This strenuous loop hike starts at Angels Rest, continues to Devils Rest, then heads down to Wahkeena Spring before going back up to Angels Rest. We timed our hike for sunset and hiked out in the dark back to the trailhead.

distance: 10.8 miles round trip
elevation gain: 3,040 ft
difficulty: very strenuous
drive time from Portland: 40 minutes
parking pass: none
hike description: OregonHikers.org: Angels Rest-Devils Rest Loop Hike

Trail Map

The Hike

With a forecast of clear skies and very little wind, conditions were good for a sunset hike. The trail up to Angels Rest was muddier than I’ve ever seen it, and there was heavy fog when we reached the top.

I always like the hike from there to Devils Rest… the crowds thin out and forest is green with moss covered trees. The trail was swampy in low areas, with a lot of standing water to walk around. At Devils Rest, we stopped to have lunch but it was cold so we didn’t linger for long. The fog started to clear, but as we hiked on, we walked right back into it.

After a brief stop at Wahkeena Spring, we realized that we had to hustle to make it back to Angels Rest in time for sunset, so we hiked as fast as we could. We were slowed down in the last half mile by a lot of downed trees, but we made it before it was completely dark.

On the hike out in the dark, my rechargeable headlamp went out on me (luckily, I had a spare) but now I know to double check the charge on my headlamp after it’s been sitting in my pack for awhile. : )

starting on the Angels Rest trail

view on the way up

it was super foggy at the top

photo by Emily S.

funky looking trees in the fog

tunnel to the fog

re-entering the fog

the sun trying to break through

it’s always 420 somewhere…

Wahkeena Spring

heading back to Angels Rest

view to the east

hurrying to catch the sunset

we made it just in time!

Columbia River

sunset at Angels Rest