Mount Hood

There’s no shortage of scenic beauty in the Pacific Northwest, but the Mount Hood Infinity Loop in Northwestern Oregon offers more that its fair share of eye candy. The route begins about 20 miles east of Portland as it follows Highway 84 alongside the Columbia River, then heads south through vineyards and farmland to majestic Mount Hood. Finally it circles back north through conifer forests, and offers a picturesque side trip through a waterfall corridor.

The 135-mile loop takes about three hours to drive straight through; however it’s best to spend a few nights in the area, take your time and enjoy the stops along the way. And although the route travels through the mountains and other harsh terrain, there are plenty of wheelchair-accessible stops along the way. So get ready to hit the road and enjoy a wheelchair-accessible slice of the scenic Mount Hood Infinity Loop.

Well Dam!

The first stop stop on this accessible Mount Hood Infinity Loop is Bonneville Dam (www.nwp.usace.army.mil/bonneville/). Built in 1938 by the Army Corps of Engineers, the site features the dam, two powerhouses, a spillway, a navigation lock, fish ladders and a fish hatchery. Just take exit 40 from Highway 84 and follow the signs. Bear right at the security gate and head over to the Bradford Island Visitor Center.

There’s accessible parking in the visitor center lot, with level access to the building. Inside, there’s plenty of room to navigate a wheelchair and there are accessible restrooms around the corner. This fourth-floor lobby serves as an information and welcome center. Start your visit with an elevator ride down to the third floor to watch a movie about the dam; then continue on down to the first floor to see some interpretive exhibits and viewing windows on the fish ladders. Complete your visit with a trip to the roof for a birds-eye view of the dam.

The navigation locks are located a short drive away, with accessible parking in front. There’s ramp access up to the viewing platform and lock visitor center. The visitor center has a collection of exhibits that explain the operation of the locks. And if you’re lucky, a ship will pass through and you’ll see them in operation.

Save some time for a stop at the fish hatchery, which includes accessible parking and paved access around the outside display ponds. There’s barrier-free access to the visitor center, which details the operations of the hatchery. There’s also level access to the nearby gift shop. It’s a pleasant and accessible walk through the shaded grounds around the ponds — and don’t forget to feed the trout.

The View From Washington

As you continue east on Highway 84, you can’t miss the Bridge of the Gods (www.portofcascadelocks.gov/bridge-of-the-gods). Originally constructed in 1926, this cantilever bridge had to be raised 44 feet after Bonneville Dam was completed. Subsequently, Charles Lindbergh flew under it in true daredevil fashion in 1927.

Although you’ll get a better view of it from afar, it’s also worth a short detour to cross this historic structure. From Highway 84, take exit 44 and follow the signs. This two-lane toll bridge, which is just 22 feet wide, spans the Columbia River and connects Oregon with Washington.

Of course once you cross over to the Washington side, you’ll have good view of the bridge, the Columbia River, and the Oregon side of things. A pleasant place to enjoy that view is Skamania Lodge (www.skamania.com), more specifically the Cascade Dining Room at Skamania Lodge. It’s a nice spot for a leisurely brunch, as it overlooks the Columbia River with views of the lush pine forests on the Oregon side. Menu offerings range from brioche bread French toast and a crab eggs Benedict to steelhead tacos, a pacific crab roll and a delicious seafood salad. The choices are tasty and the view is exceptional.

Stay a Spell

Skamania Lodge also makes an ideal home base for a multi-day Mount Hood Infinity Loop excursion. Access is excellent throughout the property, which offers accessible lodge rooms with either a roll-in shower or a tub/shower combination. And if you’d like something a little different, spend the night in the treetops in a wheelchair-accessible treehouse (emerginghorizons.com/sleep-in-a-wheelchair-accessible-treehouse-at-skamania-lodge/). 

The newest addition to the accessible lodging inventory at Skamania Lodge is a luxurious wheelchair-accessible cabin. https://emerginghorizons.com/relax-in-a-skamania-lodge-wheelchair-accessible-cabin/. Nestled away in the treehouse section of the property, this spacious cabin includes a large bathroom with a roll-in shower, a compact kitchen, a separate bedroom, a cozy fireplace and a spacious deck with a firepit — and it’s all wheelchair-accessible. 

