take I-84 to the Multnomah Falls exit, park in the lot and walk under the freeway via the tunnel. The trail starts next to the lodge and takes you past beautiful Multnomah Falls on your way up. (Lat:45.567639 Lon:-122.11645) Trail Guides for Larch Mountain Trail, Columbia River Gorge Oregon: Hiking the Columbia River Gorge by Russ Schneider (Falcon Guide) 60 Hikes within 60 miles of Portland by Paul Gerald (Menasha Ridge Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Hood River Ranger Station 6780 Highway 35 Mt. Hood - Parkdale, OR 97041 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Drew Furnia, who has posted 23 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 5 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Phil B on 2/22/2010 Hiked on a sunny day in February. Just a little snow and ice toward the summit. Make sure you go the extra .25 miles past the picnic area to Sherrard point... there are no signs that I saw, just look around a little bit and you will find a paved path near the dirt road and old foundation remains. There is some awesome old growth on this hike. I think the first mile is the hardest, it gets easier after you reach the top of Multnomah falls. 
Reviewed by M Sawasaki on 7/15/2009 This was supposed to be a very nice 7 mile loop for my husband and my 3 kids to go on... we started out at the top of the Larch Mountain picnic area and we're going to do the loop back... well, this trail is not well identified. We wound up hiking from 12:15pm until 7:30 pm and had to call 911 to help us get out. We are from California and have hiked Yosmite up and down... trails there are clearly marked, and it is impossible to get lost. Here, we were totally shocked at how many times we came to a fork and no sign! I think the forest service could do a better job at marking the trails. It was a beautiful hike all the same, and I think if we knew where we were going, we would definitely do the hike again.
Reviewed by JE on 7/12/2009 I hiked Larch Mt. for the second time this past Saturday. It's a great hike, and one of my favorites. I didn't summit, but got about 10-15 mins past the 1.5 miles to summit sign (so I'm guessing I was within +/- 1 mile). I had to stop due to time constraints. I started early (i.e, 6:45AM and was back at the lot by 11:00AM). I carried 2+ Liters of water, and would recommend more if going to the summit. Also, carry make sure to carry good trail food (e.g., fruits, granola, etc) 
Reviewed by tyler on 5/24/2009 was very hard, me and my brother hiked it in about 7 hours there and back to the multnomah falls parking lot. We only had a liter of water so i recommend bringin much more if you choose to go. But had amazing views and bridges made out of half a log just like in the movies.
Reviewed by James on 5/2/2009 Attempted this hike Three times early last summer. Each time was spontaneous, late in the day, and after having already been out and about, so I wasn't ever much prepared for the hike. Snow was the real factor in not reaching the summit. The third time up I was so determined that I spent over an hour lost at the top due to following orange tags that eventually blended in with forest service tags. That's what I get for leaving my compass behind. Also, I always take the Wahkeena Falls trail head as it's a lot less crowded and only tacks on an extra mile.
Reviewed by ASR on 10/12/2008 Very nice view. I would recommend parking in the E.Larch Mountain road parking trail head and starting the hike from Sherrard point. You could do #441 (2) to Onenata trail and back (2.7)
Reviewed by KS/KC on 9/5/2008 My parnter in crime and I did the hike down Larch Mt. to Mult.Falls on 9/4/08. It was heaven we enjoyed every mintue of it the beautiful falls and the different areas was great. There was some diffulcts along the way the rock slide it took a little longer to cross and the ground was really ruff. I have diabets and I have I disbelt. But if take your time and take in all the beauty you will have a great time. Thank you and have fun. Take and lunch and sit by one of falls and fall in love like we did. We are going to try to due the falls to larch mt. in the future.
Reviewed by Randy on 8/4/2008 Did this hike with my Daughter yesterday. Very nice after the initial climb up Multnomah Falls. Gorgeous waterfalls up to the second log bridge. Not as scenic, but still enjoyed the remainder up to the top. Gorgeous view at Sherrard Point. Liked hike up better than hike down. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Oregon Hiking, Oregon Trails, Oregon Hikes, Multnomah County Hiking, Multnomah County Trails, Multnomah County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||