Lost Lake, Oregon on Mt. Hood: Adventure + Fun

Just two hours from Portland, this breathtakingly beautiful spot has everything you need for the perfect family day trip: hiking, boating, camping, yurts, cabins and a general store fully stocked with ice cream. They’ve made it so easy to enjoy Lost Lake, Oregon that it’s practically a crime not to go.

I know that planning day trips with kids can be a little tricky—how far do you go? Will there be something to interest all the kids, no matter their ages? How much food do you pack? Will the hike be too long?—but since I’ve already made this trek, I’m here to share all the details.

Read on to learn all about visiting Lost Lake, Oregon with kids (or even without ’em!). You’ll want to head up Mt. Hood as soon as you can—or at least pin this post for later!

A perfect kids’ hike around Lost Lake

Hiking with my family is pretty much my all-time-favorite thing to do, but we sometimes struggle to find new destinations that won’t be too hard for my kids.

Hiking around Lost Lake with kids is a no-brainer: Not only is it gorgeous, offering postcard-perfect views of Mt. Hood, but it’s entirely flat.

Level 10 travel tip: Part of the loop around Lost Lake is made up of boardwalks. Just go clockwise from the general store to hit up this section. Know, though, this is the busiest section of the trail because it runs along the day use area.

The loop is 3.25 miles, which made it on the long side for my little hikers (ages 2 and 4). My 4-year-old managed the whole hike by herself but I ended up carrying Kiwi for about half of the hike.

Like with all hikes with young children, you’ll want to allow for plenty of stops. While hiking Lost Lake with kids, you might see newts swimming near the shore, patches of snow (we found several even on a hot May day!) and the unfortunately named but absolutely gorgeous blooms of the skunk cabbage. (Check out this picture guide of Lost Lake wildflowers for more to spot!)

About halfway around the lake, some of the trail is washed out. There are two or three stretches of approximately 15 feet where you’ll have to balance on rocks in the river to continue (or do as Hubs did and simply take off your shoes to walk through the water). There are impromptu trails that go up and around these sections but they’re steep and not suitable for young children.

Right in between these stretches, there is a rock beach—perfect for taking a power-up break with the kids. We stopped for snacks but my girls were too busy wading in the cold water and throwing rocks to eat.

Overall, hiking Lost Lake with kids was one of the most rewarding hikes we’ve done with children in Oregon.

Boating on Lost Lake with kids

Last summer while hiking around Trillium Lake, we decided we want a canoe. We haven’t made the leap (yet!) but we rented one at Lost Lake for a practice run. The entire family—including the kids and even our dog—were 100% on board.

Lost Lake offers incredible views of Mt. Hood’s snowy peak, and you get a perfect vantage point from the middle of the lake.

You can rent canoes, row boats, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards for between $20-25/hour at the general store. Note that during peak season (June-September), they enforce a 2-hour minimum. Life jackets are included in the rental price.

You can also bring your own canoe or other watercraft. The rental price is a bit pricey, but the experience of paddling around Lost Lake and taking in the view of Mt. Hood from the water is priceless.

We’ve been back to Lost Lake since that first day trip from Portland, of course. On our most recent visit—when we camped at Lost Lake—we brought our paddle board. Friends we camped with also brought a kids kayak (which we’re purchasing for our kids’ birthday!).

Our kids are now 9 and 7, old enough to paddle out onto the lake. We also love having one or both kids on a SUP and an adult paddling the crew around.

The views of Mt. Hood from the middle of Lost Lake are stunning. It’s no wonder that this is one of the most-photographed places in Oregon.

Lost Lake Campground

The Lost Lake Campground is a wonderful spot for camping on Mt. Hood. In fact, the campsites here are the nicest of anywhere we’ve camped in Oregon.

That’s a big claim.

Campsites at Lost Lake Campground are enormous. We camp with an 8-person tent to fit our family of 4 plus 2 dogs (one of whom is 100 pounds). Well, our enormous tent fit easily—and we could have fit another one of the same size on our campsite, with tons of room to spare.

