A foggy morning on Mount Hood’s south side made the fall colors pop on vine maples and huckleberry shrubs as we hiked through historic Devils Half Acre and up to Palmateer Point.

distance: 6.3 miles (loop)
elevation gain: 1,130 ft.
high point: 4,575 ft.
difficulty: moderate
drive time from Portland: 1 hour 20 minutes
parking pass: NW Forest Pass
more info: OregonHikers – Devils Half Acre-Palmateer Point hike

This loop hike begins at Barlow Pass on the south side of Mount Hood. We followed the Barlow Road Wagon Trail, connected with the Devils Half Acre Trail, and continued to the Palmateer Trail. From there, we hiked to Palmateer Point before returning via the Palmateer Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail and back to the trailhead.

The first section through Devils Half Acre had several unmarked junctions, so I used Gaia GPS to stay on track — though we still took a few wrong turns and had to backtrack.

Rich in Oregon history, Devils Half Acre was once an important stop along the Barlow Road, where pioneers left wagons and supplies before crossing the Cascades to the Willamette Valley. Built in 1846 as the final stretch of the Oregon Trail, the Barlow Road offered a safer alternative to the Columbia River route. Today, parts of it live on as hiking trails, including this section near Devils Half Acre.

Fog and light rain greeted us at the start of the hike, making the fall colors in the vine maples and huckleberry shrubs appear even more vibrant.

After a steep section of trail, we reached the Palmateer Trail and turned left to head to Palmateer Point.

There’s usually a great view of Mount Hood from here, but it was completely hidden by clouds. In its place, the slopes of Barlow Butte glowed with bright fall color.

The forest understory was filled with huckleberry shrubs in various shades of yellow, orange and red. I was surprised at how much fall color there was here… normally the fall color isn’t as strong in forested areas.

Once we reached the Pacific Crest Trail, the hike became an easy descent through the forest back to the trailhead. You can also extend the route with side trails to Twin Lakes or Barlow Butte.

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