Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail

Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail (Proposed)
Starvation Ridge overlooking the Columbia River from the Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail
Length	60 mi (97 km)
Location	Columbia River Gorge, Washington, United States
Trailheads	Multnomah Falls Starvation Creek
Use	Hiking
Elevation
Elevation gain/loss	12,470 feet (3,800 m) gain approximately
Hiking details
Season	Summer to early Fall
Months	Mid-July through late September

The Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail is a proposed long-distance trail through the Columbia River Gorge in Multnomah County and Hood River County, Oregon. The trail will be approximately 60 miles (96.6 kilometers), although the trail is still unofficial and its exact course is yet to be determined. The trail was first proposed by Tom Kloster on the WyEast blog on June 20, 2010 and suggests the Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail use existing trails from Multnomah Falls to Starvation Creek. Prior to this suggestion, the Talapus Trail, connecting the Pacific Crest Trail and Larch Mountain was slated for construction in 1974. Hikers openly used trails in the Bull Run into the 1980s, including the Talapus Trail (never officially constructed).

The Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail features several waterfalls, forested land, mountains and valleys. Views from the trail include larger volcanoes in the Cascade Range including Mount Hood, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Rainier. The trail runs along the southern valleys and peaks on the Oregon side of the Columbia River. At times the river is visible during travel on the trail. Common vegetation seen on the trail includes Douglas-fir, western hemlock, vine maple, and large cedar tree. The trail is in old-growth for only short sections, as logging and the Yacolt Burn of 1902 destroyed much of the forest.