Hike Oregon
  • Home
  • *Store*
  • About the author
  • How to use this site
  • Resources
    • Videos
  • Best Oregon Hikes
    • Top 10 Oregon Winter Hikes
    • Sno-Parks In Central Oregon
    • Top Low Elevation Winter Hikes
    • 20 Best Oregon Waterfall Hikes
    • Top 10 Oregon Hikes for Kids
    • Top 10 Oregon Spring Hikes
    • Top One Night Backpacking Trips in Oregon
    • 5 Weekend Backpacking Trips in Oregon
    • Top 10 Swimming Spots In Oregon
    • Top 10 Oregon Summer Hikes
    • Top Fall Foliage Hikes In Oregon
    • Top 10 Oregon Fall Hikes
  • Portland
    • Hamilton Mountain
    • Dog Mountain
    • Coyote Wall
    • Mitchell Point
    • Forest Park
    • Powell Butte
    • Table Rock
    • Multnomah/Wahkeena Falls
    • Latourell Falls
    • Trillium Lake
    • East Zigzag Mountain (members only)
  • Salem
    • Abiqua Falls
    • Silver Falls State Park
    • Little North Santiam
    • Henline Falls
    • Opal Creek
    • Whetstone Mountain
    • Marion Lake to Marion Mountain
    • Jefferson Park
    • Olallie Butte (members only)
    • South Breitenbush Gorge (members only)
    • Battle Ax Mountain (members only)
    • Dome Rock and Tumble Lake (members only)
  • Sweet Home
    • Crescent Mountain
    • Iron Mountain
    • McDowell Creek Falls
    • Middle Santiam River (members only)
    • Lower Soda Creek Falls (members only)
    • Rooster Rock (members only)
  • McKenzie Bridge
    • Macduff Mountain
    • Proxy Falls
    • Clear Lake
    • Sahalie/Koosah Falls
    • Blue Pool
    • Erma Bell Lakes
    • Olallie Mountain
    • Horsepasture Mountain
    • Tidbits Mountain
    • Rainbow Falls Overlook (members only)
    • Frissell Point (members only)
    • Chucksney Mountain (members only)
    • Substitute Point (members only)
    • Castle Rock (members only)
  • Sisters/Santiam Pass
    • Coffin Mountain
    • Ray Benson Sno-Park
    • Three Creek Sno-Park
    • Maxwell Sno-Park
    • Potato Hill Sno-Park
    • Black Butte
    • Tam McArthur Rim
    • Three Sisters Loop
    • Black Crater
    • Scott Mountain
    • Scott Trail/Obsidian Loop
    • Three Fingered Jack Loop
    • Canyon Creek Meadows
    • Patjens Lakes
    • Chush Falls (members only)
    • Rockpile Lake (members only)
    • Santiam Lake (members only)
    • Camp Lake (members only)
    • Park Meadow to Golden Lake (members only)
  • Bend/Redmond/La Pine
    • Chimney Rock
    • Tumalo State Park
    • Tumalo Falls
    • Tumalo Mountain
    • Broken Top to No Name Lake
    • Green Lakes
    • Moraine Lake
    • South Sister Summit
    • Muskrat Lake
    • Paulina Peak
    • Peter Skene Ogden Trail (members only)
  • Eugene
    • Ridgeline Trail pt. 1
    • Ridgeline Trail pt. 2
    • Mount Pisgah Summit
    • Mount Pisgah Arboretum
    • Shotgun Creek
    • Mt. June
    • Lawler
    • Tire Mountain
    • Goodman Creek
    • Brice Creek
    • Trestle Creek Falls
    • Moon Falls
    • Elijah Bristow State Park
    • South Willamette Trail (members only)
    • Eula Ridge (members only)
    • Eagle's Rest (members only)
  • Oakridge
    • Big Bunchgrass Ridge
    • Gold Lake Sno-Park
    • Deception Creek
    • North Salmon Creek
    • Salt Creek Falls
    • Waldo Lake Loop
    • Rosary Lakes
    • South Waldo Lake loop
    • Fawn Lake Loop
    • Windy Lakes
    • Divide Lake
    • Diamond Peak Summit
    • Timpanogas Lake to Cowhorn Mtn.
    • Moon Point (members only)
    • The Twins (members only)
    • Bobby Lake (members only)
    • Lillian Falls (members only)
    • Middle Fork Willamette Trail (members only)
    • Pool Creek Falls (members only)
    • Flat Creek to Dead Mountain (members only)
    • Larison Creek (members only)
    • Larison Rock (members only)
    • Eddeeleo Lakes (members only)
    • Waldo Mountain Lookout (members only)
    • Blair Lake to Mule Mountain (members only)
    • Rigdon Lakes loop (members only)
  • Oregon Coast
    • Drift Creek Falls
    • Sweet Creek Falls
    • Alsea Falls
    • Kentucky Falls
    • Marys Peak North Ridge
    • Marys Peak East Ridge
    • Hobbit Trail to Heceta Head
    • Cooks Ridge (members only)
    • Horse Creek (members only)
    • Siltcoos Lake (members only)
    • William Finley Wildlife Refuge (members only)
  • Southern Oregon
    • Fall Creek Falls
    • Watson Falls
    • Mt. Thielsen
    • The Watchman
    • Mount Scott
    • The Pinnacles
    • Lower Table Rock
    • Pilot Rock
    • Mt. McLoughlin
    • Fern Falls (members only)
  • Eastern Oregon
    • Painted Cove
    • Mount Howard
    • Anthony Lake Loop
    • Schneider Cabin (members only)
    • Strawberry Lake & Falls (members only)
  • Oregon PCT sections
    • PCT: Hwy. 58 to Charlton Lake
    • PCT: Santiam Pass to Rockpile Lake
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Leave No Trace
    • Top Tips For Hiking With Infants And Toddlers
    • Poison Oak, Ivy and Sumac
    • How to dress for cold weather hikes
    • Hiker Holiday Gift Guide 2019
    • Outdoor Holiday Gift Guide 2018
    • Hiking Holiday Gift Guide 2017
  • Reviews
    • Outdoor Herbivore Backpacking Food Review
    • Osprey Aura AG 65 Backpack review
    • Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 review
    • REI Quarter Dome 1 review
  • Adventure Stories
    • Hiking The Rae Lakes Loop
    • 110 Miles on the PCT
    • The Loop Around Three Fingered Jack
    • Jefferson Wilderness

