By:
Submission
Mirror Lake offers a few sites for overnight camping. The hike to the lake is one of the most popular hikes on Mt Hood. While the vast majority of hikers only visit during the day, a few primitive sites are located just above the lake.
When I refer to primitive sites, that is what they are. There are no facilities here. No picnic tables, and no toilets. A few fire pits have been fashioned out of rock and you may also find a makeshift bench. But for some this is an ideal camping experience. By day Mirror lake can get crowded. It is surrounded on three sides by mountains and it can get loud here. But at night it is as peaceful as you could ever want. Views of Mt Hood and Tom Dick and Harry Mountain are all outstanding.
The lake was frozen when I visited, but you can walk the loop and see a great angle of Mt Hood!
Hike to mirror lake is 4+ miles round trip. Trail head is changed now. Half the trail is pretty new. Trail is very pretty, though the woods. Keeps climbing on the way to the lake. Effort is really worth it. Lake is really pretty. you can see the reflection of Mt Hood and trees around the lake. There is a camp site as well next to the lake. I saw couple of folks doing fly fishing. Don't miss it if you are visting Mt Hood and have enough time.
Trail is very busy on a summer weekend and dusty for most of the climb up to the lake, but the view of Mt. Hood is gorgeous.
Visited 9/24/23
Despite being a rainy day, canceling out the reflection effect, this is still a beautiful lake, and it surprised me by its size because it looks so small from overhead.
The trail isn't the hardest thing ever, but the final switchbacks before the lake are always a slight struggle.
