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Snowshoeing at Lower Twin Lake
By Kelsey Samsel | Hiking
Earlier this year, we posted about hiking at Lower Twin Lake near Mt. Hood. Now that it’s winter and the mountain is covered in snow, we want to share our showshoeing experience at Lower Twin Lake.
First and foremost, if you haven’t been to Lower Twin Lake during the summer, add it to your list because it’s not a hard hike and the water is stunning. You can check out our previous post to see photos.
Before heading up the mountain, you are definitely going to want to pick up chains for your car. The trailhead is about 10 minutes past Government Camp and chains will keep you from getting stuck in parking lots. Plus, there are signs saying they are required.
The roads are plowed regularly but the parking lots can be pretty tough to get out of. You might also have to deal with ice if you are traveling home in the evening.
Once you get to the trailhead, it’s pretty straightfoward. You may have to climb over a small snowbank to get to the trail, but it’s a popular area so the snow is pretty compacted from there on.
My friend and I brought snowshoes and to be honest, I think you would be fine without them but my feet stayed significantly drier when I had them on. If you want to do any exploring when you get to the lake, the snowshoes will make it way easier. There was over a foot of snow when we were there.
When we stopped at the lake, the sky was so beautiful. Part of it was glowing and cloudy and to the left it was clear blue.
It was lightly snowing during most of our hike but overall, we stayed pretty dry. We stayed warm while hiking but you are going to want an extra warm layer for when you reach the lake. Once you stop moving, it gets very cold.
This is the perfect hike for a first-time snowshoer (like myself) or someone who snowshoes all the time. We would love to hear what your favorite spots to snowshoe are. Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to tag us in your Instagram photos with #discovermthood.
Type of Trail: Loop out and backLength: 5-6 MilesDifficulty: Medium with the snow, easy in the summer.Elevation Gain: 1,360 ft. – 4,500 at the high point
Extra Details: You need a Forest Pass for this hike. Grab one from the Front Desk of Whispering Woods Resort or at different local location. This page will help you if you don’t know where to look.
The trail is dog-friendly (as long as they are on a leash). Remember to bring bags for waste disposal. We didn’t bring our dog because I was worried he would get too cold.