Coffin Mountain

Coffin Mountain trail map
Get the printable version of this hike

Hike Details:

Mileage: 2.75 miles out and back w/ 1,100 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: 1 hour 10 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail usage: High on weekends during wildflower blooms, low on weekdays and during the fall
General location: 44 miles northwest of Sisters - Willamette National Forest
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is mid-June to mid July when the wildflowers are blooming. If you are going just for the view and want the trail to be less busy, go during a clear day in the fall, end of September and early October are gorgeous up there!)
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: No
Trail allows: ​Dogs on leash
Coffin Mountain from the road
(view of Coffin Mountain from the approach road)

Description:

Coffin Mountain is a short hike located between Sisters and Detroit that offers amazing views and plenty of early summer wildflowers. You will get a great taste of the amazing views that you will get on this hike during the drive to the trailhead, and you will get to see Coffin Mountain from the road. 
This trail was not well known until the summer of 2019 when there was a bear grass super bloom. Bear grass plants only bloom once every 5-7 years, so about every 35 years when conditions are just right, there is what is known as a "super bloom" where almost all the plants flower during the same time. Because there is so much bear grass covering Coffin Mountain, the bear grass super bloom became a state-wide phenomena and tourists flocked from far and wide to see this spectacular once in a lifetime event!
Coffin Mountain trailhead
Confusing trail split at Coffin Mountain
(confusing 'trail junction')
Because almost all of the bear grass flowered in 2019, there will be almost no bear grass flowering along this trail for the next few years. But, this trail does have many other wildflowers that do flower yearly, such as larkspur, fuzzy cat's ears, red Indian paintbrush and balsamroot. 
The trailhead is small and doesn't allow much room for parking. The trail immediately starts heading uphill. At 0.1 miles you will come to an open rocky spot where the trail isn't very clear and where it looks like the trail goes straight and to the left (see picture above). Make sure to stick to the trail to the left and continue going uphill. The other path that looks like a trail doesn't lead anywhere. 
Indian Paintbrush wildflowers at Coffin Mountain
(Red Indian Paintbrush)
Larkspur and penstamon wildflowers at Coffin Mountain
(Larkspur and Penstemon)
Bear grass flowering at Coffin Mountain
(blooming bear grass)
Balsamroot wildflowers at Coffin Mountain
(Balsamroot flowers)
The trail goes through a sparse forest for the first half mile, then it opens up and you start to walk through a very large open meadow full of bear grass. In the distance you can see amazing views of nearby Bachelor Mountain and Mt. Jefferson. You will hike up a total of 12 switchbacks through the meadow until you come to a ridge. The trail tread is a mixture of rocks, both loose and in the ground, as well as some roots to watch out for. Because the bear grass is very thick on either side of the trail, there are spots where you can't see the trail very well, so watch your step. The more that people use this trail, the more this trail becomes eroded and the footing can become a little bit tricky. Be careful and take it slow so that you don't turn and ankle.
Coffin Mountain bear grass super bloom
(Bear grass meadow June 29, 2019)
Meadow at Coffin Mountain in October
