Cool Creek Trail is one of the steepest trails around Mt. Hood. The first two miles are noted for climbing a 1000 ft. per mile. It is mostly a walk in the woods with a few view points but it is a good one to see how your conditioning is coming along. The reward is the Devil Peak Lookout at the top. One of the last historic fire lookouts still around and open to the public.
By the numbers: 7 3/4 miles with a little over 3000 ft. elevation gain and on the trail for 6 hours.