Oregon
Choose Your Pace: Hiking Mt. Hood and Cascade Mountain Lakes
Program No. 4895RJ
With experts, hike the scenic trails of Mt. Hood and the Cascade Mountains at your pace, discovering hidden waterfalls and lakes and the National Historic Landmark Timberline Lodge.
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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Sep 21 - Sep 27, 2025
Starting at
1,799DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jun 22 - Jun 28, 2025
Starting at
2,069Sep 21 - Sep 27, 2025
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This date is available to book as a private experience for your group!
7 days
6 nights
17 meals
6B 5L 6D
2
Old Growth Forest Hike
Eagle Creek
3
Timothy Lake Hike, Little Crater Lake Hike
Eagle Creek
6
Tamanawas Falls, Trillium Lake
Eagle Creek
7
Program Concludes
Eagle Creek
At a Glance
Hike along sparkling lakes with majestic Mount Hood towering over the landscape, to vistas overlooking the forested Cascade Mountains and to hidden gems like Little Crater Lake. Each day, pick a trail option based on your pace preference and set out with a small group and a nature expert to learn about the history, geology, birds and plants of the area. Enjoy the summer flowers or fall color of vine maples as you hike through old growth, mountain meadows and timberline scenery.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Choose Your Pace
Each day, choose from multiple hiking options based on your desired level of challenge and pace, ranging from 3-8 miles on varied terrain. Elevations of 3,000-6,500 feet.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Visit Timberline Lodge — a National Historic Landmark located at the slopes of Mount Hood — and explore the grounds of this local treasure.
- Hike to the exquisite Tamanawas Falls, a 100-foot waterfall that stems from Cold Spring Creek.
- Experience the beauty of the lakes nestled into this beautiful region, including Mirror, Timothy, Trillium and Little Crater.
General Notes
Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Suggested Reading List
(11 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Choose Your Pace: Hiking Mt. Hood and Cascade Mountain Lakes
Program Number: 4895
Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest
Presented here with 52 photographs, these traditional stories, first collected in 1910, reveal myths and traditions of creation, the salmon and noted geographical features of the territory.
Eden Seekers-The Settlement of Oregon 1818-1862
Good summary of Oregon’s history between 1818-1862.
In Search of Ancient Oregon
Geology is an extremely visual subject, and In Search of Ancient Oregon is a beautifully photographed, expertly written account of Oregon's fascinating geological story. Written by a passionate and professional geologist who has spent countless hours in the field exploring and photographing the state, In Search of Ancient Oregon is a book for all those interested in Oregon's landscapes and environments. It presents fine-art-quality color photographs of well-known features such as Mount Hood, Crater Lake, Smith Rock, Steens Mountain, the Columbia River Gorge, and Cannon Beach, and scenic, not so well known places such as Jordan Craters, Leslie Gulch, Abert Rim, Hells Canyon, Elkhorn Mountains, and Three Fingered Jack. Each of the more than 220 stunning photographs is accompanied by readable text, presenting the story of how Oregon's diverse landscapes evolved — and what we may expect in the future. Until now, no book has presented this dynamic story in a way that everyone interested in Oregon's natural history can easily understand. The combination of extraordinary photographs and the author's lucid explanations make this book both unique and essential for those curious about our own contemporary landscape.
on Mount Hood a Biography of Oregon's Perilous Peak
On Mount Hood is a contemporary, first-person narrative biography of Oregon's greatest mountain, featuring stories full of adventure and tragedy, history and geology, people and places, trivia and lore. The mountain itself helps create the notorious Oregon rains and deep alpine snows, and paved the way for snowboarding in the mid 1980s. Its forests provide some of the purest drinking water in the world, and its snowy peak captures the attention of the nation almost every time it wreaks fatal havoc on climbers seeking the summit. On Mount Hood builds a compelling story of a legendary mountain and its impact on the people who live in its shadow, and includes interviews with a forest activist, a volcanologist, and a para-rescue jumper. Jon Bell has been writing from his home base in Oregon since the late 1990s.
