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Best Mountain Hikes near Portland

10 routes near Portland qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 25.1 km and 551 m (1,808 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 69.6 km.

That is 11 percent of the 91 routes we map near Portland. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 25.1 km against 11.1 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 551 m (1,808 ft) on average versus 245 m (804 ft) across the wider area.

Mountain routes trade effort for scale. Expect sustained climbing, quick weather changes and views that make the numbers worth it. The mix is broad: 1 are rated easy and 4 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Expert

Banks-Vernonia Trail

Oregon · United States

Distance
36.4 km
/ 22.6 mi
Elevation gain
801 m
Typical duration
9 hr 26 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Chinook Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
69.6 km
/ 43.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,531 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Bluff Mountain Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
9.9 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
218 m
Typical duration
2 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Crown Zellerbach Trail

Oregon · United States

Distance
35.0 km
/ 21.8 mi
Elevation gain
770 m
Typical duration
9 hr 3 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Hamilton Mountain Loop

Washington · United States

Distance
11.4 km
/ 7.1 mi
Elevation gain
250 m
Typical duration
2 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Hamilton Mountain Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
126 m
Typical duration
1 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Hardy Ridge Loop

Washington · United States

Distance
10.9 km
/ 6.8 mi
Elevation gain
240 m
Typical duration
2 hr 38 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Larch Mountain Trail

Oregon · United States

Distance
10.6 km
/ 6.6 mi
Elevation gain
232 m
Typical duration
2 hr 33 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

McIntyre Ridge Trail #782

Oregon · United States

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
204 m
Typical duration
2 hr 14 min
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Banks-Vernonia TrailOregon36.4 km801 m9 hr 26 minExpertApril to October
Lewis & Clark Regional TrailWashington51.8 km1,139 m13 hrExpertApril to October
Chinook TrailWashington69.6 km1,531 m18 hrExpertApril to October
Bluff Mountain TrailWashington9.9 km218 m2 hr 23 minModerateApril to October
Crown Zellerbach TrailOregon35.0 km770 m9 hr 3 minExpertApril to October
Hamilton Mountain LoopWashington11.4 km250 m2 hr 45 minModerateApril to October
Hamilton Mountain TrailWashington5.7 km126 m1 hr 23 minEasyApril to October
Hardy Ridge LoopWashington10.9 km240 m2 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
Larch Mountain TrailOregon10.6 km232 m2 hr 33 minModerateApril to October
McIntyre Ridge Trail #782Oregon9.3 km204 m2 hr 14 minModerateApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Lewis & Clark Regional Trail, Banks-Vernonia Trail, Chinook Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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