Columbia Hills – Crawford Oaks Trailhead to Dalles Mt. Ranch

8.9 miles of hiking • 1500' elevation gain •

My wife and I were looking for a new place to go and were inspired by the recent Columbia Hills Hike from Woodswalker! We had tried this hike in 2008 and didn't get anywhere because of the lack of signs and online documentation. The Crawford Hills TH is quite nice, but the parking lot was full, so we parked along Hwy 14. There is a great map on the bulletin board at the TH that I never found online, and it was a big help. We can also attest to the great signage at all trail intersections!

The Balsam Root is at its peak from what I can tell, and the flowers are just a pleasure to see covering the fields in a colorful display. The Dalles Ranch is also a real gem of historical value and it's somewhat eerie walking the grounds. There is a cemetary with both small and large headstones of which most weren't easily readable. There is also a covered area that displayed plenty of pictures of past owners. You can also drive to the ranch on the Dalles Mt. Rd. where a nice new parking lot resides.

Mt. Hood was visible for much of the hike and we could even see Mt. Jefferson until the air quality faded in the afternoon. The wind picked up in the afternoon but it was so warm that the wind was welcome!

This hike was such a pleasure with all its views and opportunities to explore. I highly recommend getting up there soon to catch the flower show!

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