Ramona Falls Survey for Invasive Plants (Intermediate)

(Intermediate hike) We will meet at the large open parking area at the Ramona Falls Trailhead. I will have an orange backpack. We will wait about 15 minutes or so in case there is a hold up for anybody before we begin our hike.

Join us for an intermediate 7.1 mile round trip hike in the gorgeous Mt. Hood National Forest. This hike does require a Wilderness Permit that you can find more information about here - (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mthood/passes-permits/?cid=fsbdev3_036637).

We ask that you download the EDDMapS app and create a profile. Please make sure to add Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council to your user group. For help you can go to https://www.pnw-ipc.org/basic-01. If you need help please reach out to us.

Hike Description:

There is a gradual elevation gain throughout the trail. The bridge that used to be used as a crossing has not been replaced, so we will be crossing the Sandy River to continue the hike. The weather is in our favor, so we should be able to do this safely, however, if the river is too high and unsafe we will not be crossing and cut our survey a bit short. At this point it will be up to each individual to continue at their own discretion.

We will take the wide, sandy trail leading up from the southeast corner of the parking area. As we move through our survey we will be hiking among stunted mountain hemlock, Douglas-fir, and lodgepole pine on a carpet of moss, pinemat manzanita, and reindeer lichen. For more descriptions about the hike please go to https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Ramona_Falls_Loop_Hike.

Driving directions:

· Drive Highway 26 east through Sandy.

· From the final traffic light in Sandy, just past the ARCO Station, drive 17.5 miles to Zigzag, and then make a left turn onto East Lolo Pass Road, which becomes FR 18.

· Drive 4.3 miles and turn right onto FR 1825, marked for “Campgrounds, Trailheads.”

· After 0.7 miles, bear right at a junction and cross a bridge over the Sandy River.

· Continue 0.4 miles, and keep left for the Ramona Falls Trailhead at the 380 spur for Riley Horse Camp.

· After another 1.3 miles, keep left for the Ramona Falls Trailhead. The paved road becomes increasingly narrow and broken up, so slow down.

· Drive another 0.5 miles to reach the large parking area at the former Old Maid Sand Pit.

· The trailhead is a huge gravel parking area. On summer weekends there may be 100 cars parked.

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us at info@pnw-ipc.org.