Dramatic viewpoint and historic stone shelter with close-up views of Mount Hood's glaciers.
“A stone shelter on a shoulder of Mount Hood, looking out over the watershed that supplies Portland its drinking water.”
Plan your Mt. Hood Wilderness trip here, then get your permit from the agency.
Walk-up permit
How to get McNeil Point
McNeil Point is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we alert on.
How to get a McNeil Point permit
- Type
- Overnight
- Location
- Mount Hood Wilderness, Oregon Cascades, OR
How this permit is issued
Get this permit in person at the trailhead or ranger station, or by phone.
Official permit page →Step 1: Check the agency page for the process
This permit is not sold online. Confirm where and when it is issued (and any fee) at U.S. Forest Service before your trip.
Step 2: Arrive early
Walk-up permits are issued first-come, first-served. Where the agency sets a daily quota, popular trailheads can run out on weekends and holidays.
Step 3: Have backup plans
Popular trailheads fill fast. Know alternate routes or dates.
McNeil Point pro tips
- Do not go before July without traction. The Forest Service says the melt-out often runs through June and recommends snowshoes or traction devices until it is clear
- The trail begins at the Timberline Trail, so plan the approach as part of the day rather than an afterthought
- Access is from the north side via Lolo Pass Road / Forest Road 18, then Muddy Fork Road and Forest Road 1825
- The Bull Run watershed is closed to public entry. McNeil Point is one of the few places you can see into it
- Fill out a free self-issued wilderness permit if there is a portal box at your trailhead, May 15 to October 15
More on McNeil Point: Live availability activity
How much a McNeil Point permit costs
McNeil Point permit fee: No permit fee published for this trail.
The McNeil Point hike
- Route Type
- Out & Back
- Duration
- 1 day
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
McNeil Point landmarks
- 1Timberline Trail
Where McNeil Point Trail begins. This is not a trail you reach directly from a parking lot.
- 2McNeil Point Shelter
The destination. Mt. Hood National Forest: excellent views of the Bull Run watershed and the surrounding mountains to the north.
A stone shelter on a shoulder of Mount Hood, looking out over the watershed that supplies Portland its drinking water.
About this permit
McNeil Point is a stone shelter on the northwest side of Mount Hood, reached by a short trail off the Timberline Trail. Mt. Hood National Forest describes the payoff as excellent views of the Bull Run watershed and the surrounding mountains to the north.
The Forest Service publishes one persistent warning about it: this is a high-elevation trail that can take a long time to melt out for summer hiking, often through June. It tells hikers to come prepared to run into deep snow drifts here and there, and recommends snowshoes or other snow traction devices until the trail is clear.
Access is from the north side of the mountain via Lolo Pass Road. Free self-issued wilderness permits are required in the Mount Hood Wilderness from May 15 to October 15 where they are provided at a portal, so fill one out if there is a box at whichever trailhead you start from, and expect a Recreation Pass requirement at the trailhead as at other Mt. Hood sites.
The route
The Forest Service is specific about the shape of this one: the trail begins at the Timberline Trail and ends at McNeil Point. It is the last section of a longer day rather than a standalone trail from a parking lot.
It is also a high-elevation trail that can take a long time to melt out for summer hiking, often through June. The Forest Service tells hikers to come prepared to run into deep snow drifts here and there, and recommends snowshoes or other snow traction devices until it is clear.
Access is from the north side of the mountain: Highway 26 east towards Zigzag, north onto Lolo Pass Road / Forest Road 18 for about four miles, east onto Muddy Fork Road, east onto Forest Road 1825 and north into the McNeil Campground area.
Why it matters
Mt. Hood National Forest describes McNeil Point Trail as a short hike from the Timberline Trail up to the McNeil Point Shelter, with excellent views of the Bull Run watershed and the surrounding mountains to the north. The shelter is the destination, and the Bull Run is the view you cannot get any other way. The watershed is closed to public entry.
The feeling
High, open, and late-melting. Snow drifts hang on in shaded pockets here long after the rest of the mountain has dried out.
McNeil Point hike highlights
- A short trail off the Timberline Trail, not a standalone route from a parking lot
- Snow drifts well into the summer. The Forest Service says the melt-out often runs through June
- Views over the Bull Run watershed, which is closed to public entry and can only be seen from outside it
- A stone shelter at the end
How hard the McNeil Point hike is
- Physical DemandFitness and endurance required4/5
- Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills2/5
- Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential3/5
- NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity3/5
- CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route2/5
Best for: Hikers already committed to a long day on the Timberline Trail who want the best north-side view on the mountain.
Recommended experience: Comfort on steep snow if you go before July, and the navigation to follow a trail that is partly buried.
Not recommended for: Early-season hikers without traction: the Forest Service is explicit about the drifts.
