Sandy Glacier Caves, Mount Hood Wilderness

Name: Sandy Glacier Caves
Address: Mount Hood Wilderness, United States

#11 among attractions in Mount Hood Wilderness

Nature, Natural attraction, Cave

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Facts and practical information

The Sandy Glacier Caves are a system of glacier caves within the ice of Sandy Glacier on Mount Hood, Oregon. They are thought to be the largest glacier caves in the lower 48 states of the United States. Surveys done in 2011 and 2012 have measured the system at over 1 mile in length or about 7,000 feet. The caves formed from internal glacial melting at what are the headwaters of the Muddy Fork river. As melting continues, the caves grow larger with their entrances melting their way up the glacier's slope. Eventually it is predicted the caves will be completely gone within 7 to 10 years once the interior melting has reached the surface of the glacier. ()

Coordinates: 45°23'6"N, 121°43'5"W

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Mount Hood Wilderness United States

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Day trips

Sandy Glacier Caves – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Timberline Trail, Coalman Glacier, Sandy Glacier, Reid Glacier.

1.3 miNW
Hiking, Hiking trail
Timberline Trail, Mount Hood Wilderness
35 min walk • Timberline Trail is a hiking trail around Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is mostly in wilderness but also goes near Timberline Lodge, Cloud Cap Inn, and Mount Hood Meadows ski area.
1.3 miSE
Nature, Natural attraction, Natural feature
Coalman Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness
34 min walk • The Coalman Glacier is a glacier located on the upper slopes of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the mountain's highest glacier ranging from about 11,200 to 10,500 ft, located within the crater rim, southwest of the peak.
~1650 ftSE
Nature, Natural attraction, Natural feature
Sandy Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness
8 min walk • Sandy Glacier is an alpine glacier located on the west slope of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It extends in elevation from about 8,800 to 6,000 feet. The glacier is the source of Muddy Fork, a tributary of the Sandy River. The upper extent of the glacier is known for extensive crevasses.
0.9 miS
Nature, Natural attraction, Natural feature
Reid Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness
24 min walk • Reid Glacier is an alpine glacier located on the west slope of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It ranges in elevation from about 9,800 to 6,000 feet. The glacier is the source of the Sandy River. The upper extent of the glacier is known for extensive crevasses.
0.7 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Natural feature
Ladd Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness
18 min walk • Ladd Glacier is an alpine glacier on the north slope of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It lies at an average elevation of 7,500 feet. The glacier lies entirely within Mount Hood Wilderness.
1.2 miSE
Nature, Natural attraction, Forest
Bull Run National Forest, Mount Hood Wilderness
31 min walk • Bull Run National Forest was established as the Bull Run Forest Reserve by the General Land Office in Oregon on June 17, 1892, with 142,080 acres. After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907.
1.1 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Natural feature
Coe Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness
29 min walk • Coe Glacier is in the U.S. state of Oregon. The glacier is situated in the Cascade Range on the north slope of Mount Hood, at an elevation between 10,500 and 6,400 ft. Between 1907 and 2004, Coe Glacier lost 15% of its surface area. The glacier terminus retreated 390 metres over the same time period.
~1550 ftN
Nature, Natural attraction, Natural feature
Glisan Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness
8 min walk • Glisan Glacier is an alpine glacier located on the northwest slope of Mount Hood in the US state of Oregon. It lies at an average altitude of 7,500 feet.
1.3 miSE
Volcanic mountain with Timberline Lodge
Mount Hood, Mount Hood Wilderness
34 min walk • Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Sandy Glacier Caves?

Nearby attractions include Glisan Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness (8 min walk), Sandy Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness (8 min walk), Ladd Glacier, Mount Hood Wilderness (18 min walk).