Vintage Autos & Aircraft Galore

After a Skamania Lodge visit — or overnight stay — cross back over the Bridge of the Gods and continue east on Highway 84. Take exit 62 about 20 miles down the road, then follow Country Club Drive and Barrett Road to the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum www.waaamuseum.org. It’s a pleasant 25 mile drive, as the scenery transitions from the Columbia River landscape to the farming and agricultural region around Mount Hood.

There’s accessible parking near the museum entrance, with level access over to the building. The large collection is housed in three adjacent hangers, which have cement floors and plenty of room to maneuver a wheelchair. There’s also an accessible restroom on site, barrier-free access to the gift shop, and a power wheelchair available to rent.

The thing that makes this massive auto, aircraft and motorcycle museum unique, is that most of the collection is flyable or drivable. And besides the aircraft and autos, you’ll find vintage furniture, appliances, toys and decorations woven between them. This museum houses much more than airplanes — it includes everything that flies, from balloons to gliders — and it also features a substantial Wright Brothers exhibit. And don’t miss the oldest Boeing aircraft, a 1928 40C mail plane — and yes it still flies.

A second hangar is devoted to military planes and includes a large collection of military equipment, from radios and MREs to bicycles, scooters and even a jeep. The final hangar is filled with over 130 cars, including a 1914 electric car, a Studebaker and a Locomobile. And if you get tired, there are plenty of spots to sit and take a break along the way. It’s an excellent and often overlooked museum.

At the Summit

One of the highlights of the Mount Hood Infinity Loop, is a visit to Timberline Lodge (www.timberlinelodge.com) at the summit. From the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum follow Odelle and Davis Drive to Highway 35 south, then take Highway 26 east to the Timberline Highway. From there it’s just a six mile drive; however the road has up to a 10% grade with numerous switchbacks along the way. Timberline Lodge is located at 6,000 feet, and it’s not unusual to see snow there, even in the summer.

Known as the showplace of Works Projects Administration projects, Timberline Lodge was dedicated in 1935 by President Roosevelt. The consulting architect, Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who designed national park lodges in Yosemite and Bryce Canyon, was known for using natural materials to help his buildings blend in with their surroundings. The Underwood style caught director Stanley Kubrick’s eye, and he ultimately used aerial shots of the property in the opening scenes of The Shining.

And although the drive is certainly scenic, the best plan of action is to enjoy a little time on top, look around the lodge and have lunch. There are two different parking areas on top. The lot close to the lodge is reserved for overnight guests, while the one further away is for day visitors. And the walk to the lodge is uphill from the day-use parking. Still if you stop at the guard shack and tell them you have a disabled passenger they will let you drive in and drop them off. Although there are steps up to the front entrance, there’s plenty of accessible parking near an elevator that takes you up to the lobby level. It’s a pleasant place for a midday break.

Mount Hood History

After you get descend from the mountaintop, take a little time to learn about some local history at the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum mthoodmuseum.org. To get there, continue east on Highway 26, then make a right on Government Camp Loop, about a quarter-mile down the road. The Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum is on the left, with street parking in front.

Accessible parking is located near the museum, with level access over to the building. And although the museum occupies several floors, there’s elevator access between them.

Downstairs, there’s an information center and a gallery that focuses on the history of the ski area and the local ski and recreation clubs. Upstairs there’s a gallery that showcases the works of Mount Hood area artists, and another one that boasts a large collection of skis and details the history of skiing. There’s also a gallery that focuses on the early exploration of the area and one that includes exhibits about the natural history and the regional flora and fauna. All in all this small museum offers a good primer of the area, with volunteers on hand to help you plan your visit, and loads of free brochures available to map out your travels.

Take a Hike

If you’d like to get out and enjoy a hike or two, head on over to the Wildwood Recreation Site www.blm.gov/visit/wildwood-recreation-site, which is on Highway 26 about 13 miles east of the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum. This site has two accessible trails and a nice picnic area. And although there is a day-use fee at this area, the America the Beautiful Access Pass (emerginghorizons.com/how-to-get-a-lifetime-national-park-pass/) is also good there.