When to hike McNeil Point
Best time to visit
After the melt-out, which the Forest Service says often runs through June. That makes July through September the practical window. Earlier than that and you should be carrying traction and expecting to navigate across snow.
- Peak
- July through September
- Shoulder
- Late June and October
Spring
Under snow. The Forest Service says this trail often takes until the end of June to melt out.
Crowd level · low
- Advantage: Empty
- Challenge: Deep drifts
- Challenge: Route-finding
- Challenge: Traction required
Summer
The season, once the drifts go. July through September is the reliable window.
Crowd level · high
- Advantage: Clear tread
- Advantage: Wildflowers on the approach
- Advantage: Long days
- Challenge: Lingering drifts in shaded pockets
- Challenge: Afternoon weather
- Challenge: Busy on weekends
Fall
Clear and quiet until the first snow returns.
Crowd level · moderate
- Advantage: Best air of the year for the Bull Run view
- Advantage: No bugs
- Advantage: Fewer people
- Challenge: Short days
- Challenge: Early snow
- Challenge: Cold on an exposed shoulder
Winter
Full winter conditions on high, exposed terrain.
Crowd level · low
- Advantage: Solitude
- Challenge: Avalanche terrain
- Challenge: Road access
- Challenge: Winter navigation
McNeil Point photography guide
Golden Hour
Evening from the shelter, looking north over the Bull Run watershed.
Best Light
Clear autumn mornings, when the haze is gone and the northern peaks stack up behind the watershed.
Beat the Crowds
The approach length filters most people out. Weekdays, and before the Timberline Trail crowd is moving.
Classic Shots
- The stone shelter with Mount Hood behind it
- The Bull Run watershed spread out to the north
- Snow drifts across the trail in early July
- Mount Adams, St. Helens and Rainier lined up on a clear day
McNeil Point rules, gear and safety
Gear checklist
Required- Traction. The Forest Service recommends snowshoes or other snow traction devices until the trail is clear, and the melt-out often runs through June
- Navigation, because drifted snow hides the tread
- Layers for a high, exposed shoulder of the mountain
Recommended gear
- Trekking poles for drifted snow crossings
- Gaiters
- A map of the Timberline Trail, since that is how you get here
Rules & regulations
- 01Wilderness restrictions apply in the Mount Hood Wilderness
- 02Mt. Hood National Forest states that free, self-issued wilderness permits are required from May 15 to October 15 when provided at a portal. Fill one out if there is a box at your trailhead
Hazards & considerations
- Deep snow drifts persisting into summer, which the Forest Service calls out specifically
- Steep snow on a high shoulder, where a slip has consequences
- Route-finding across drifted terrain before the trail melts out
- Weather changing fast at elevation with no shelter but the one at the top
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for McNeil Point.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for McNeil Point · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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McNeil Point FAQ
Do I need a permit to hike to McNeil Point?
Mt. Hood National Forest says free self-issued wilderness permits are required in the Mount Hood Wilderness from May 15 to October 15 when provided at a portal, so fill one out if there is a box at the trailhead you start from. Expect a Recreation Pass requirement for parking, as at other Mt. Hood trailheads.
When does the McNeil Point trail melt out?
Often not until the end of June. Mt. Hood National Forest describes it as a high-elevation trail that can take a long time to melt out for summer hiking, and tells hikers to come prepared to run into deep snow drifts here and there, recommending snowshoes or other snow traction devices until it is clear.
What can you see from McNeil Point?
Mt. Hood National Forest describes excellent views of the Bull Run watershed and the surrounding mountains to the north. The Bull Run is Portland's drinking water supply and is closed to public entry, so this is one of the few vantage points over it.
How do you get to the McNeil Point trailhead?
From Portland: east on Highway 26 towards Zigzag, north onto Lolo Pass Road / Forest Road 18 for about four miles, east onto Muddy Fork Road, east onto Forest Road 1825, then north into the McNeil Campground area. The McNeil Point Trail itself begins up at the Timberline Trail.
McNeil Point trail conditions and trip reports
Trail Conditions
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Trip Reports
Write ReportAlternatives to a McNeil Point permit
- Easier AlternativePermit required
Ramona Falls
A 7-mile loop with 1,000 feet of gain to a waterfall over columnar basalt, on the same side of the mountain.
Tradeoffs
Far less climbing and no snow problem, but an unbridged glacial river crossing.
- Similar ExperienceNo permit needed
Paradise Park
Alpine meadows on the southwest flank, reached by Trail #778 with about 2,960 feet of climbing.
Tradeoffs
A different aspect of the mountain and a trail that melts out earlier.
- Similar ExperienceNo permit needed
Timberline Trail #600
The full loop around Mount Hood, which is how you reach McNeil Point in the first place.
Tradeoffs
A multi-day trip with glacial river crossings instead of a single long day.
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