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Two segments of the Indian Creek Trail, when eventually joined, will total roughly 6 miles. This shorter sojourn begins high above Hood River and then explores both sides of a canyon surrounding the creek, with an optional coffee break thrown in for good measure. It’s a wonderful urban hike that showcases a ton of wildflowers in spring, blackberries in summer, and a good smattering of color in fall.
This old trail connects the upper and lower parts of the city and is located alongside an old wooden flume that supplied water to a downtown fruit cannery (it is no longer in service). While battered and bruised in some places, the chamber is in remarkably good shape, all things considered.
From the parking lot, walk up the road past a woodshed and pick up the trail on the left. The path descends into the trees briefly before beginning a steady ascent. To your left, oak trees cling to a steep hillside with the Hood River below it. After little more than one-tenth of a mile, you’ll reach a bench with the only real view of the river you’re going to get on this trek, so soak it up.
After four-tenths of a mile, the trail bends to the right and enters the canyon. You’ll hear Indian Creek far below, but you won’t necessarily get a good look at it until later on. During summer, this long stretch is brimming with trail snacks in the form of blackberries and plums. Soon, the flume comes into view and parallels the trail for some distance.
The trail leaves the woods near a power substation, bends to the left, and crosses Indian Creek where it pours through a culvert near a junction. If you want to do the 3.2-mile hike that stays in the canyon, make a left onto the trail leading back into the ravine on the south side of the creek. We’ll come back to that shortly. For now, continue straight to the junction of 12th Street and Pacific Avenue toward a Dutch Bros Coffee, an optional pit stop for a walk-up beverage.
Cross 12th Street and make a right to pick up the trail on your left. The path then descends and crosses over Indian Creek and makes a hard left. Follow the grassy trail alongside the creek for two-tenths of a mile and continue straight onto a boardwalk before arriving at a picnic bench and the official end of this segment. The plan is for the city to acquire an easement here to connect with the other section of the Indian Creek Trail. But for now, it’s private property, so head back the way you came.
After crossing the street and walking down past the Dutch Bros, arrive back at the earlier trail junction at the top of the canyon. Take the trail to the right and enjoy another boardwalk stroll through an attractive forest on the south side of the creek. Ascend a set of stairs and cross over a series of footbridges, staying straight at any junctions.
The trail then passes by an opening where you get a pretty good view of Mount Hood on clear days. Continue hiking through a shady stretch of mixed forest for another tenth of a mile and arrive at a bench with a view of little more than the trees directly in front of it. The trail continues a short distance out to the Betty Lou Avenue Trailhead, but the bench makes for a good turnaround point. Head back to the junction with the main trail, take a right and return to the trailhead parking area.
Distance: 4.2 miles or 3.2 miles, out and back
Difficulty: ◆◆ out of ◆◆◆◆
Distance From Portland: Approximately 63 miles
Directions: From Portland, take Interstate 84 east to Exit 63 and turn right onto 2nd Street. Drive 0.2 miles and make a right onto State Street followed by a quick left onto 6th Street. Continue onto Serpentine Road and, in 0.2 miles, veer left onto Hazel Avenue. Drive a final 0.3 miles to the small Hazel Avenue Trailhead parking lot on the right.