Our campsite wasn’t the exception. We camped with 2 other families, for a total of 6 adults and 8 kids. All the campsites were huge! All the kids ran back and forth between the sites, rode their bikes on the loop, explored the woods behind the campsites and even put on a talent show.

Lost Lake Campground has 148 spots, most of which can be reserved. (Reserve your Lost Lake camping trip here.) Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance. For summer camping and weekend trips especially, reserve as far in advance as you can. These spots fill up fast. So if you want to camp at Lost Lake, Oregon in July, like we did, make your reservation in January.

There are no flush toilets or showers at the Lost Lake Campground. Well maintained vault toilets are stationed throughout the campgrounds. There are potable water spigots, too.

Lush woods of Doug fir and spruce surround the campgrounds. Our kids climbed logs, made forts and found plenty to do around the site.

Lost Lake Campground is not next to the lake, though. You can hike about a quarter-mile along the Old Growth Trail from Loop A to the South Day Use Area, which we did several times. The South Day Use Area is much less busy than the North Day Use Area because you don’t get the spectacular views of Mt. Hood from there. This area has easier access to the lake along with more picnic tables, though.

If you’re going to the lake for the day, you’ll probably want to drive to a day use area. That way you can pack your picnic, paddle boards or kayaks, dogs and whatever else you’ll bring. If you drive, go early to get a spot. Parking at Lost Lake day use areas is like a competitive sport.

Travel pro tip: Buy campfire wood on your drive in. You can buy it at the Lost Lake General Store for $9 a bundle, but it’s significantly cheaper at gas stations and grocery stores along the way.

Visiting Lost Lake with kids: Everything you need to know

• Lost Lake is just under a 2-hour drive from Portland. To make a whole day of your trip, stop in Mt. Hood on the way back for ice cream—or in Parkdale’s Solera Brewery for even more stunning views of the mountain.
• Entrance to the lake is $9 per car. Parks passes are not valid because the lake is run by a private company, Lost Lake Resort.
• There are vault toilets near the general store but no other toilet facilities on the lakeshore trail.
• The best view of Mt. Hood from the Lost Lake trail is about a half-mile counter-clockwise from the general store, or just a short distance from parking at the North Day Use Area. The viewpoint is well marked.
• Lost Lake is busy on warm days, and summer is peak visiting time. Arrive early (before 10am) for easiest access to parking.

If you liked this post, I know you’ll love my post on other family-friendly day trips from Portland, Oregon. Click on over because I know you’ll find more inspiration for travel with your kids!

Have you ever been to Lost Lake? Would you paddle a canoe with your kids?

The post Lost Lake, Oregon: Mt. Hood’s beautiful hike, camping + boating appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

What you’ll get visiting Gifford Pinchot National Forest

This 1.3 million-acre national forest surrounding Mt. St. Helens is an absolute treasure. Visiting Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a slam-dunk sure-bet for stunning views, gorgeous hikes, nature play and family-friendly camping.

From views of snow-capped mountains to second-growth forest (since some of this area was decimated during the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens), from pristine creeks to kid-friendly hikes, I can’t wait to revisit Gifford Pinchot National Forest with kids.

Explore, play, discover in Gifford Pinchot

With 1.3 million acres, it’s tough to write an exhaustive list on visiting Gifford Pinchot National Forest with kids, so I won’t even try. What I will do is share a few highlights.

Camping at Gifford Pinchot

We stayed at the Iron Creek Campground in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which is about a 20-minute drive from Randle, Washington. The campground is large—it has just under 100 sites—but sites felt roomy. The campsites are divided between four loops, and we couldn’t even see our neighbors from our spot.

Campsites are shaded and are tucked in the forest, which means you don’t get hot, direct sunlight as soon as dawn comes. In fact, one morning the girls slept until 8 am!

The family-friendly campground in Washington includes flat, paved roads for bike riding and a 1.5-mile loop trail that winds along the Cispus River and around the entire campground. It was easy terrain for our kids to hike, and there were plenty of downed logs to climb on along the way. We also stopped at a river bank to throw rocks in the river, of course!

