Potato Hill is a 5.9 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Cascadia, Oregon and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing and is best used from January until March. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
FIRE CLOSURE: From Sep 25, 2020 - May 15, 2021 there are closures in this park or area due to wildfire. For more information, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mthood/alerts-notices
A lot of fresh powder. We planned to do the loop but when we got up there it was windy and snow coming down so we couldn’t see anything so we turned around
Jan18: Icy trail. Okay with shoes, micro spikes would be nice. No need for floatation. Not sure when the last snow was.
It was a very enjoyable hike once you hike up about a mile. The trail was icy in some patches off the start, and you really didn't need snowshoes until much further up. We went up Jack Pine road and came back down the same way. But wow, beautiful views! Will definitely come again! Would love to see the area in the spring or summer and explore hash brown loop.
Beautiful view, snow was iced over in areas, one area of trail takes you through dense regrowth that is dangerous because of the rain and melting around trees. Would be best to drop lower and follow well marked lower trail
I hiked the trail yesterday, the snow at the start was a bit iced over, then as you got up the hill a bit it got better. Used my snow shoes the whole way and worked great. Got a few photo's and it was pretty, but had hoped that it would be a little more beautiful for that! All in all a great hike, the weather was great not too many people on the trail and would be great for first time people using snowshoes !
Enjoyed snowshoeing and exploring. Went up to the top of Potato Hill and had amazing vies of Three Finger Jack, Black Butte, Hoodoo, and other buttes. Came back down and went onto the little hash brown loop to make mileage longer. This loop takes you into a thicker forest area. The snow was spring snowshoeing condition a little mushy. Weather was warm today no coat or gloves needed. Parking lot was almost full when we arrived at 10:00am.
Such a fun trail! Perfect for snowshoeing! We split off from the trail after about 1.5 miles and took a detour up to the top of the ridge, which provided an amazing view - following the ridge led us to the top of potato hill itself (rather than doing the loop). Car park was almost full when we got there at 10:15 on a Saturday, but the trail was not very crowded. You could do the first 1.5-2 miles in just boots but when you reach the turnoff for the loop you’ll need snowshoes or xcountry skis. Highly recommend doing this winter hike- the views are breathtaking!
A peaceful, winter wonderland! Serene and beautiful ascent up from the parking lot; approximately, 2-2.25 miles until you reach the base of Potato Hill where the loop begins. Make sure you download the map if you can as the trail at this point is difficult to find (otherwise, look for tracks but remember the loop goes around potato hill, not up it like many snowboarders and skiers are doing). You have beautiful views of Three Finger Jack and numerous ‘buttes’ scattered across the horizon. This is probably the last weekend before snowshoes are required until the spring. The kids tuckered out before we did the loop, but views were nice. Around the loop, views to the east, including Mt. Washington and others, would also be visible. Highly recommend!
Went for the summit view at potato mountain and not the loop. Beautiful view of the local peaks.
It's all road, and the loop at the top does not exist. Maybe it does during the winter when snow is on the ground and people are using this as a cross country skiing track. Hiking it is all uphill, and the road just stops. The signs for "Hash brown Loop" are misleading. You'll end up backtracking out as the route does not have much guidance and many forks. The view at the top, however, is quite majestic.
This trail was incredible! A beautiful sunny day. Easy to lose the trail of you don’t follow your AllTrails GPS, but an absolutely lovely hike. There are portions of the trail that have no shade. Up at the top, you can see 360 degrees of mountain peaks. A steady climb up but doable even with kids if you plan to take your time.
I would highly recommend this trail. Absolutely stunning views from the top. And an amazing trail, mostly in the open. One of my favorite trails so far!