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast-Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska
This easy-to-use field guide features 794 species of plants commonly found along the Pacific coast from Oregon to Alaska, including trees, shrubs, wildflowers, aquatic plants, grasses, ferns, mosses and lichens. PLANTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST covers the coastal region from shoreline to alpine, including the western Cascades. Includes:
* 1100 color photographs
* More than 1000 line drawings and silhouettes
* Clear species descriptions and keys to groups
* Descriptions of each plant's habitat and range
* 794 new color range maps.
Rich and engaging notes on each species describe aboriginal and other local uses of plants for food, medicine and implements, along with unique characteristics of the plants and the origins of their names. For both amateurs and professionals, this is the best, most accessible, most up-to-date guide of its kind.
A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest
The Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest inhabit a vast region extending from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and from California to British Columbia. For more than two decades, A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest has served as a standard reference on these diverse peoples. Now, in the wake of renewed tribal self-determination, this revised edition reflects the many recent political, economic, and cultural developments shaping these Native communities.
From such well-known tribes as the Nez Perces and Cayuses to lesser-known bands previously presumed extinct, this guide offers detailed descriptions, in alphabetical order, of 150 Pacific Northwest tribes. Each entry provides information on the history, location, demographics, and cultural traditions of the particular tribe.
Among the new features offered here are an expanded selection of photographs, updated reading lists, and a revised pronunciation guide. While continuing to provide succinct histories of each tribe, the volume now also covers such contemporary and sometimes controversial issues as Indian gaming and NAGPRA. With its emphasis on Native voices and tribal revitalization, this new edition of the Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest is certain to be a definitive reference for many years to come.
Salmon without Rivers-A history of the Pacific Salmon Crisis
Easy to read book on Salmon, and hatcheries.
The Journals of Lewis and Clark
Abridged, version of the journey.
100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon
Good description of hikes we will be hiking.
Northwest Exposures-A Geologic Story of the Northwest
Northwest Exposures chronicles the events that shaped the region's rock and landforms through the ages. The tale of the Northwest's geology began more than two billion years ago when an ancient continent split, creating oceanfront property in what is now western Idaho. Pacific islands mashed into that coastline, making large parts of Washington and Oregon. These events were followed by monstrous volcanic eruptions, catastrophic ice age floods, and mountains rising to an accompaniment of earthquakes.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest
Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest belongs in the home of every Pacific Northwest resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains:
An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the region's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;
A complete overview of the Pacific Northwest's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;
An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.
The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
7 days
6 nights
What's Included
17 meals (
6B, 5L, 6D
)
3 expert-led lectures
10 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
6 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Eagle Creek
Meals:
D
Stay:
Alton L. Collins Conference & Retreat Center
Activity Note
Check-in from 3:30 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 3:30-5:30 p.m. After you have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to pick up your welcome packet containing the group roster and up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Remember to bring your name-tag (sent previously). Take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax. We will gather at 5:30 p.m. to meet our fellow Road Scholars and enjoy some group socializing activities.
Dinner:
In the Dining Room at 6:30 p.m., we will have a family-style meal featuring fresh local produce with beverage choices of coffee, tea, water included.
Evening:
Orientation: 7:30 p.m. The Group Leader will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Participants in this physically demanding and challenging program can “Choose Your Pace” between two daily routes. Hiking distances will range from 2 to 8 miles at elevations up to 8,000 feet. Specific day hikes will be discussed each morning at breakfast and daily maps will be distributed. Hikes and presentations will be conducted by Group Leaders and local experts. For each route, participants will need to keep up with the group’s hiking pace; most hikes can be shortened according to personal needs. Groups typically start at the same location. Transportation will be via private 15-person vans. We strongly encourage participants to bring and refill personal water bottles each day. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Day
2
Old Growth Forest Hike
Location:
Eagle Creek
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Alton L. Collins Conference & Retreat Center
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van; driving about 48 miles, approximately 1 hour roundtrip. “Choose Your Pace” from routes varying in distance from 3 to 7 miles and up to 300 feet elevation gain; well-maintained forest paths.