Note that the only restroom facilities are vault toilets. (The kids mostly peed outside anyway, abiding by my dear Uncle Dick’s rule to never miss an opportunity to pee outside!!)

Level 10 travel tip: You can get ice (or ice cream!) in Randle if you run out.

Hikes and waterfalls in Gifford Pinchot National Forest

At the recommendation of one of the campground hosts, we hiked to Covel Creek Falls, about a 10-mile drive from Iron Creek Campground. Park in front of the Cispus Learning Center (46.4399° N, 121.8486° W) then cross the road to catch the trail.

You’ll hike through old-growth fir and spruce forest and along Covel Creek. The intensity and variety of green hues had us stopping to marvel throughout the 3-mile kid-friendly hike. The girls loved crossing logs and climbing onto tree stumps—they’re like little forest fairies!

Note that signage isn’t great along the trail, and two bridges are out. That just means there are two places you have to scramble a bit, but we were far from the only family who managed. I helped Kiwi (aged almost 3) up and down some of the embankments, and Peeper (aged almost 5) managed on her own. “Obstacle conquered!” Peeper shouted each time, and she was so proud!

IMG_6576 from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.

The real payoff is Covel Creek Falls, a gorgeous waterfall you can hike behind. The final ascent just before the waterfall is steep, but Peeper managed it. (By this time I was wearing Kiwi. Hey, she made it most of the way up!) We very carefully walked down behind the waterfall, and it was an unforgettable experience for the girls.

Level 10 travel tip: When it gets steep, you’ll be tempted to turn around if your kids start to complain. About halfway up the steep section there’s a level spot with fallen logs that’s perfect for a snack break. Power up here then tackle the rest of the ascent—you won’t be disappointed in Covel Creek Falls!

Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center

If you’re driving to Gifford Pinchot from Portland, make sure to stop at the Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center at the base of the volcano. For us on our road trip from Portland, it was exactly halfway to our destination in Gifford Pinchot and so was a perfect opportunity to use the bathroom (I have the world’s smallest bladder!) and stretch our legs. The Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center is almost exactly one hour from Portland.

Inside the visitor center, you’ll find an information desk that was more like a hotel concierge. The park staff were incredibly helpful in recommending kid-friendly trails around Mt. St. Helens and telling us about road closures. (Even in late May, several passes on Mt. St. Helens were still closed due to snow.)

We also walked through the interpretive displays ($5 admission for adults). My kiddos were much to antsy to wait while I read the (sometimes long) explanations so I didn’t get to learn as much as I’d like about the eruption, but they did enjoy some of the interactive parts of the exhibit—mostly pushing buttons and walking underneath a model of the volcano. There is also a short video that plays twice an hour at :05 and :35, but we didn’t watch it: The last thing I wanted for my kids after a road trip was to sit down!

Level 10 travel tip: If you’re pressed for time, feel free to skip the interpretive displays. We only spent about 10 minutes walking through, but I don’t mind spending the admission fee for such a short time: I figure it’s my way of supporting the park, since parking here is free.

Hiking Silver Lake at Mt. St. Helens

From the Mt. St. Helens interpretive center, you can access a 0.6-mile hike around Silver Lake—an ultimately kid-friendly and accessible trail. This short hike is entirely flat, goes through forest as well as wetlands, and has bridges—which are pretty much my kids’ favorite things on the planet.

(Our conversations about kid-friendly hikes go something like this: Me: “We’re going on a new hike today!” Kids: “Yeah but are there bridges?” Me: “…”)

We listened to the distinctive call of red-winged blackbirds, which nest in the cattails growing in the wetlands here. The girls also chased butterflies and loved looking for other wildlife. Thousands of migratory birds pause at Silver Lake, making it an excellent spot for bird-watching. Also, a fascinating bit of trivia: Silver Lake is also home to the Bladderwort aquatic plant, which is carnivorous! When insects brush against it, a piece of the plant closes around the unsuspecting bug and is slowly digested. Feed me, Seymour!

