Urban legends are fascinating. It can be difficult to trace them back all the way to their beginnings, but once they get started, they can carry on for generations. There’s a spot along the Mt. Hood Highway that’s said to be unlucky for many travelers, and the only way to stay safe from harm is to be completely silent as you pass.
Mt. Hood is Oregon’s crown jewel, rising 11,250 feet above sea level. It’s a popular place for year-round recreation, but there’s an eerie legend here that you’ll want to know about before making the drive up.
Silent Rock - Mt Hood/Facebook
As you make your way up Highway 26, you’ll come to Silent Rock. It’s halfway between Rhododendron and Government Camp. As you approach, turn off your car radio, and be completely silent as you pass…
Johnny Durrance/Google
…otherwise, you might suffer the curse. Over the years, thousands of stories have circulated about people who didn’t show proper respect while passing this rock.
Віталій Кішінець/Google
Some people who pass by while singing to the radio or chatting with friends report having trouble with their vehicle immediately afterward. They run out of gas, their car stalls, they crash into another car, or their vehicle catches on fire.
Lenny A/Google
Others suffer horrible fates when they reach the ski areas. Stories range from losing a glove off the lift, to breaking a ski pole, to devastating yard-sale crashes that result in being carried off the slope by ski patrol.
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The highway does have a long history of crashes, with more than 75 wrecks in a 10-year period. During that time, 70 people were injured, and 3 were killed. The U.S. 26 Mt. Hood Safety Project in 2014 took several measures to reduce fatalities, but the legend continues anyway.
Oregon Department of Transportation/flickr
No one is quite sure how the legend of Silent Rock got started, but there are several theories. One is that there was a terrible crash in the 1970s when a semi-truck collided with multiple cars, pushing them all down the mountain and killing some of the drivers and passengers.
Johnny Durrance/Google
Another story is that a construction worker was killed here years ago, and that staying silent as you pass shows respect for his death.
Silent Rock - Mt Hood/Facebook
One of our favorite theories is that a bus driver made the whole thing up to keep kids quiet while he was navigating the road.
Dan Sherwood/Photodisc via Getty Images
No matter how the legend got its start, you might want to be completely quiet as you pass Silent Rock.
Silent Rock - Mt Hood/Facebook
Have you driven past Silent Rock? If so, do you believe this eerie legend? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Silent Rock - Mt Hood/Facebook
Johnny Durrance/Google
Віталій Кішінець/Google
Lenny A/Google
Media Production/E+ via Getty Images
Oregon Department of Transportation/flickr
Dan Sherwood/Photodisc via Getty Images
Check out Silent Rock’s Facebook page and website to find some fun Silent Rock souvenirs.
If you’re interested in local myths and legends, you might want to read about the heartbreaking legend surrounding this famous waterfall, and the legend of Oregon’s screaming bridge.
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Address: Rhododendron, OR 97049, USA