The Cascade Streamwatch Loop is located all the way at the end of the the main park road. There’s accessible parking near the accessible restrooms, and level access over to the trail. Make a right just past the amphitheater and follow this .75-mile paved loop through the alder and conifer forest. Be sure and take a slight detour near the beginning of the trail to the underwater viewing window, where you can see the hidden side of the river ecosystem. After you rejoin the main trail, continue alongside the Salmon River and loop back to the beginning. There are benches to rest along the way, and the picnic area near the pavilion includes an accessible table on level ground. It’s shaded by the trees, and a very pleasant place to take a break.

The equally accessible Wetlands Loop can be accessed from the next parking lot. Although there is a connector trail from the Cascade Streamwatch Loop, it’s steep and not accessible.  Accessible parking and restrooms are located near the trailhead, with level access over the .75-mile trail. It begins as a paved trail, crosses the river and continues as a boardwalk through the cattail marsh, before it reconnects to the paved trail and loops back to the parking area.

Million Dollar View

You’ll catch fleeting glimpses of Mount Hood from Highway 26, but for a great photo op continue east along the thoroughfare to an often overlooked viewpoint. It’s located about four miles down the road in Sandy. Turn north at the Walgreens on Bluff Road, then continue on for about a mile to the Jonsrud Viewpoint, on the right.

There’s accessible parking near the viewpoint, with curb-cut access to a brick path to the overlook. From there you’ll get what’s billed as “one of the best views of Mount Hood in Oregon.” There’s also a wheelchair-height viewing scope, which allows folks who are color blind to view the vivid scenery of the Sandy River Valley. This neighborhood overlook is also the perfect spot to wait out the clouds and for an unobstructed view of Mount Hood. It’s a great little detour.

Tracking Sasquatch

Once you’re back on Highway 26, continue east for five miles to Boring, and make a stop at the North American Bigfoot Center northamericanbigfootcenter.com. Located just off the highway it’s easy to find — turn in at the Chevron, then wind past Chester’s Pub to the back of the parking lot. You can’t miss this eclectic attraction, as the entrance is marked with a giant Bigfoot statue.

There’s accessible parking and a level entrance to the museum, which houses Bigfoot evidence and artifacts from around the world. There’s plenty of room to navigate a wheelchair throughout the galleries, and to roll up to a life-sized Sasquatch (named Murphy) for a photo.

The galleries are filled with photos, films and descriptions of first-person sightings of Bigfoot from around the world. From Vietnam and Australia, to Western Sumatra, California and of course the Pacific Northwest, there are Bigfoot stories from nearly every corner of the world. There’s also a robust collection of Bigfoot artifacts, including, footprints, handprints, fingerprints and even hair (in a Nutella jar). And if you’d like some first-hand information on Bigfoot, the museum is staffed with experienced field researchers who are happy to share their stories. Don’t miss the gift shop, which has a solid collection of Bigfoot books, clothing and assorted trinkets. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s quite entertaining to browse through the assorted offerings.

A Waterfall Detour & More

After you’ve had your Sasquatch fix, continue east on Highway 26 to Troutdale and make a quick stop at Barn Hall (www.facebook.com/THSkingofroads/). Although this small museum has limited hours (check the website), it includes some interesting exhibits about the history of the area. The barn itself was constructed in 1988 by the Troutdale Historical Society, and 10 years later they opened their doors. The exhibits change up a bit every few years, but they always focus on the history of the Columbia River Gorge.

There’s no striped parking in the gravel lot, but depending on the crowds, it’s usually possible to parallel park an adapted van, with room to deploy the ramp. There’s barrier-free access to the museum, and plenty of room to maneuver a wheelchair inside. Although it’s a small museum, it’s definitely worth a stop if you can catch it open when you’re in the area.

To complete the Mount Hood Infinity Loop, hop on Highway 84 and continue east. There is, however, a highly recommended short scenic waterfall detour along the way (emerginghorizons.com/explore-the-historic-columbia-river-highway-waterfall-corridor/). From Highway 84 take exit 22 at Corbet, then follow Corbet Hill Road south on this short section of the Columbia River Highway. The two-lane road meanders past five waterfalls, and it’s especially scenic during the spring runoff. You can drive straight through or stop and linger along the way. Either way, it’s a worthy side trip. And when you’re through, hop back on Highway 84 and continue on your way. It’s the perfect ending to any Mount Hood Infinity Loop scenic drive.