The Forest includes and is named after Mount Hood, a stratovolcano and the highest mountain in the state.

[11] The 1952 film Bend of the River was partly shot in the Mount Hood National Forest.

The forest contains 170 developed recreation sites, including:[3][4][14] Other common recreational activities in the Mount Hood National Forest include fishing, boating, hiking, hunting, rafting, horseback riding, skiing, mountain biking, berry-picking, and mushroom collecting.

Several nonprofits lead free hikes into the National Forest to build support for further protection from logging and off-road vehicle use, including BARK[15] and Oregon Wild.

[18] The Olallie Scenic Area is a lightly roaded lake basin that also offers a primitive recreational experience.