Table Rock Wilderness

Table Rock Wilderness is a protected area near Mount Hood featuring mixed conifer forests that change with elevation, from lower hemlock groves to higher alpine slopes. At its center stands a distinctive rocky outcrop that gives the area its name and serves as the primary destination for hikers.

Congress protected this area in 1984 and placed it under Bureau of Land Management administration, separating it from the nearby Mount Hood National Forest. This designation marked a significant shift in how the land was managed and conserved.

Native peoples used these lands for centuries as part of their trading routes across the Cascades, and their paths remain embedded in the trails visitors walk today.

Four access points allow visitors to reach different parts of the area on trails suitable for various fitness levels. The route to the rocky summit is the most popular and straightforward, while alternative paths are often quieter and less crowded.

The rocky northern slopes harbor pikas, small alpine mammals that live here at the southern edge of their natural range. These tiny rabbit relatives are perfectly adapted to cold mountain conditions and can be spotted among the rocks during hikes.