Alternative Summer Hikes

Views from Starvation Ridge. Photo: Kevin Machtelinckx

by Kevin Machtelinckx


With great weather comes great compromise here in the Pacific Northwest. For hikers seeking to soak up that coveted vitamin D and get the blood flowing in those legs, that compromise usually comes in the form of sharing the trails with countless others having the same idea. With Portland’s booming population in recent years, some of the go-to hiking spots that once allowed us to escape the bustle of the city are attracting crowds as big as you’d encounter at a Portland Trump protest. For better or for worse, Eagle Creek, Dog Mountain, Saddle Mountain, Hamilton Mountain and McNeil Point all seem to have succumbed to the same overpopulated fate in recent seasons. So where might one set their sights if they still want to get out and beat the crowds? Check out a few of these lesser-known hikes that offer alternatives to their popular counterparts while maintaining a reasonable distance from Portland.

Spruce Run Lake—Alternative to Saddle Mountain
Though not comparable to the views found on Saddle Mountain, this 6.8-mile out and back hike to a secluded lake gives you the opportunity to explore the vegetation and foliage common to Clatsop State Forest. This hike starts in the Spruce Run Campground but soon heads into the dense forest where few people think to venture. At 1,580-feet of elevation gain, the hike provides a nice alternative on hot summer days by staying out of the sun and next to a water source.

Hardy Ridge—Alternative to Hamilton Mountain

Table Mountain from Hardy Ridge in autumn. Photo: Kevin Machtelinckx

What this hike lacks in waterfalls, compared to Hamilton Mountain, it makes up for in summit views. The slight disappointment felt on Hamilton Mountain’s anticlimactic summit is nowhere to be found as you pop out of the leaf-littered forest and onto Hardy Ridge, which gives great views up and down the Gorge. Hardy Ridge is just adjacent to Hamilton Mountain, but sits further north from Highway 14, so peace and quiet is a sure bet. Be sure to catch the sunsets from up here as the evening light bounces colors off the walls of Table Mountain’s cliffs to the east.

Yocum Ridge—Alternative to McNeil Point
If you’re looking for the pristine alpine environment that McNeil Point and Paradise Park feature, but less of the human traffic jams found on those hikes, Yocum Ridge is for you. As long as you can bear the crowds during the first 3 miles, which share the same trail to get to the very popular Ramona Falls, you will be rewarded with the high alpine meadows and solitude you’ve been looking for. The round trip can be a long one, 16 miles, but the payoff is a fantastic viewpoint overlooking Zigzag Ridge, with Mt. Hood in the background. Turn around and you’ll be treated to views all the way to the coast, with the peaks of Elk Mountain and Saddle Mountain (surely packed with people!) poking their summits toward the sky.

Mt. Defiance via Starvation Ridge and Warren Lake—Alternative to Dog Mountain
Standing staunchly opposite Dog Mountain, on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, Mt. Defiance is certainly no secret. The nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain required to attain the summit are regularly traveled by those looking for a muscle-busting training hike. However, most opt for the slightly more direct Mt. Defiance trail when the Starvation Ridge option just to the east offers a slightly longer, yet more serene option to the top via Warren Lake, which can serve as a destination in itself.

Tanner Creek—Alternative to Eagle Creek
Just down the road from the hugely popular Eagle Creek, along the Historic Columbia River Highway, is the seldom-visited Tanner Creek Trail. The trail meanders through old growth forest and mossy blowdown while Tanner Creek runs parallel to the trail, interrupted only by the spectacular Wahclella Falls. Combining the many trails in the area together offers numerous variations on distance and elevation gain to cater to your particular calf-burning desires.