Fun Day Drives Out Of The Portland Area – Travel Like A Local

Mt Hood Oregon, photo by Allen Beck, AKOR Services, All Rights Reserved

This photo of #MtHoodOregon was taken from a viewpoint from Sandy Oregon by me (years ago).  Mt Hood is one of the reasons for your drive today.

FYI:  I am not sponsored or compensated by any of these locations or establishments mentioned in this article.  These are my independent opinions. 

As a travel agent, I like to consider myself an ambassador for the Pacific Northwest.  Since I am in the Portland-Vancouver metro area, I do help people travel away from this area (and back again).  But one of my goals is to be an ambassador for the great Pacific Northwest, bringing people here and showing them the great places that I have come to know over the years.  For me, it’s not only about setting up trips that cost a lot of money.  These trips that I am describing today can be done in a single day (or more), in your own car.  No charge for this information from me.  Consider this my public service.

As I am writing this, it is the 1st day of spring, and right now is a great time for this trip as all the cherry trees are in bloom.  Spring is a great time to take this drive and see all the colors coming back to life after a long winter.

Right at this moment, it is still raining, but that’s what makes it green here in Oregon and Washington states.  A little rain never bothers the locals!

This trip will be described as starting from Gresham, Oregon on Highway 26, heading east:

Sandy, Oregon

Just plug in Sandy Oregon to your GPS from wherever you are coming from.  It’s a small little town with a lot of good people and restaurants.  Many consider it to be the gateway to Mt Hood.  This photo I took says it all!

Depending on the time of day you do your drive, if it’s morning, I recommend one (or both) of these places for breakfast.  They are both Sandy traditions.

Tollgate Inn has always made me great meals.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Family oriented.  As a big plus, one of their buildings is a great bakery and gift shop.  Parking can be challenging but it’s worth the wait. #tollgateinn

Tollgate Inn is just as you are entering “downtown Sandy”.

While you are in Sandy, if you need fuel, there are a lot of reasonably priced gas stations on both ends of town.  Fill up here if needed.  It may be the best price you see for gas for a while.

Joe’s Donut Shop is worth a stop.  This little shack houses some of the best (and most filling) donuts around.  This is NOT your Krispy Kreme™ or even the famous Voodoo Donuts™ from Portland.  This is the real-deal fresh and tasty donuts.  Not your cookie-cutter commercial donuts.   This is not a 24-hour place.  Lines have been known to form, especially on weekends when skiers are heading up the mountain.  If you love donuts, try these.  This is another Sandy tradition as long as I can remember…and I remember way back! #JoesDonutShop

Sandbar BBQ is a relative newcomer compared to the above two restaurants.  This is on the east end of town, and is a little hard to find.  This used to be a feed store many years ago, and is now converted into a nice little restaurant.  I was there on a Friday evening and it was packed (always a good sign for a restaurant).  Everybody was having a good time, good food, and some were even having a few drinks.  They were smoking the BBQ when I arrived and the smell was wonderful. Prime Rib on weekends.  Staff was extremely friendly and helpful.  But from my perspective, I always go for BBQ (having grown up in Texas).  I had the smoked chicken sandwich and truly appreciated to smoky color and taste of the chicken.  They are open for lunch and dinner. #SandbarBBQ

While in Sandy, you have a choice.  (Refer to the map above).

Option 1

If you head out of Sandy on Highway 211, then you can have a nice little drive all the way to Estacada, Oregon.  Estacada is a small little town, with decent restaurants, but the real draw is that Milo McIver State Park is here.  This is a mecca for campers, motorcycle and classic car enthusiasts.  The drive from I-205, through Clackamas, to Hwy 212/224, and then intersecting with highway 211. on into Estacada is one of the best leisurely drives that I know of on a beautiful day in spring, summer and fall.  Winding roads through the “Carver Curves” are extremely enjoyable for classic car and motorcycle enthusiasts.  But most of it is a 2-lane highway, so be careful.  My recommendation for this route?  Enjoy Sandy, take the drive to Estacada, then drive back to Clackamas and I-205 through Carver. #EstacadaOregon #MiloMcIverStatePark

Option 2

If you continue east on Highway 26 (out of Sandy), you will be heading up to Mt Hood, the Ski Areas and possibly on to Hood River, Oregon.  Some call this the “fruit loop” as it is a great drive through farm land, and is spectacular during harvest time.  This is a great trip, great drive, but this is one long day or two days worth of fun.  Keep reading.  This is a bit of a drive.  Next stop Mt Hood.  You will drive through little towns like Brightwood, Welches (resorts and restaurants there), Rhododendron, on up to Government Camp, which is the real “base” for the ski resorts:  Timberline Lodge Ski Area, Mt Hood Ski Bowl and Mt Hood Meadows.  Lots of accommodations in Government Camp, OR.

#TimberlineLodge, owned by the US Forest Service and built by President Roosevelt and the Works Progress Administration during the depression, is a hotel and ski area.  Many movies were shot there as well (The Shining and more).  This is actually a Historic site and museum as well.  The lodge (hotel) is open year-round with great dining and atmosphere.  This is is one of the most visited places in the state of Oregon.  The lodge is at the 6000′ level of Mt Hood, and is a mecca for skiers and hikers seasonally.  However, Timberline boasts to be a nearly year-round ski area with some of the best summer skiing in America with many ski teams training here during the summer months (depending on weather and snow pack).  From Government Camp, you go uphill to Timberline Lodge (on Timberline Road).

#SkiBowl is known for it’s night skiing operations and has more advanced ski slopes.  Another draw is during summer months, there are many summer activities and entertainment as well.

From here, continuing east on Highway 26, you will enjoy your drive through the Mt Hood National Forest.  You will come to an intersection.  Highway 26 continues to the south toward Warm Springs, Madras, Redmond and on toward Bend, Oregon.  That area is considered the Oregon High Desert.  That entire trip is worth another article in itself.

If you want to continue my “fruit loop” trip on to Hood River, Oregon, at the intersection, you will need to take Highway 35 toward Hood River, Oregon.  This will continue through the Mt Hood National Forest, through farm land, orchards and more, all the way to Hood River.  This loop will end in Hood River at I-84, which will take you west back toward Portland along the scenic Columbia River Gorge.  Click the above link to learn more about Hood River and all it’s charms and opportunities.

Summary

It just depends on how much time you have to spare.  A day trip to Sandy and Estacada, back to Portland is a good and enjoyable trip.  If you have more time, the trip up to Mt Hood , the ski areas and following the rest of the “fruit loop”, is highly enjoyable as well.

One final word of caution.  During the winter, if it’s snowing, be aware that it could be snowing from Welches (or even lower) all the way over the pass in Government Camp, to Mt Hood Meadows, and then possibly all the way to Hood River.  Be sure to check with the Oregon Department of Transportation for current road conditions.  Traction devices are regularly required during the winter months and snow/ice events.

It is possible that during the spring and fall, you might also encounter the same road conditions, so check with ODOT.  However, if it is now snow/ice packed, you can’t ask for a more beautiful drive, “over the mountain”.  In my opinion, spring, summer and fall are the “golden” months for this trip.  Same for the Estacada loop trip.

Learn More about fun things to do in the Pacific Northwest.

Allen Beck

AKOR Services Travel

4233 SE 182nd Ave. #213

Gresham, OR 97030

Allen@akorservices.com