Breakfast:
At 8:00 a.m. in the Dining Room, the family-style breakfast offers choices such as eggs, pancakes, hot and cold cereals, potatoes, bread, juice, coffee, tea, water. After breakfast, we will make our own sack lunches with sandwich, snack, and fruit choices. Remember to bring and fill your personal water bottle to take along.
Morning:
We will hop aboard our vans and ride to the trailhead where today’s hikes will begin. This morning, it will be along the pristine and clear Salmon River through old growth forest from 2 to 4 miles with elevation gains up to 100 feet. Our instructor and Group Leader will point out plants and animals we see along the way while walking beneath old growth forests next to the rushing Salmon River. There will be opportunities to rest along the way.
Lunch:
Along the trail, we’ll have the sack lunches we assembled this morning.
Afternoon:
We will continue hiking on a soft carpeted trail along the central Salmon River beneath majestic old growth trees for an additional 4.6 miles roundtrip with 200 feet of elevation gain. Those who choose the shorter route can sit by the trail and enjoy the natural beauty until the longer route group returns and all hike back to the van. We will return to the retreat center with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
Dining Room family-style meal.
Evening:
We will gather for a presentation on aspects of local geology and natural history that is expected to end by 9:00 p.m.
Day
3
Timothy Lake Hike, Little Crater Lake Hike
Location:
Eagle Creek
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Alton L. Collins Conference & Retreat Center
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van; driving about 118 miles, approximately 3 hours roundtrip. “Choose Your Pace” from 2 one-way routes (vans will be shuttled between trailheads) varying in distance from 3 to 7.2 miles with 100 foot elevation gain; well-maintained trails.
Breakfast:
At 7:15 a.m. in the Dining Room, family-style meal. After breakfast, we will make our own sack lunches with sandwich, snack, and fruit choices. Remember to bring and fill your personal water bottle to take along.
Morning:
We will hop aboard our vans and ride to the trailhead where today’s hikes will begin. This morning, it will be along the edge of Timothy Lake with its beautiful views of Mt. Hood. Everyone will hike the same route adjacent to Timothy Lake to our lunch spot, up to 3 miles with elevation gain of 50 feet.
Lunch:
Along the trail, we’ll have our sack lunches.
Afternoon:
Next, the shorter route will take participants in vans to Little Crater Lake, a deep, crystal clear, artesian spring-fed lake. The longer route will take participants 4.2 miles (50 feet elevation gain) to Little Crater Lake. The instructor and Group Leader will point out plants and animals we see along the way. We will return to the retreat center with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
Dining Room family-style meal.
Evening:
We will gather for a presentation on aspects of local geology and natural history that is expected to end by 9:00 p.m.
Day
4
Mirror Lake Hike, Tom-Dick-Harry Mountain, Timberline Lodge
Location:
Eagle Creek
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Alton L. Collins Conference & Retreat Center
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van; driving about 62 miles, approximately 1.5 hours round trip. “Choose Your Pace” from routes varying in distance up to 7.2 miles with up to 1,400 feet elevation gain.
Breakfast:
At 7:15 a.m. in the Dining Room. After breakfast, we will make our own sack lunches with sandwich, snack, and fruit choices. Remember to bring and fill your personal water bottle to take along.
Morning:
We will hop aboard our vans and ride to the trailhead where today’s hikes will begin. This morning, we will hike to Mirror Lake in the mountains surrounding Mt. Hood. Everyone will hike 4.0 miles roundtrip (elevation gain of 700 feet) to Mirror Lake.
Lunch:
Along the trail, we’ll have our sack lunches.
Afternoon:
Shorter route participants will pause to enjoy the natural beauty of Mirror Lake before returning to the vans at the trailhead. Longer route participants will continue hiking from Mirror Lake up to the top of Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness. After returning to the trailhead, we will ride (about 30 minutes) to Timberline Lodge. Considered a masterpiece of “Cascadian” architecture, it was built in 1937 under auspices of the WPA, one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s “alphabet” programs to stimulate economic recovery during the Great Depression. It continues as an iconic ski lodge and mountain retreat that has been designated a National Historic Landmark. One of our instructors will provide a brief introduction to lodge highlights. We’ll then have an opportunity to relax and have drinks and appetizers on our own. We will return to the retreat center with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
Dining Room family-style meal.