Stopping at Silver Lake is the perfect hike and way to stretch your legs when you’re traveling to Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Exploring Gifford Pinchot National Forest with kids

There’s so much to see in Gifford Pinchot National Forest—it’s like nature’s playground.

So much of kids’ lives today are scripted, scheduled and constrained, so I cherish time my girls spend outside. As we kept repeating all weekend, “We have no agenda.” So if the girls wanted to hold a centipede for five minutes, cross the same stretch of creek 10 times or get “lost” in the woods behind our campsite, it was all good. We had no place to be except present.

Covel Creek, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.

That’s the true treasure of going to a place like Gifford Pinchot National Forest with kids: It’s off the grid. It’s beautiful. It’s quiet. It’s the perfect environment to reconnect with each other and with nature.

We’ll be heading back to Gifford Pinchot, Washington again soon. There’s still so much to explore! See you out there!

PS – Don’t miss my post all about the Best Camping Hacks!

The post Stunning Gifford Pinchot National Forest: Camping, Waterfall Trails + More appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

If you’re anything like me (and probably 99% of other moms), you’ve been there: You’re on Facebook or Instagram, scrolling through your friends’ posts, when you see photos from a family-friendly event, a festival, an annual celebration or some other outing that happens once a year. But you didn’t get the memo, and you didn’t plan for the event, and you missed out.

Ouch.

This used to happen to me all the time. We went to the Tulip Festival on the last possible day, after most of the flowers had lost their petals, because I’d completely spaced when it started. I found out about Dozer Day, when kids get to drive bulldozers and big rigs themselves, after the fact. I was busy and neglected to plan a family volunteering opportunity for Earth Day. In short: Everyday life got in the way of planning fun family activities.

Then last year I got wise. I started setting up reminders in my Google calendar for a year in advance.

Before you write me off as a neurotic overplanner, hear me out! Read on to see how this google calendar hack can help you hit up all the events you’ve always wanted to attend—without missing out.

Never miss another family-friendly event

Here’s how my Google calendar hack works:

1. Make your calendar proactive.

When I find out about a cool family-friendly activity—even one that already happened—I add an event in my Google calendar for two weeks before the event will happen. So if I read a blog post about the Waterfront Blues Fest, which starts 4th of July weekend, I’ll make an event for June 15.

The two-week timeframe works for me, but you may want to adjust based on your family’s schedules. I find that setting the event for earlier makes it too far away, and later means I’ve probably already made plans.

2. Include event details.

The whole purpose of this Google calendar hack is to save you time, so in the calendar event, add details in the event description. What to include:
-url of the event’s web site
-blog post summarizing the event
-details such as costs, parking information, etc.

3. Plan your outing in real time.

You’ll get an alert on the day you set your calendar event. You probably forgot about entering the event way back when, but now you have roughly two weeks to work it into your family’s schedule!

4. Push the event to next year.

I know, I know, between gymnastics meets and birthday parties, you may not have the flexibility to go to the super-cool event you flagged for your family. That’s ok, life happens. This Google calendar hack makes it super-easy to push the reminder to next year. Simply go into the event and change the date to next year. Then you’ll get another reminder—with hopefully the opportunity to actually go!

Busy moms: You don’t have to remember everything!

Here’s the thing: We moms (and dads, too!) want to take advantage of all sorts of fun family activities, especially the ones that only come once a year: After all, they’re often tied to the seasons or holidays or things you can only get during a given month. But because festivals and other events aren’t on your radar year-round, you’re likely to forget about them—until your social media feeds are blowing up with that thing you totally missed.

But you have enough on your plate. You’re busy raising kind, strong, compassionate, curious kids—not to mention packing somewhat nutritious snacks and picking up the dry-cleaning and paying the credit card bill.

So anything that helps busy moms (and dads) make life easier gets a big ol’ thumbs-up in my book.

So give my Google calendar hack a try. I bet it’ll help you and your family enjoy more outings this year—and say goodbye to #fomo for good.

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