Thanks to everyone who contributed to the fourth annual Timberline Trail survey. It will take some time to analyze the results: especially a more detailed analysis based on the starting date. Here’s the first part of the 2025 Timberline Trail Survey results.
Overall 114 people answered the survey. While this is slightly fewer than last year’s 148 respondents, we still have excellent data to analyze. This initial summary is from the raw results. I’ll split it into three parts. Here are the results from the first part of the Timberline Trail survey. At the end, I’ll do a comparison between this year’s and last year’s results.
Headline Finding: This year saw a record 95% completion rate; the highest in our four-year survey history! Only 9% of hikers left the trail early, down from 18% back in 2022.
Basic Hike Information
Starting Location?
Timberline Lodge continues to dominate as the preferred starting location, with 108 people (95%) beginning their journey there and an even higher percentage than 2024’s 92%. The distribution shows:
- Timberline Lodge: 108 hikers (95%)
- Top Spur: 4 hikers (4%)
- Cloud Cap: 1 hiker (1%)
- Ramona Falls: 1 hiker (1%)
The dominance of Timberline Lodge as a starting point has increased yet again, cementing its position as the go-to launch point for the trail. The facilities, parking, and iconic setting make it the natural choice for most hikers.
Starting Location
Which Direction Did You Hike?
The clockwise vs. counter-clockwise debate continues, and 2025 shows clockwise pulling further ahead:
- Clockwise: 71 people (62%)
- Counter-clockwise: 43 people (38%)
Clockwise has gained even more ground compared to 2024 (58% vs 42%). Going clockwise means ending with the long climb out of White Canyon. Counter-clockwise hikers get the White climb done early and finish with the long climb from the Sandy River..
Hiking Direction
How many nights did you spend on the trail?
Number of Nights
The 2025 results show continued evolution in hiking patterns:
- 0 nights (trail ran in a day): 14 people (12%), up from 10% in 2024!
- 1 night: 7 people (6%)
- 2 nights: 34 people (30%)
- 3 nights: 45 people (39%), remains the most popular
- 4+ nights: 14 people (12%)
The 3-night option remains king, allowing for comfortable 10-mile days. The most notable trend is the continued growth of trail runners completing the entire loop in a single day: now at 12%, double the 6% we saw in 2022! The ultra-endurance crowd is clearly discovering this iconic loop.
How many times have you hiked the Timberline Trail?
Number of Times Hiked
2025 continues to attract many first-time hikers:
- First time: 78 people (68%), consistent with 2024
- 1 previous completion: 3 people (3%)
- 2 previous completions: 8 people (7%)
- 3 previous completions: 7 people (6%)
- 4+ completions: 19 people (17%), our seasoned veterans!
The trail continues to attract newcomers, with over two-thirds attempting it for the first time. The dedicated repeat hikers (4+ completions) represent a solid core of Timberline Trail enthusiasts who keep coming back for more.
Did you use a tent or hammock?
Shelter preferences remain overwhelmingly traditional:
- Tent: 109 people (96%)
- Hammock: 1 person (1%)
- Cowboy camping: 3 people (3%)
Tents continue to dominate at an even higher rate than 2024 (92%). While there are plenty of trees on the trail, some exposed areas around Gnarl Ridge and near Tilly Jane might make hammocking challenging. The hardy 3% who went with cowboy camping enjoyed the stars without any shelter at all.
Start Date?
2025 showed an exceptionally long hiking season with some remarkable outliers:
The season kicked off as early as June 6th and extended all the way to December 12th – yes, you read that right! This represents by far the widest date range we’ve ever recorded.
- June: 3 hikers (early season pioneers)
- July: 19 hikers
- August: 25 hikers (peak season)
- September: 12 hikers
- October: 3 hikers
- December: 1 hardy soul!
That December 12th completion is remarkable and highlights the very low snow year that we are having in 2025/2026. The only appreciable snow he encountered was above 7000′.
Start Date by Month
How many people hiked with you?
Group dynamics in 2025 show interesting social patterns:
- Solo hikers: 30 people (26%)
- Pairs (1 other person): 37 people (32%)
- Groups of 3: 21 people (18%)
- Groups of 4: 8 people (7%)
- Groups of 5+: 19 people (17%)
Hiking with one companion was the most common approach this year at 32%, edging out solo hikers (26%). Solo hiking dropped slightly from 28% in 2024. The logistical challenges of coordinating larger groups for a multi-day wilderness trip likely explain why pairs remain so popular.
Size of Group
Did you hike with a dog?
Dogs remain relatively uncommon on the Timberline Trail Survey result – yet observations suggest they are much more common:
- With dogs: 7 people (6%)
- Without dogs: 107 people (94%)
I still feel this is one of the more underrepresented results. Maybe it’s because I’m always hiking with Hunter, or maybe when I hike the Timberline Trail there seem to be many dogs on the trail, perhaps many of them are day-hiking dogs. The slight uptick to 6% (from 5% in 2024) is encouraging, though the challenging stream crossings and rocky terrain likely contribute to the still-low percentage of canine companions.
Stream Crossings
Stream crossings remain one of the most anticipated and feared aspects of the Timberline Trail. Depending on the time of year, the rate of snow melt, and the temperature, these can be anything from a simple rock hop to a scary wade. The 2025 season showed some interesting patterns:
Crossing Difficulty by Stream:
Zigzag River: Remained the easiest crossing with 67% finding it an easy rock hop, consistent with previous years.
Sandy River: Showed mixed conditions – only 23% managed easy rock hops, while 38% needed moderate effort and 39% found it challenging or needed to wade.
Muddy River: Similar to Sandy – 30% easy rock hop, with 34% moderate and 36% more difficult.
Coe Branch: The trickiest crossing this year! Only 11% managed easy rock hops (down significantly from 24% in 2024), with 65% finding it hard or needing to wade. This was notably more challenging than previous years.
Eliot Branch: Showed improvement with 20% easy rock hops (up from 7% in 2022-2023). Notably, 39% used an “easy log crossing,” as the log bridge remained in place from 2024..
Newton Creek: Moderate conditions – 20% easy rock hop, 43% moderate, 37% more challenging.
Clark Creek: Generally cooperative with 56% easy rock hops.
White River: Notably easier this year at 45% easy rock hops (up from 35% in 2024), with only 19% finding it challenging.
Comparison to Previous Years
Comparing 2025 to 2024 results:
Participation: Decrease from 148 to 114 respondents
Starting Location: Timberline Lodge’s dominance increased further (95% vs 92%)
Direction: Clockwise preference increased (62% vs 58%)
Trail Runners: Single-day completions up to 12% (from 10%)
First-timers: Consistent at 68%
Stream Crossings: Coe Branch significantly harder; White River and Eliot Branch easier
On to Part Two of the 2025 Timberline Trail Survey Results, which covers detailed analysis of traverse difficulty, gear choices, weather challenges, and more.
