angels rest trail

one of the best hikes in the columbia gorge. not too long, not too easy but also not too long or difficult. and the view is rewording!

In summer this is a popular hike, and one of the busier ones. But the trail is well maintained and the shady hike welcome on a summer day. Winter ice, like this day, will close the trail, but the lower areas will be kept ice-free.

This can be a strenuous hike as are many hikes up the walls of the Gorge. You will pass through amazing old growth forest and to a couple areas with rather decent views.

Took a birthday hike it the top, what a view ! I really recommend this hike, rate it a moderate trail. Shady and sunny exposed sections, but the views...on a clear day you can see for miles up and down river. Once you make it to the top, sit, enjoy, watch the red tail hawks circling below you. Drawback is that it's popular and weekends can be crowded, suggest a weekday if you can. Enjoy.

I love fee free sites and this trail is very scenic. Bring a rain coat since it rains often. The trail is marked well offers great views of the Gorge.

A great hike for all levels! There are quite a few switch backs, but overall for the average walker/hiker this is a great trail. Shady and cool, there's always a nice breeze from the nearby water. Once you get to the top you're presented with a beautiful view of the Columbia Gorge! Not to be missed!

Go for this great trail, you'll need a little energy...ice cream cones at the lodge at Multnomah Falls is a good source. The trail goes through old-growth forests and along streams. Several waterfalls will delight you and make a photo necessary.

A friend of ours told us about this but she said to take the road all the way up is SCARY and people have left their rental cars at the top and walked down as the dirt road is extremely narrow and scary. So we took the main road in town to the dirt road that leads to a parking lot you can park and get out and still still the amazing falls without stressing over driving the narrow drive to the top. That was enough for me. It was beautiful and the zoom on the camera captured it all.

The trail to Angels Rest is one of the more popular trails in the Gorge, and for good reason. It leads to one of the better lookouts on the Oregon side, via a moderately difficult hike of about five miles round trip. To reach the trail take I-84 East to to the Bidal Veil exit, parking is at the intersection of the interstate access road and the historic highway. Two parking areas are available, still it can be difficult to find parking on nice summer weekends so going early is a good idea. You will encounter many other hikers on the trail, and many dogs. The trail tends to be muddy in spring. I personally think it is not a bad idea to take water along. The upper reaches of the trail are not shaded. Overall the trail is steep, but nothing too extreme.The path at first is pretty level but starts switchbacking up the slope fast. After about a mile there is a waterfall (Coopey Falls if memory serves) and a bridge crossing the creek feeding it. After further elevation gain the trail leaves the forest and comes into an area of an old forest fire where there is exposure to the sun. Further up one crosses an area of a rock slide, after which a side trail cuts sharply to the left to the exposed spine of Angels Rest. Some scrambling is required to reach the very end of the trail, and some of the cliffs off the side of the ridge go down a long way, so caution is warranted. We have done the scrambling part with kids, and with dogs, so it is not too bad as long as one takes their time and is cautions. At the end of the ridge there are rocks to sit down and to enjoy the rather stunning view up the Gorge to Beacon Rock and beyond.Go back as you came, loop options are also possible via Devils Rest and on.

Having lived here all of my life, I have driven by the large (relatively) parking area at the Angels Rest Trailhead dozens of times, and never really noticed it. In July, King and I packed up early and were the third car in the lot, and started up the hill.It's an up hike, but, just at the point you're starting to weigh payoff versus pain, the payoff comes in the form of magnificent glimpses of the Columbia River Gorge, and at the top are the most glorious large rock formations and a view to remember forever. I hiked up to Angels Rest, and crossed over through Wahkeena Springs (sweet spot) to the Wahkeena Falls trail to come back down. The trails are decently marked (take your map anyway as stuff happens), and the only issue was that some idiot neglected to notice that once out at Wahkeena, there was a three mile hike along the Historic Scenic Highway to get back to the van. On a sunny Saturday in July. Very narrow, very busy road, very bad idea - if you're going to do the loop, park a car at both trailheads and take the civilized path back. Otherwise do an up and back. I made it the first two miles and then made the choice for life (actually, King made it - he went down on his belly and refused to continue letting me block him into the nettles) and called a friend to come rescue me.There are points on the between trail that are going to be marshy when the rains come (if the rains ever come this year), but boot up and you should be fine. Don't recommend this trail if you've been sitting on the couch drinking beer for two years, but if you're in decent shape, you'll love it. Allow four hours for the loop, three for the up and back.