Hike - Burnt Lake, Mt Hood NF, Oregon

Hiked with friends and Buddy Boy (the dog) to Burnt Lake on the Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon. The hike began in second-growth Douglas-fir Forest with huge stumps and evidence of fire all around. Not too far up the trail however, we entered the Mt. Hood Wilderness where the forest turned into lush old-growth Douglas-fir forest.  

According to sources, Burnt Lake got its name from the “Clear Creek Fire” that burned through the area back in August 1906. While the forest has grown back there was still a lot of evidence of the fire such as large, burned out trees, snags and logs. 

 Except for having to climb over a few large logs and fording a few small streams, the first half of the hike was pretty easy. The second half however was a bit steeper with a few difficult rock scrambles and more stream crossings where my shoes got soaking wet. 

I think the streams were running higher than normal due to recent rains and snow melt. Burnt Lake was beautiful and included a spectacular view of Mt Hood from the southern side of the lake. 

We also saw a fair number of wildflowers on the hike including pacific trillium, stream violet, calypso orchid & skunk cabbage. I hoped to see some flowering pacific rhododendron, but apparently it was too early and the only flowering native rhododendrons we saw were at lower elevations near the trailhead.

Pacific trillium (Trillium ovatum)

Stream violet (Viola glabella)

Calypso orchid (Calypso bulbosa)

Skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum)