Ramona Falls

Ramona Falls, Oregon — What to Know Before You Go Ramona Falls has ended up on the cover of Moon and Lonely Planet Oregon guides more than once — it's a genuinely unique, beautiful waterfall. Which makes it a little strange that there aren't that many trip reports out there for it. So here's mine. The trail itself is easy — it's the getting there that has a couple of quirks. You have to cross the Sandy River at some point, and the road leading in near the trailhead gets rough enough that it's tough for a small car to handle comfortably. The Hike We did it on a weekend, round trip somewhere around 7–8 miles depending on exactly how you count it, and it took us about 3–4 hours. The trail condition itself is decent, and partway through you cross the river on a log bridge — a fun little addition to the hike. Along the way there's a creek with small fish swimming in it, and rocks covered in moss everywhere — it has that deep, immersive forest feel. Add in glimpses of Mt. Hood's snowy peak popping into view as you climb, and it's a great combination for photos. By the time you reach the falls, the cool mist hits you almost instantly — a nice payoff after the walk in. We got to the trailhead around 8am on a Saturday and it wasn't crowded at all — by the time we reached the falls, there was only one other group of hikers there. Ramona Falls sits right at the foot of Mt. Hood, so throughout the climb you keep catching glimpses of its snowy summit peeking through. Mt. Hood, the Sandy River, forest, and a waterfall — hard to beat that combination. It's Longer Than It Looks The trail isn't difficult and doesn't involve much elevation gain, but it really does take a while — plan for around 4 hours for the full loop. Bring enough water, and seriously, wear sunscreen. I didn't put on enough and came home with swollen, sunburned arms. The River Crossing At some point you'll need to cross the river. If water levels are high, that means balancing across a log bridge, which tests your balance more than you'd expect. Otherwise, you can just accept wet shoes and wade through — a lot of people hiking with dogs just do that instead of dealing with the log bridge. Quick Tips Small cars may struggle on the rough road near the trailhead — keep that in mind if that's what you're driving. Round trip is roughly 7–8 miles and takes about 3–4 hours — bring enough water for the full distance. Wear sunscreen. Genuinely, don't skip this one. Expect a river crossing — either the log bridge (balance required, especially when water is high) or wading through in shoes you don't mind getting wet. Go early on weekends if you want it quiet — 8am start meant barely any other hikers.