Evening:
We will play a video on Timberline Lodge to see more of this historic place we visited today. The wood and stone exterior resembles the outline of the mountain, while the interior boasts fine examples of the era’s iron work, painting, and wood carving — all under the gaze of the mountain.
Day
5
Silver Falls State Park, Trail of Ten Falls Hike
Location:
Eagle Creek
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Alton L. Collins Conference & Retreat Center
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van; driving about 116 miles, approximately 3 hours roundtrip. “Choose Your Pace” from 2 routes varying in distance up to 8.7 miles roundtrip with up to 1,600 feet elevation gain.
Breakfast:
At 7:15 a.m. in the Dining Room. After breakfast, we will make our own sack lunches with sandwich, snack, and fruit choices. Remember to bring and fill your personal water bottle to take along.
Morning:
We will hop aboard our vans and ride to Silver Falls State Park — renowned as the “crown jewel” of Oregon’s state park system — and begin hiking The Trail of Ten Falls, one of America's most impressive waterfall day hikes through forests of Douglas fir, hemlock, and cedar.
Lunch:
Along the trail, we’ll have our sack lunches.
Afternoon:
We will finish hiking the Trail of Ten Falls. North Falls, a 136-foot beauty, is one of the most spectacular falls experiences in the Northwest. We will return to the retreat center with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
Dining Room family-style meal.
Evening:
We will gather for a presentation on aspects of local history that is expected to end by 9:00 p.m.
Day
6
Tamanawas Falls, Trillium Lake
Location:
Eagle Creek
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Alton L. Collins Conference & Retreat Center
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van; driving about 100 miles, approximately 2 hours roundtrip. “Choose Your Pace” from routes varying in distance up to 5.6 miles roundtrip; well-maintained trails, areas with rocks to step over.
Breakfast:
At 7:15 a.m. in the Dining Room. After breakfast, we will make our own sack lunches with sandwich, snack, and fruit choices. Remember to bring and fill your personal water bottle to take along.
Morning:
We will hop aboard our vans, ride to the trailhead, and begin our hike to Tamanawas Falls along a clear, cascading river amid the drier pine habitat of the eastern side of Mt. Hood. The Tamanawas Falls shorter route will take participants 3.8 miles roundtrip (500 feet elevation gain), while the longer route is 5.6 miles (900 feet elevation gain); both are on well-maintained trails with a few rocks to step over.
Lunch:
Along the trail, we’ll have our sack lunches.
Afternoon:
We will hike at Trillium Lake with beautiful views of Mt. Hood. Participants can hike at their own pace on this out and back trail, a maximum of 2 miles roundtrip (minimal elevation gain) and return to the parked vans. We will then return to the retreat center with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
Dining Room family-style meal. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
We will gather for a closing session, watch a slideshow featuring photographs taken by members of the group during the program, and learn about other Road Scholar programs. We expect to finish by 9:00 p.m. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
7
Program Concludes
Location:
Eagle Creek
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Check-out 10:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At 7:15 a.m. in the Dining Room. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
17 Meals
6 Breakfasts
5 Lunches
6 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Sep 21, 2025 - Sep 27, 2025
- Jun 22, 2025 - Jun 28, 2025
- Sep 21, 2025 - Sep 27, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 15 Reviews
Sort By:
Mt. Hood is a pretty area with beautiful hikes. I enjoyed all the hikes. The rooms have a musty. smell. The food is outstanding and they try their hardest to meet everyone needs at the retreat.
— Review left July 5, 2024
Beautiful scenery and great hikes. A very good experience, but be prepared for some strenuous hikes. We averaged over seven miles a day, with many elevation changes, over our five days.
— Review left July 4, 2024
The scenery on this hiking trip is fantastic!
— Review left June 30, 2024
Excellent hiking experience with variety of terrain, beautiful scenery, fabulous meals, knowledgeable guides.
