The Oak Ridge Trail is a lovely trail that takes you up out of the Hood River Valley, through a mixed conifer forest and on to open slopes with stands of Oregon White Oak.
The trail continues all the way to the top, 2.3 miles, where it joins up with the Surveyors Ridge trail to Bald Butte. You need only go about .9 mile up to GC64MGX Bazillion Dollar View, represented by the Smiley Face on the far right. The 2.3 miles to the top has an elevation gain of almost 2000′, it’s a bit steep.
Just for reference: The Green circle with the white star represents GC4FH6G Parkdale Travel Bug Inn here at the Old Parkdale Inn. Geocaching search for caches shows over 300 caches within a 10 mile radius of the Old Parkdale Inn. We’ll share with you some of our favorites.
The device said it was only .3 from our parked car but as all cachers know this is a straight line and the Oak Ridge Trail is anything but straight. Actually was about .9 miles of pretty much straight up with, I lost track, a lot of switchbacks. But the Bazillion Dollar View of Mt Hood and the Hood River Valley below was so worth it.
I’ve done this hike in the spring when the wildflowers are awesome. Go all the way to the top to Bald Butte is a little over 4 miles one way. This is a spectacular hike with 5 geocaches up the Oak Ridge Trail, 4 before you get to the Bazillion Dollar View. A whole Surveyors Ridge Series on top, 56 caches in the series with a few others thrown in for good measure. This one would be a drive adventure.
Another reference: riders on the Oregon Timber Trail descend into the Hood River Valley via this trail.
Thank you for trusting us to be your home away from home. We’ve posted our Hospitality and Health Policy on our website and we invite you to read online reviews for the Old Parkdale Inn. And then we encourage you to go directly to our website and Book Direct for all the right reasons.
We’re your home base for exploring and enjoying the Hood River Valley and beyond. After a full day, you’ll love the peace and tranquility of the Old Parkdale Inn. Relax in the gardens, perhaps with your favorite beverage, by the bonfire, roast some s’mores, weather permitting of course.
After serving our guests for 23 wonderful years we are hoping to gently step into retirement. We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to have hosted you all in creating lasting memories. In the meantime, we’re still open and delighted to welcome guests through October. Come enjoy our cozy rooms, beautiful surroundings, and warm hospitality just as you always have. Whether you’re planning a relaxing weekend getaway or a scenic Oregon adventure, we’d love the opportunity to host you and share this special place with you.
We don’t know exactly what next year will bring, but for now, we promise to continue offering the same care, comfort, and sense of place you’ve come to know and love, just in a way that allows us to balance our love of hospitality with this new chapter of life.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you back, sharing our home, and serving those hearty breakfasts that have become part of the Old Parkdale Inn experience.
And there may be more to come! If the inn doesn’t sell over the winter, we may open our doors again in the spring. So, as they say, watch this space! We’ll keep you posted as this next chapter unfolds.
What’s to do
The Hood River Fruit Loop is located in the beautiful Hood River Valley at the foot of majestic Mt. Hood offering you a variety of wines, fruits, vegetables, flowers, ciders, and food. Many outdoor adventures, such as kayaking, windsurfing, skiing, snow boarding, and hiking, await. Mt. Hood Meadows, Cooper Spur Mountain Resort, and Timberline Ski areas are only a short drive away, as is the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood National Forest where trails and wildlife abound.
Book your stay at the Old Parkdale Inn and take advantage of our partnerships:
Wet Planet Whitewater Adventures – A 10% discount will be applied at checkout when you use the code we provide to book online.
Cascade Canyon Guide – request code for 10% off trips
