Hamilton Mountain
Summit and saddle loop
The Route
A loop above Beacon Rock State Park passes waterfalls and Hamilton Mountain’s summit.
- Hamilton TrailheadState-park approach
- Hardy & Rodney FallsWaterfall branches
- Hardy Creek Junction1.3 miles from start
- Hamilton SummitRocky ascent past false summit
- Saddle & Hardy CreekLonger loop return
Forest & Waterfalls
The first mile climbs a broad forest trail through old-growth Douglas fir. Short branches visit Hardy Falls and Rodney Falls with Pool of the Winds. Beyond the falls, stairs and steeper trail reach the Hardy Creek junction, about 1.3 miles from the start; this is where the summit and loop approaches separate.
Summit & Saddle Loop
Hamilton Mountain Trail climbs rocky switchbacks past a false summit to the top. WTA flags substantial erosion before the false summit. The longer return continues along the ridge toward the saddle, then uses the old-road and Hardy Creek trail connections to rejoin the initial approach. This is the 7.5-mile loop; a direct summit out-and-back is six miles.
Terrain Along the Route
Forest, waterfalls and basalt cliffs lead to the summit, with a loop return through the saddle.
Approximate guide figures for the named route and endpoint, not a current measured track. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
Hamilton Trailhead, Columbia River Gorge, WA
Access Notice · October 20, 2026
WTA’s October 20 source page reports severe trail erosion beyond Hardy and Rodney Falls, with added difficulty in wet weather. Open the current route notice before travel.
Route Choice
The approximately 7.5-mile loop; the direct summit out-and-back is about 6 miles.
Trailhead & Approach
Use the Hamilton Mountain start within Beacon Rock State Park, not the Beacon Rock summit lot. The falls, summit and Hardy Creek return all use this same initial forest approach.
Parking & Entry
Discover Pass required. Leashed dogs are listed by WTA. The loop and direct out-and-back have different distances; the selected 7.5-mile outing uses the saddle/Hardy Creek return.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Recent Trip Reports
Open the route-specific WTA reports and compare the hiking date, endpoint and reported conditions.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.