— Review left October 1, 2023
A nice variety of gorgeous hiking trails, great food and lodging. Guides and lodging staff all go above and beyond. We got lucky and had sunny, warm days without a drop of rain. My recent hiking trips with Road Scholar used the listening devices which I really like. This hiking trip did not. Other than that it was 5 stars all the way!
— Review left August 12, 2023
Would highly recommend! Memorable experience! Todd was the best hiking guide ever! Great diversity of hikes, along rivers, along creeks, around lakes with fantastic views of Mt Hood, plus a visit to Timberline Lodge as well as to the local "ski" town, Government Camp.
— Review left October 6, 2022
Delightful, well-managed hiking experience on beautiful and sometimes demanding terrain. Participants encouraged to pace themselves according to their respective interests and levels of fitness.
— Review left July 4, 2022
As my first hiking adventure with Road Scholar, this experience was fabulous and challenging!
The hikes included views of old growth forests and mountain ridge lines, reflective lakes and rushing rivers and falls.A delight for one’s eyes and spirit! Top-notched team leaders shared their wealth of information about the region with witty stories and vivid, memorable descriptions of flora, fauna, geology, and history. They reached beyond the standard European-American narrative to give better insight into indigenous cultures and the impact of human development upon the region. Their experienced hiker tips were priceless!
I appreciated the Choose Your Pace option. It served as a good introduction to Pacific Northwest terrain/weather and encouragement to try hikes I might not have done solo. Loved the small group experience! And the delicious meals! When packing for this trip, good to follow the “Additional suggestions specific to this program” for items essential to outdoor adventures in the Pacific NW. I'm ready for more Road Scholar adventures!
— Review left October 10, 2021
It is a good experience, but this program is a hike. It is not a walk in the park.
— Review left October 9, 2021
Overall, a well organized and challenging program. The 3 guides planned our activities each day in response to weather, etc. Meals were extraordinary. Each day had a short, medium and long hiking option. Pick your poison. Lodge was pretty basic and remote but roomy and comfortable. Our 5 days of hiking visited 5 different topographical zones - river side, easy forest, waterfalls, uphill climb. We also visited a historical site on the Oregon trail as well as Timberline Lodge. Transportation was comfortable - 3 vans for 20 participants.
— Review left October 5, 2021
If you like hiking in a huge group all bunched up this might be the trip for you. Unfortunately, I like to enjoy hiking with a room between myself and others. Some days we spread out but most days the hikes were managed so we were on top of each other. This trip was promoted as small group hikes but if you chose to do the longer hikes we usually had 15 plus people. There was also no mention in the trip description that we would spend so much time travelling to trail heads – a couple of days it was a 3 hours round trip which was disappointing. Most trips with this much driving disclose it so you know what to expect. The food at Collins conference center was outstanding and the kitchen staff was awesome. The views from Tom, Dick and Harry were amazing…probably the best views of any hike I’ve ever taken…and that is saying a lot. Views of 5 snow covered peaks surrounded us. Oregon is a beautiful and I look forward to coming back to the state. Ken, the trip leader was knowledgeable but could be condescending which got old. The other staff members (Nancy and Barb) were a delight.
— Review left October 7, 2019
This program has it all: amazing location, great food which exceeded my expectations in many ways, lovely location of the retreat center (you can actually hike around the retreat center), interesting and challenging hikes with different scenery every day, helpful guides, and overall wonderful educational experience. The last Trillium Lake hike was a real treat.
— Review left July 4, 2019
Excellent program. What really helped was 3 guides instead of the usual two. The head guide Ken just needs to remember that not all of us are camels and need more water than he does but it wasn't a big problem. Excellent food! The variety of hikes and the different pace for slower hikers was a good idea. The guides were really diligent and caring especially during a freak hail storm when one inconsiderate hiker took off on her own and they needed to look for her. They were ready to call out search and rescue. Beautiful scenery in the rain forests and all the water falls and lakes. A real Northwest adventure!
— Review left July 1, 2019
Good balance of hikes for all levels. Stunningly beautiful scenery. My favorite was the old growth forest walk.
— Review left June 30, 2019
Our first Road Scholar trip exceeded all expectations!
— Review left June 29, 2019
