Portland-area residents consider the Mt. Hood National Forest to be, basically, their local playground. And if you want to clue into why there’s that abiding fondness, just hang out around Timothy Lake for a day or two – and riding is maybe the best way to immerse yourself in the abounding beauty.
This loop gives you enough things you have to pay attention to (besides just the scenery) that it will keep you engaged, but it also won’t leave you too whipped to enjoy the rest of your day. There are no nasty climbs – but plenty of swimming stops.
There are multiple places you can start, but we have to pick one, so it’s The Cove campground. But you can set up camp wherever you feel like, and get the same enjoyment. We suggest you make a day or overnight of it; there’s more to enjoy here than just the two-wheel fun.
It seems like more riders do this trail clockwise direction, so we’ll follow that trend. Starting here means you can warm up your legs and get your flow on with a view of the lake. There’s more total people-traffic on this side, but soon enough you’ll be feeling more wild and isolated.
The first five miles or so, the lake will be directly on your right as you pedal. When you reach the far northeast corner of the lake, you’ll face a fork – but there’s no choice to make here; the fork that follows the shoreline is part of the Pacific Crest Trail, and it’s closed to bikes. But you’re actually getting the better fork anyway; more interesting riding lies ahead.
Staying to the left puts you onto the Old 1916 Trail heading south. You’ll gradually angle away from the lake, and the trail will change its nature as you do. Instead of lakeshore cruising, now you’re zipping through a classic Pacific Northwest forest, where the light is dimmed or dappled and everything around you seems to be in shades of green. The shore segment was basically flat; here you get to sample some short climbs and descents that give you that work/payoff relationship that you know so well.
The lake will remain mostly out of view until you get close to the end of the loop. Along the way you’ll loop around the southeast corner of the lake, crossing a few forest roads (including the one you drove in on). To return to the start, you’ll hop onto the Miller Trail and pass several campgrounds, including Clackamas Lake, Oak Fork and Gone Creek. Give them a visual once-over to see if you’d rather stay/ride from them – because odds are you’re coming back here.
When you finish, consider your options. Ride back up the trail a bit to that sweet swimming spot you spied from the bike? Set up camp, put on some burgers and brats, crack a few microbrews? Get up and ride it the other way in the morning? Once you set yourself down in this idyllic environment, you won’t want to leave.
Riding Season
Timothy Lake is at just above 3,200 feet, deep in the Cascade Range. Snow can stick around late into spring some years, so do a little research before you show up. This is a great place to ride in the early fall; the summer crowds have headed home, and you can feel like this actually is your own playground.
