Mt St Helens, Mt Hood, Mt Adams Tragic Triangle Loop Drive Itinerary

Leave Portland (Troutdale or Gresham reachable from I-84) via US 26 climbing to Government Camp, and if you have the time, climbing another 6 miles to visit Mt. Hood's beautiful and historic Timberline Lodge.

Highway 26 will lead you to Oregon Highway 36 that reaches the Columbia River at the wind surfing capital of Hood River, before crossing over to Washington.

On Washington Highway 14, turn left to state highway 141A on the east bank of the White Salmon River.

After connecting with 141 coming out of White Salmon, headed for Trout Lake, you may consider stopping at the bridge at Husum to photograph kayakers and rafters shooting a 12-foot high falls on what used to be classed as an un-runable river.

Do not pause too long in Trout Lake; with its magnificent view of a wilderness Mount Adams, you might not want to leave. From here on you will be on USFS service roads, which are paved, but the numbering system can be a little confusing at first glance. Just remember that the main routes are two numbers, and any branch of that will have the same two, along with two more.

Enter the Gifford Pinchot National Forest past the ranger station on FR 88 headed northwest for Little Mosquito Lake. Here you will turn left on FR 24 (past West Twin Butte) for 2-3 miles to FR 30, which is the road leading in from Carson.

Ten miles or so headed south, turn right onto FR 51 heading downhill, to FR 90. Here turn left, drive 5.4 miles to FR 25, which you follow north to FR 99, the Windy Ridge Road, featured in the virtual tour on this site.

If all this backwoods traveling sounds a bit risky, know that USFS personal, as well as the Skamania CountySheriffs office patrol these main routes. The last time I went this way I had an overheating problem, and while waiting for the engine to cool, I had no less than three offers of help from the forest patrols.

After leaving Windy Ridge you have the choice of heading north on FR 25 to Washington Highway 12 at Randal, where another flip of a coin can take you left to reach I-5 to return to Portland, or go north to Seattle.

If you have the time, and aren't too blown out over volcanoes, this also could be the opportunity to head right on 12, through Packwood, to connect with the highways leading through Mt. Rainier National Park.

(Editors Note: You may want to read, on our sister site MtStHelens.net, the legend of our "Lady", why we call her a lady, and happened because of her tragic triangle affair.)

Click here or on the map above for a printable version of this map and itinerary.

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