Umbrella Falls #667

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Umbrella Falls Trail spans from the Timberline Trail on the west end, to the Elk Meadows Trail and Sahalie Falls Trail #667C on the east end. The Sahalie Falls Trail #667C combined with the Umbrella Falls makes a nice trail loop opportunity.

Park at the Elk Meadow/Sahalie Falls Trailhead along the Mt. Hood Meadows Nordic Center Road (Forest Road 3545). Begin on the Sahalie Falls Trail #667C headed northeast for 0.4 miles to the junction with the east end of the Umbrella Falls Trail. Note: the trail beyond this junction is the Elk Meadow Trail. Turn left (west) onto the Umbrella Falls Trail and begin hiking uphill. You soon cross a nordic ski trail corridor and begin climbing through an open forest. At about 1/2 mile, you come to the Mt. Hood Meadows ski area and start crossing ski runs. These openings can have an assortment of wildflowers.

At 1.34 miles, you come to the junction with the west end of the Sahalie Falls Trail #667C on your left (south). You can return to your vehicle on that trail later. Umbrella Falls is another 1/3 mile up the trail with a crossing of the East Fork of Hood River. Then you can continue hiking the rest of Umbrella Falls to the Timberline Trail and then return and take the Sahalie Falls Trail #667C loop opportunity.

Continuing on the Umbrella Falls Trail for another relatively flat 1/3rd of a mile brings you to the Mt. Hood Meadows Road. Cross the road and pick up the trail on the other side and begin climbing through a series of grassy openings for 1.2 miles to the junction with Timberline Trail #600. At this point, you can return back to the Mt. Hood Meadows Road on the Umbrella Falls Trail, or turn right and continue to the ski area road and take it down to the ski area parking lot and pick up the Umbrella Falls at the lower road crossing. From there, return to the trailhead via the way you came, or take the Sahalie Falls Trail #667C at the junction 1/2 mile down the trail to the same trailhead location.

Umbrella Falls Trail provides one of the easiest access points to high elevation, sub-alpine meadows of wildflowers. The forest is mountain hemlock, silver fir, noble fir, and subalpine fir. Huckleberries, kinnickinnick, and heather cover the ground. Wildflowers include lupine, bear grass, monkey flower, Indian paintbrush, penstemon, columbine, tiger lily and many others. Deer hang out in the forest-lined meadows.