The Villages of Mt. Hood are actually a collection of several small mountain communities along Highway 26. The Villages offer access to amazing cabins and beautiful vacation rentals, all near Mt. Hood's three ski resorts. Visitors enjoy being in the Mt. Hood National Forest and its wealth of year-round recreational opportunities, such as hiking, mountain biking, fishing and camping.
- Brightwood is the first of the Villages of Mt. Hood you'll encounter while heading east on HWY 26. It's home to a number of popular Mt. Hood lodging properties, from the Sandy Salmon Bed and Breakfast to several of the famous Steiner Cabins.
- Wemme is located along HWY 26 between Brightwood and Welches. The town's name comes from a Portland businessman who purchased the first automobile in the entire state of Oregon. He also owned the right of way to the famous Barlow Road along the Oregon Trail, and later left that property back to the public after his passing.
- Welches has a great history of being a recreation destination on Mt. Hood. Oregon's first golf course was constructed here in 1928 and is now part of the 21 holes of golf offered at the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort, the only full-service resort on Mt. Hood.
- Zigzag takes its name from the nearby river. In turn that river was named not for its course, but likely the number of times pioneers had to cross it while traversing the Barlow Road. Nearby is the popular Little Zigzag Falls, a scenic waterfall accessed by a short family-friendly hike.
- Rhododendron is named for the many beautiful flowers of the same name that can be found nearby and throughout the Mt. Hood National Forest. First becoming popular as a summer resort colony, the rising popularity of skiing turned it into a year-round destination on Mt. Hood.
