S4 Hike #11 Umbrella and Sahalie Falls Trail (Mt. Hood)

 

Sahalie Falls and Umbrella Falls Trail

Starting Location: Trailhead at Mt. Hood Meadows parking lot, SE corner


Point of Interest : Mt. Hood, Sahalie Falls, Umbrella Falls, wildflowers

Length of hike: 4.4 Mile loop (can be shorter out and back.

Level: Moderate

Bathrooms: Yes, at Mt. Hood Meadows, and at Elk Meadows trailhead (on the loop)

Parking: Huge parking lot at Mt. Hood Meadows, smaller gravel lot at Elk Meadows ($5 fee or NW Forest Pass)

EV Chargers: Yes, at Mt. Hood Meadows

We parked near the Ski Lodge at Mt. Hood Meadows to use the restroom, and then walked across the parking lot to the trailhead. Wildflowers greeted us here, and gave a preview of views to come.



Umbrella Falls is very close to the parking lot, maybe 1/2 mile at most. A nice wooded bridge crosses the creek, with lots of places for photos. The trail is in good shape, even after some rain. We can't see the mountain today due to clouds and the trees.
Sahalie Falls is about a mile away, or a bit more, so if you don't want the whole loop, you can turn around at Sahalie falls. This one is a bit harder to get the view for. You can kinda see the falls from the end of the trail, but some of us climbed down a very steep bank to get this closer, unobstructed view. Also, the water is really cold, duh, snow melt.








After leaving Sahalie Falls, it's another mile or so to the Elk Meadow trailhead, where there is a parking lot and bathroom. We had a nice lunch at a picnic table as well.  




We continued on the loop trail, and the intersection was well marked for Umbrella Falls. Most of the hike so far is through the woods, with lots of birds and berries. 
The trail then starts going through larger and larger meadows, with tons of wildflowers (we went in late August) and more open views. The incline of the trail is gradual, but this part is mostly uphill heading back to Umbrella Falls.
The meadows are actually the ski slopes, which are covered in snow during winter. Plenty of wildflowers, color, and a few small creeks heading down the slopes. 
We were lucky with good weather. While there were clouds, there were also blue spots here and there, and no fog.

At the end, we still had to hike across this large parking lot to get to our cars, but again, that's where the restrooms are. You can also buy a ticket to ride the chairlift up the mountain if you like, and Brewfest was going on while we were there.


All in all, a beautiful hike, with great views, a well maintained trail, and good memories.




And on your way home, be sure to stop by Skyway Bar and Grill in Zigzag. They are closed Tuesday and Wednesday, but we had a great post hike meal here, and good service too. 

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