Indian Creek Trail in Hood River, OR

Hood River’s Indian Creek Trail is the perfect destination when you’re looking for a stress-free hike in the Columbia Gorge. Easy, scenic, and uncrowded, it’s a place where you can find a parking spot at noon on a beautiful Saturday. A local favorite, the trail is less about jaw-dropping vistas and more about quiet beauty. Have a ramble through the woods, see the wildflowers, and watch for lil’ lizards. After your hike, the restaurants in Hood River are only a few minutes away. Here’s what to expect on the Indian Creek Trail.

Lizard sighting on the Indian Creek Trail

Quick stats

Distance: 3-4 miles out and back

Elevation gain: 250 feet

Difficulty: Easy

ADA access: No

Know before you go

• Cost: It’s free to hike the Indian Creek Trail. You don’t need a parking pass.

• Parking is on the shoulder of Hazel Ave near the trailhead. I had no trouble getting a spot late morning on a Saturday.

• Amenities: None

• Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.

• Hazards: Watch for poison oak.

• Kids: The Indian Creek Trail is a family-friendly hike without major hazards like drop-offs. The trail is narrow and uneven at times and wouldn’t accommodate a stroller.

• Season: All year

• Navigation: Large trail maps are at every trailhead.

Ookow blooms in late spring

The sections

The Indian Creek Trail has two sections. There isn’t an easy way to walk between them. I’ve heard that plans are in the works to connect the trails. Until then, I’d pick one or the other.

• The north section starts in a residential neighborhood in Hood River. It’s an out-and-back hike that splits into two forks at the end. The total distance is about 3-4 miles, depending on whether you do one or both forks.

• The south section is just outside Hood River. It’s about 3 miles out and back and goes through a more rural area.

I’ll talk about the north section here. I like how convenient it is to town and that it has a view of the Hood River.

Where to start

Hazel Ave Trailhead

The Indian Creek Trail has many trailheads. Unless you happen to live in one of the neighborhoods along the trail, the best place to start is the Hazel Avenue Trailhead. Parking is on the shoulder of the road. Spots are limited, but I wouldn’t expect any problems finding a space. The trailheads don’t have restrooms or other amenities.

You could also walk to the Hazel Avenue Trailhead from downtown Hood River. It’s about a half mile away. Just a heads up that the walk to the trail will be much more uphill than the trail itself. Also, parking is metered downtown.

Indian Creek Trail

Starting at the Hazel Avenue Trailhead, the Indian Creek Trail passes a mysterious old shed, then enters the forest. Since the route is through neighborhoods, I thought it might feel more like an urban hike than a nature walk. It was a pleasant surprise how much the hike felt like being in the woods. Oaks, maples, and conifers shade the trail. Wildflowers bloom in spring. In the fall, I’d expect good color from the leaves.

Indian Creek Trail

In about a half mile, you’ll reach the best viewpoint on the Indian Creek Trail, a bench overlooking the Hood River. Behind it, bachelor buttons and vetch cover a grassy slope.

Wildflowers in early May

Sitting on the bench, you can look past the oak branches to see the Hood River make a winding course through a lush forested canyon.

Hood River Viewpoint

After the viewpoint, the Indian Creek Trail heads away from the Hood River and follows Indian Creek.

Indian Creek Trail

The rest of the Indian Creek Trail is more about enjoying a peaceful time in nature than big dramatic moments. I loved how quiet it was on a late spring Saturday. I often plan my hikes to avoid crowds, going at odd times and in inconvenient weather. It was a treat to grab some friends and go for an easy hike at any old time on the weekend. The wildlife watching on the Indian Creek Trailhead was also surprisingly good for an urban hike. Look for birds, lizards, and garter snakes as you walk.

Western fence lizard

Now and then, the Indian Creek Trail reminds you that you’re still in town. Houses perch on the hillside. You’ll walk by a few oddities, like an old wooden flume that used to transport water.

Flume on the Indian Creek Trail

At one mile, you get a nice look at Indian Creek just before the trail splits. The trail to the right continues southwest. It’s the version of the hike on AllTrails. The fork to the left heads back toward the Hood River, then veers south. Each fork is only about 0.5 miles, so it’s not hard to do both. I liked the left fork a little better for the scenery, but it’s a close call.

Honesty blooms along Indian Creek

Left fork

We’ll head left first. The main reason I preferred this direction was the boardwalk over patches of skunk cabbage just after the trail split. At the beginning of May, only a few yellow flowers remained, but the large leaves give the trail a jungly feel.

The boardwalk

After the boardwalk is a little wooden footbridge where I saw a pair of quails waddling across.

Valley quail crosses the bridge

The rest of the trail is through a forest with some large oak trees. Dogwood blossoms and balsamroot were nice bonuses. Towards the end, you pass a trailhead in a housing development, then reach a viewpoint. On clear days, you can see Mount Hood. The trail ends a little after the viewpoint. When you reach the end, head back to the fork.

Dogwood and oak tree on the Indian Creek Trail

Right fork

Back at the fork, the trail heading up the hill to Dutch Bros continues the hike.

Indian Creek Trail

At the top of the hill is an intersection. Look for the trailhead marker on the other side of 12th St.

The trail continues across 12th St

Across 12th St, the Indian Creek Trail continues a short distance through woods and fields. It has a little boardwalk section, but no skunk cabbage this time.

Indian Creek Trail

The trail ends at a picnic table next to Indian Creek. Turn around here. Beyond it is private property.

End of the trail

Getting there

Navigate to: Indian Creek Trail - Hazel Avenue Trailhead

To reach the Indian Creek Trail from Portland, take I-84 E to Exit 63 in Hood River. At the end of the ramp, take a right onto 2nd St. In 0.2 miles, turn right onto State St. In another 0.2 miles, turn left onto 6th St, then continue onto Serpentine Rd. In 0.2 miles, take a left onto Hazel Ave. The trailhead will be on your right in 0.3 miles. Park on the shoulder. The drive from Portland takes about an hour.

Enjoy your hike on the Indian Creek Trail!

With love,

Emma

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