The south slope of Mt. Hood is home to Government Camp, a gorgeous alpine village at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The average snowfall is close to 300 inches which gives you a great chance to enjoy some fun, snowy weather activities for a day or two, or you can plan a longer stay and enjoy all that Mt. Hood, Oregon has to offer.
Here are 10 of our favorite things to do in Government Camp that are kid-approved and fun for families:
- Timberline Lodge – fans of the movie The Shining will recognize the Timberline Lodge as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel. But, beyond that fun fact, there is tons of history housed in the walls of the Timberline Lodge that you could spend hours exploring. Be sure and visit the Timberline gift shop for fun souvenirs from your trip, and definitely don’t miss the legendary hot cocoa they serve at their full service restaurant. You will be talking about it for weeks, trust me.
- Enjoy some skiing, snowboarding, or tubing – Mt. Hood Ski Bowl has tubing that is perfect for younger kids and they even have a nighttime tubing option that older kids will love. Summit Ski Area has tubing, skiing and boarding and they have an awesome $10 lift ticket deal every Friday. Timberline Lodge has skiing, boarding, and snowshoeing trails to spend the day exploring around the lodge.
- Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum – Infuse some learning in your trip with a visit to the museum. Learn about the regional history of Mt. Hood while browsing their museum bookstore and art gallery, and pick up visitor information while you enjoy their internet access.
- Cozy evening in a hotel – with numerous places to stay on the mountain, you are sure to find the perfect place to rest your head. We chose the Best Western Mt. Hood Inn and loved how comfortable and cozy the rooms are as well as how awesome their free breakfast buffet is.
- Explore the snowy trails – with trails running all through Government Camp, you could spend a whole day exploring and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Be sure to take care during the winter to avoid walking over small frozen creeks and take special care to keep away from buildings where snow and ice can fall unexpectedly. Grab a map and note any areas to avoid and then have fun exploring.
- Snowshoeing – you can rent snowshoes in town in the Government Camp Loop or at Timberline Lodge and then enjoy the free, groomed trails. The loop around Timberline Lodge is only ¾ of a mile, which makes it the perfect length for kids, but still fun and beautiful to explore for experienced snowshoers.
- Sledding – bring a sled and find a hill, or buy a sled at one of the mountain stores. There is basically snow everywhere, so you are sure to find a hill that your kids can enjoy for free after the initial sled investment.
- Visit a brewery – Mt. Hood Brewing Company is family friendly and a great place to grab a bite to eat while enjoying some micro-brews.
- Go for a snowy drive – the gorgeous scenery simply cannot be beat in Mt. Hood, and it can be enjoyed in the comfort of your all-wheel vehicle as you drive up and down the mountain. With snow covered trees, beautiful white powder roads, and nature all around, it’s hard to not be wowed by the winter wonderland surrounding you.
- Visit the Zigzag Ranger Station – learn about the Mt. Hood National Forest Headquarters and pick up information about the national park. At certain times of the year they even host kids’ events that are a great way to spend a day.
During our recent Mt. Hood trip we got to enjoy quite a few of these activities and our kids had a blast exploring the town, learning about its history, and getting in tons of time in the snow. We tend to be night owls, but when we’re all worn out from spending the day in the snow it’s nice to relax in a comfortable room and just enjoy watching the snow come down. 
We were happy we chose the Best Western Mt. Hood Inn right in Government Camp so we could walk the trails and explore and then just pop back to our room to relax. If you stay there while visiting, be sure and like them on Facebook and then stop by the front office to show them. They will give you a snack or treat of your choice, which was a huge hit for the kiddos.
If you have ski gear and other large and bulky items, you will love their ski lockers by their parking garage. I loved that they have guest laundry facilities available for use to dry wet clothing quickly because snow and kids sometimes don’t mix, especially when your children like to fill their pockets with snow {I wish I was joking about that last bit}. And, if you didn't get enough exercise in the snow that day, you will love their fitness room where you can work out and watch TV. 
We had so much fun on our Mt. Hood trip and would love to come back and visit again in the spring to see all that was covered up in the beautiful blanket of snow. 
I’d love to see Lake Trillium, go on a long hike, teach the kids to fish at an event at the Ranger Station, and just enjoy some mountain scenery.
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Have you visited Mt. Hood before? What are your favorite things to do in Mt. Hood with kids?
Wow I wish we got that much snow in GA at least once a year! Looks beautiful!
I have never visited Mt. Hood before. It sounds like a wonderful place to take the family.
The pacific north west is by far the most scenic area of the country, particularly if you throw Wyoming, Montana and Utah into the mix.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and there are plenty of things to do here! I love your pictures. Looks like a lot of fun with the kids.
We need to get up to the snow! We are near the coast in Oregon and I haven’t had it stick here at all in 4 years! Even the coastal towns around us got some this winter.. We were the only little town without snow!