Hardy Ridge

8 miles
2200 feet elevation gain

My girlfriend is out of town on vacation with her family. That means one thing. DAVE SOLO HIKE.

Last time this happened I almost got poison oak and slid down a hill, and the time before that I "accidentally" walked 11 miles. What disaster awaited me this round? Turns out...nothing! And the best Wildflower/views I've seen in the gorge thus far! If the trail was in better condition and less boring to the top it would have easily been a top 5 hike.

Hardy Ridge is Hamilton's Mountains big unassuming brother just to the west. It's not very imposing. You get a good view of it during the Hamilton hike, but it's just kind of a quiet ridge that doesn't take a good picture.

From Munra Point. Hardy Ridge is the ridgeline starting just to the left of Hamilton. See? it's not exciting to look at from elseware.

It's funny that from the front, Hamilton completely owns the view. You see those big cliffs and those outer arm like formations, like Hamilton just wants a hug. Love me, says Hamilton, the shameless slut that it is. Hardy Ridge doesn't want your attention. Hardy Ridge would rather you keep your fancy shoes elseware. Hardy Ridge doesn't need you.

And Hardy Ridge owns.

I feel like Hardy Ridge is kind of a loose secret meant for locals and not tourists. It's in Beacon Rock State Park, but it's part of a trail system meant for horses and not obvious it exists if you don't know to look for it. Both major hiking sites I use to plan my excursions label Hardy Ridge as difficult and don't post many pictures, even if they mention how good the wildflowers are. Hardy Ridge isn't even Scott Cook's Curious Gorge guidebook, which I love, and I'm genuinely surprised. The view from the top is magnificent. It's not a hard hike, but it's long enough and hard enough to keep chubby bum tourists out.

It is definitely a hike for those seeking something new, who have done all the big name hikes like Dog/Hamilton/Angels Rest/Etc. Basically...me.

You start off trying to find the trailhead in your car. The road to the trailhead isn't the normal road you take to Hamilton Mtn, and is not labeled. You climb 100-200 feet in your car, turn down a gravel road labeled "Equestrian Trailhead", climb some more, and park at the surprisingly in shape parking lot. Picnic tables, signs, even a bathroom. Evidence of horse related stuff abounds, including poop. This trailhead is meant for horse explorations of the park. There is an extensive system through the woods of equestrian trails, back behind Hardy Ridge and to Hamilton Mtn. You can't climb Hardy Ridge on horseback, but you need to walk along these trails to reach the trail that does go up.

You start up the hill on the wide horse trail. After about a mile of moderate climbing that feels steeper than it looks, you come to a 3 way junction. One goes right, down an overgrown man path. One goes straight, towards Hamilton Mtn. One goes left, to "West Hardy Ridge". This is the main junction for the loop. You can go up Hardy Ridge from the east or west side. The east side is longer, more open, and probably gentler. The West side is overgrown, tough, and short. I took the west side. I wanted the summit. After some more climbing, the trail starts to get overgrown with flowers and bushes and flattens out for a while. It's probably just due to the time of year, but it was pretty overgrown. I stopped frequently to check for ticks. I never got one. Go me.

After a mile or so on the west trail, the horse part ends and a sign with foot traffic only points up the hill. This is the really crap part of the hike. The trail to the top is alternately beautiful and flat, filled with gorgeous wildflowers, and for other sections completely covered in bushes and brutally steep for short bits. The steep sections never last long however, so it's easy to keep confidence. After a lot of climbing you reach the apex of the ridge and a 4 way junction. One goes south along the ridge to a viewpoint. North goes to the summit. East goes back down the other side.

The "trail". So overgrown but pretty.

This area is where Hardy Ridge plays its hand. I went south first about 20 feet, climbed a rock spine, and had a fantastic 180+ angle view of the gorge. I could see from Dog Mountain to Angels rest. Mt. Hood pops up from the hills across the gorge, saying hello. The top of Mt. Adams peeks coyly over the back shoulder of Table Mountain. It's a great spot, and worth the effort. I sat here, took a break, and called home to brag. 

Mt Hood, directly south of me.

Mt Adams being cute behind Table mtn's backside.

Mt. Hood and Munra Point (the left exposed ridge)

Hamilton Mountain's backside from the lower viewpoint

Dog and Wind Mountain, across from Indian Point

Here doggy doggy doggy. Also Augsperger is visible, the higher peak on Dog's ridgeline to the left

Hipster colors

Mt hood just dominates the southern landscape, since you can't see the river ahead of you.

You could go down from here and have gotten a great view worth your time, but there is more to see for the adventurer. Go north towards the summit, and things get even better. The trail to the summit is about 3/4s of a mile from the junction, alternates between completely overgrown bushwacking and open rocky meadows littered with wildflowers. All wildflowers. Every wildflower I have ever seen (except the big yellow ones on Dog) were out here. All of them. ALL OF THEM. The place was infected with color. It was the best display of variety I've ever had. 

Pretty pink flower

Fuzzy white flower

Classy yellow flowers

Purple Loofah flower

Weird red tentacle flower

Paintbrushes and blue flowers

Purple cuties

Yellow cluster flower

Lots of blue flowers

sad white flower

Oregon lily

Artsy flower

Awesome purple stalk thing

Red dangly flower

A typical section of trail near the summit. So many flowers.

After the bushwacking to the summit, called Phlox Point in some circles, you get the best view. Top of the world, Ma. You can see Hood River and beyond. You can see the very tip of Mt. Rainier (NO SHIT). You can see the coastal range and Portland Valley. It was a hazy humid day with a uniform bleh sky, and I could still see farther than any place I've ever been. 3 cascade Volcanoes. Archer Mountain. Tanner Butte. Nesmith Point. Devils rest. Indian Point, Dog Mountain, Munra Point, Wauna Point...all of it. It was amazing. 

Hard to tell, but that far off river spot is the Hood River bridge

Looking East

Is that a cloud OH NO WAY THAT IS TOTALLY MOUNT RAINIER HI THERE BUDDY NICE TO SEE YOU

A panorama from phlox point. Hood river to the coast range visible from one spot. astonishing.

You could also see Hamilton. From Hardy Ridge Hamilton looks like a chump mountain for weak people. It's amazing really, because the hike up here wasn't any harder than the Hamilton hike, but I can see so much more and I'm so much higher. 

Hamilton Mountain, looking tiny

After having my nature-gasm I went back to the junction, went down the hill, joined up with the horse trail and got home, tired and hungry. A great day indeed. I wonder if Hardy is less overgrown in the later months. The Wildflowers on this hike really helped make it amazing, without them the hike might be a tad dull. You can't see anything until you reach the ridgeline.

Side notes:
-Saw two snakes. Both black with yellow stripes down the back. Common Garter snakes. Snakes are cool.
-Saw a naked guy. There was one big group of hikers also on the ridge I passed on the way down. A guy near the back had a backpack and no clothes on. I passed him from behind, so I got no junk in my face, and I wasn't about to turn around and look. On this trail that seems like asking for ticks.
-Saw no horses
-parking lot had 3 cars at 10 o'clock. 10 by 2pm. Most were people from the big group. This is not a well known hike. I felt great solitude up top, and might turn into a favorite.
-I really, really need to learn how to identify wildflowers because I don't know any of them outside the Indian Paintbrush red one.