Bennett Pass Road

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4.7/5 (41 reviews)
Government Camp, Oregon (HoodRiver County)
Last Updated: 12/01/2023
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Trail Information

Highlights

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Camping Category Icon Camping
Forest Category Icon Forest
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Overland Category Icon Overland
Rock Category Icon Rock
Scenic Category Icon Scenic
Snow Wheeling Category Icon Snow Wheeling
Winding along narrow shelf roads, through alpine forests, and past some of the prettiest views in northern Oregon, Bennett Pass Road is a jewel of the Mount Hood National Forest. The amazing views of Mount Hood will be treasured memories for years to come. In the mid-to-late summer, wildflowers bloom along the many hidden hanging meadows and high prairies. Droves of butterflies can swarm around your vehicle on sunny summer afternoons making you think you're in a fairy tale. On very clear days, you can see from Mount Hood and Mount Adams to the north and all the way down south to the Three Sisters and maybe even Diamond Peak. Views to the east span hundreds of miles of high desert and the Oregon Outback.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Bennett Pass (Mount Hood National Forest Road 3550) Road can be run in either direction although the shelf road described in Waypoint 6 is more easily navigated heading east in left hand drive vehicles. Jaw-dropping views of Mount Hood can be had in the vicinity of Waypoint 6 and between Waypoints 12 and 13. Driving Bennett Pass Road to the east will position your vehicle to have its front in photographs of Mount Hood while driving to the west will show your vehicle's rear bumper in photos. The route runs through varied terrain including towering pine and fir forests, rocky shelf roads, thick and powdery dust, deep washed-out ruts, a fire burn scar, and talus road surfaces. On the shelf road segments, exposure of up to 300 vertical feet is possible although except for at Waypoint 6, the road is always at least 1.5 vehicles wide. In the forest segments, downed trees hem in the road at pinch points where it is possible to pop the sidewall on a tire with improper wheel placement. Turnouts are available sporadically but there are areas where oncoming vehicles may be forced to back up for some distance including on shelf roads. Note that this road is seasonally closed (December 1 - April 1) due to snow and to allow other recreational users to have unfettered access to the area. Please respect this seasonal closure.

Trail Reviews

4.7/5 (41)
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Official Crew
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53250
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 12/01/2023

This trail is now closed for the winter.
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Official Crew
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53250
Open
Visited: 11/06/2023

The closure due to the Boulder Fire has been lifted for this trail.
Open
Rated 4/5
Visited: 10/22/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Great trail with a little more effort needed then a standard forestry road. Just a fun run though!
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100
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 10/06/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Bennett Pass is open again after being closed for the 2023 Boulder Fire. It was my first time and I loved it. I would not do this trail with 2WD unless it's dry, at least not alone. High clearance mainly needed for section 9-10 as there are deep ruts / washout. I was in a mildly lifted Xterra on 32s, it was difficult enough to be fun without ever having to worry about breaking something. Aired down for comfort, highly recommended for the long rocky part in the middle after the turn at section 7. Note that the road to badger lake IS still closed due to the fire. The high prairie hike (near where bennett pass ends) to lookout mountain is just 3 miles and has spectacular 360 views at the top.
Trail Review: Bennett Pass Road - John
Trail Review: Bennett Pass Road - John
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Official Crew
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53250
Temporary Closure
Visited: 08/16/2023

This trail remains closed due to the Boulder Fire. While the fire is 100% contained, and the burned area is relatively small, the closures and restrictions remain in place at this time. See the following for details: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1121276.pdf https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1121277.pdf

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