Was a Beautiful day to hike. Wanted to do some work with my dog Amerrito. Thought Cape Horn would be a Trail that my sons would not be upset with when I went with just my little Aussie. Park at the Strunk Road location and first hiked to the Salmon Falls parking area. Between the popular lookout point and my starting point found several fallen trees across the trail. Also a spot where the power line were really low overhead, yet still hanging. Not comfortable. The trail was do-able. When we returned to our starting point at Strunk Road, we continued west and down the trail to where Hwy 14 crosses over trail. There was on a spot on the trail where a very large tree had become uprooted. Still do-able but a lot of very soft soil. Was a wonderful hike and my Dog did very well! She never misbehaved and was always on the trail. None of this bouncing through the brush. Amerrito will become a regular the coming year on several of my hiking trips. I'd love to learn more about Trail maintenance.

nice easy day hike. Lower part of this trail is closed the beginning of February through Mid-July. Kind of a small window to be able to hike the whole loop. Still the upper portion that remains open has great views of the Columbia River Gorge below.

CLOCKWISE IS BEST! I’ve hiked this loop multiple times, always following the hiking guides and going counterclockwise with the upper section first. Today my group decided to go clockwise with the lower section first. This is unanimously our new favorite way to do this hike. The clockwise direction has three advantages: (1) The 1.3-mile hike on the Cape Horn Road through farmland is a pleasant downhill stroll at the beginning of the hike, instead of a grueling trudge uphill at the end. (2) It is easier and a lot safer to climb up the steep trail section near the road than to go down it, especially when it is muddy and slick. (3) You get to do the ankle-twisting traverses across the rock slides on the first part of the hike when you are relatively fresh. The views are equally amazing both ways, but the clockwise direction is easier.

FYI from the Cape Horn Conservancy: ~ Temporary Closure ~ Nancy Russell Overlook (MP 2.64 of Cape Horn Trail) Last year the outer wall of the overlook began showing signs of separation in some stone joints. The cause lies in the Gorge’s dramatic weather changes and geological variables. The solution is that a significant portion of the outer wall is being dismantled, stabilized and rebuilt… beginning September 28th with an expected completion by late October/early November, 2015. Creators of the masterful and award-winning overlook, Walker Macy and Guinett Masonry, have generously stepped up…designing, implementing and covering all the costs of the re-stabilization. Their admirable efforts and dedication ensure that this spectacular overlook will be enjoyed… for generations to come! THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE! Cape Horn Conservancy, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, USFS

Nice parking lot, easy access to trailhead. Ascent was very pleasant, compact dirt trail, beautiful forest scenery. Haze from forest fires (Eastern Washington) blew into Gorge, impaired visibility - disappointing for us today. Nancy Russell viewpoint is well constructed, however, the growing trees obscured some of the view across the river. Just past this, a couple viewpoints were spectacular, although due to the smokey haze, we could only try and imagine what a clear day's visibility would provide. After this, the descent into the lower loop of the trail was less scenic, rougher trail (rocky), and the walk along the road back was totally unappealing terrain. Our recommendation: hike the upper loop only (do out-n-back) and call it good! Wait for clear day, the trail takes you up on the bluff for spectacular views!