Hamilton Mountain Summit Loop

Hamilton Mountain Summit Loop is a 7.87-mile circuit from Hamilton Mountain Trailhead in Beacon Rock State Park, climbing through a cluster of waterfalls to the mountain’s exposed ridge before returning on Equestrian and Hardy Creek trails. The state park lists about 2,038 feet of climbing. Allow roughly five hours; this is a proper half-day hike, not just an extension of the falls stroll. It’s a strong choice if you want both water and a hard climb with a wide Columbia Gorge payoff. The standard loop uses the direct Hamilton Mountain Trail and the Equestrian-Hardy Creek return. The Don’s Cutoff and Upper Hardy Creek option is a separate, longer 8.26-mile circuit.

The trail leaves the Hamilton Mountain lot through Douglas fir, then reaches a powerline opening and a bench with a view toward Bonneville Dam about 0.4 mile in. Around a mile from the start, the path reaches Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls and the Pool of the Winds. Hardy Creek drops roughly 50 feet into the dark, rock-walled pool, then squeezes through a sculpted channel. A railed lookout and the footbridge below give you different angles on the water; at the pool, frame the falling creek with the surrounding rock so the photo shows how enclosed it is. The falls are a fine short outing on their own, but the summit loop keeps climbing after the bridge.

Past the falls, the direct Hamilton Mountain path climbs steeply in rocky switchbacks below cliff faces. Little Hamilton opens a view west along the Gorge, but the upper route has exposed sections and rough footing. The summit clearing is brushy, so keep going along the ridge to Hamilton Saddle for the more open panorama: Bonneville Dam, the Columbia and, in clear weather, Mount Hood, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens. The ridge is basalt, cut off at its end by the Missoula Floods that shaped this stretch of the Gorge. The views are the reward, but this is a strenuous walk with about 2,000 feet of climbing, not a casual waterfall path.

The loop drops back on the Equestrian Trail and Hardy Creek Trail. The return follows an old road corridor before narrowing into alder woods, with a creek crossing and footbridge; horses may use the shared trail. Wet rock and eroded, steep sections can make the climb hazardous after rain, so choose a drier day if slick footing is a concern. Start at Hamilton Mountain Trailhead; a second day-use lot is about 0.1 mile farther up the road. Both have restrooms. A Discover Pass is required, and the restroom’s running water isn’t confirmed as drinking water. Dogs are allowed on leash. If the ridge feels like too much, the park’s 2.52-mile out-and-back to Rodney Falls and the Pool of the Winds gives you the best lower-trail feature without the summit climb.