(Bear grass meadow October 14, 2018)
Coffin Mountain trail tread
(an example of the trail tread)
Coffin Mountain
Large bear grass meadow at Coffin Mountain
Coffin Mountain fire lookout
Once you reach the ridge, the hard part of the hike is over, and it is now an easy 0.3 miles to the Coffin Mountain fire lookout. This lookout is amazing, with a wrap around porch and windows on all four sides of the cabin. This lookout is staffed during summer months and they get supplies such as water and firewood dropped off via the helipad that is up there. The ranger who staffs this lookout is there to watch out for wildfires that might start during summer months, but they are more than happy to chat and answer any questions you might have about the surrounding area.
Fire lookout at Coffin Mountain
Mt. Hood from Coffin Mountain
(view of Mt. Hood to the north)
Detroit Lake from Coffin Mountain
(view of Detroit Lake in the distance)
Coffin Mountain helipad
From the summit of Coffin Mountain you can see Mt. Jefferson straight in front of you to the east, Mt. Hood and Detroit Lake to the north, and you can also see Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington and the Three Sisters to the south. The hill right in front of Mt. Jefferson is Bachelor Mountain, another short hike that is nearby. Bachelor Mountain offers similar views, however it is higher than Coffin Mountain and closer to Mt. Jefferson, so the view is a little bit better.
Mt. Jefferson from Coffin Mountain
Overall, this is a very short hike but it does offer some challenges which is why it is rated moderate and not easy. The rocky tread and steepness of the hike make this trail not hikeable for everyone. Trekking poles will help assist you on the way up and down. If you are hiking this trail in the summer months, make sure to bring enough water. The forest service staff who reside in the lookout have a limited supply and cannot give you water. This is a perfect hike for those who want to see the seasonal wildflowers, a fire lookout and the beautiful mountain views in a short excursion. 
Storm at Coffin Mountain

Directions:

From Bend
  • ​Drive US-97 north then take exit 135A to merge onto US-20 W toward Sisters. Stay on US-20 west for 45 miles then make a slight right onto OR-22 W for 12.5 miles. Near milepost 69 turn left onto Straight Creek Road for 4.2 miles, then turn right onto gravel road 1168 for another 3.8 miles. If you're afraid of heights, road 1168 can be a little bit scary. (Total of 68.7 miles)
From Salem
  • Drive OR-22 east towards Bend for 67.7 miles. Near milepost 69 turn right onto Straight Creek Road for 4.2 miles, then turn right onto gravel road 1168 for another 3.8 miles. If you're afraid of heights, road 1168 can be a little bit scary. (Total of 79.3 miles)
From Eugene
  • Drive OR-126 east for 75 miles then take a slight right onto US-20 E for 3.1 miles, then make a slight left toward OR-22 W and stay on OR-22 west for 12.2 miles. Near milepost 69 turn left onto Straight Creek Road for 4.2 miles, then turn right onto gravel road 1168 for another 3.8 miles. If you're afraid of heights, road 1168 can be a little bit scary. (Total of 100 miles)
From Portland
  • It is a total of 120 miles via Salem. 
From Medford​​
  • It is a total of 262 miles via Eugene. 
​*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer:  the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. 
Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.

HIKED HERE RECENTLY?! PLEASE LEAVE A TRIP REPORT BELOW:

© Hike Oregon 2020
P.O. Box 41911
​Eugene, OR 97404
Proudly powered by Weebly