Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain is a very popular hike especially during the summer months. This hike’s close proximity to Bend, Portland, Salem and Eugene, makes it a mecca for lots of people to come and view the wildflowers in the months of June and early July.
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There are two places where you can start the Iron Mountain loop trail from. The first one is off of Rd. 15 which is off of Hwy. 20. This is the official Iron Mountain trailhead. It is easy to miss, and the parking lot is also not very large, so these directions are for starting the trail right at Tombstone Pass. There is a large place to park (room for about 15 cars) where Road NF-060 begins. This area does not get very much sun, so early in the season, there could still be snow at Tombstone Pass and the parking area, however that doesn’t necessarily mean there is still snow on Iron Mountain. Make sure to hang up your Northwest Forest Pass, as you will get ticketed for parking here without a permit. |
(Cone Peak)
After parking your car, you will head down the Tombstone Nature trail towards Cone Peak trail. After .6 miles, you will have to cross Hwy. 20. This marks the start to Cone Peak trail no. 3408. The next 1.1 miles trend uphill. There are a total of 10 switchbacks in the forest that lead you up to beautiful meadows at the base of Cone Peak. There are many wildflowers here during the months of June (depending on the snow that year, sometimes also May and/or early July), such as yellow stonecrop, pink penstemon and purple larkspur.
(Iron Mountain)
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From this large meadow you can see Iron Mountain to the left. Continue .7 miles over the meadow until the trail crosses a small watershed and heads west and enters a thick side hill forest.
It is always shady here, so be careful of snow here early in the season. It can be icy and this side hill is fairly steep. From the moss line on the trees, you can tell how high the snow generally gets on an average year.
It is always shady here, so be careful of snow here early in the season. It can be icy and this side hill is fairly steep. From the moss line on the trees, you can tell how high the snow generally gets on an average year.
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As you come around the west side of Iron Mountain, you will see a trail split. If you want to head up the mountain, you will take the trail to the left for .7 miles. From here it gets steep, with a total of 11 tight switchbacks over some rocky terrain. From the trail you will see Iron Mountain with its red rocks looming above you. |
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(Panorama picture of the Iron Mountain summit lookout)
The view from the summit is absolutely epic! There is a great two level platform for your 360 degree viewing pleasure. In 1933 an L-4 ground house was built here but it blew away in a storm. In 1976 a new R-6 flattop lookout was build but due to vandalism issues, the Forest Service had to knock it down in 2007 and the beautiful new catwalk was built in its place.
To the east your view will contain the North, Middle and South Sister, as well as the Husband, and behind that, Mt. Bachelor. If you look to the west, you will see Mt. Jefferson, which is so close, it looms over you!
To the east your view will contain the North, Middle and South Sister, as well as the Husband, and behind that, Mt. Bachelor. If you look to the west, you will see Mt. Jefferson, which is so close, it looms over you!
(North Sister, Middle Sister, South Sister)
(Mt. Jefferson)
Instead of walking back to your car along the highway, cross it, and continue on Santiam Wagon Road another mile back to Tombstone Pass, where you left your car. This last section of the trail is not that special, as it is just straight through the trees on an old wagon road.
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Overall, the Iron Mountain loop hike is really neat, and it is highly recommended to folks of all walks of life. If you don't want to do the entire 6.6 mile loop, you can choose to park at the first official Iron Mountain trailhead and only go up Iron Mountain which makes it a 2.4 mile roundtrip hike. This might be more palatable for some, especially if you are hiking with younger children and they just want to see the view. Due to the epic scenery and diversity of plants, this is a great place for photographers to explore, especially in the early summer time when the flowers are in bloom.
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Approximate hike time: 3 hours 15 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.0 mph
Suggested seasons: Late spring, summer, fall
(Best time to go is in late April through May when all of the wildflowers are blooming, and September and October when all of the crowds have died down).
Trail usage: Moderate to heavy (heavy usage during wildflower season)
Directions: Drive on Hwy. 20 east 36 miles of Sweet Home (or 13 miles west of Santiam Pass). At milepost 64 right, turn onto Road 15 where you will find the official Iron Mountain trailhead. If you miss this trailhead (like we did), don't fret, you can also park right down the road at a large pullout at Tombstone Pass and start the trail there.
You will need your Annual Northwest Forest Pass, or pay $5 for parking if you don't have one.
Suggested seasons: Late spring, summer, fall
(Best time to go is in late April through May when all of the wildflowers are blooming, and September and October when all of the crowds have died down).
Trail usage: Moderate to heavy (heavy usage during wildflower season)
Directions: Drive on Hwy. 20 east 36 miles of Sweet Home (or 13 miles west of Santiam Pass). At milepost 64 right, turn onto Road 15 where you will find the official Iron Mountain trailhead. If you miss this trailhead (like we did), don't fret, you can also park right down the road at a large pullout at Tombstone Pass and start the trail there.
You will need your Annual Northwest Forest Pass, or pay $5 for parking if you don't have one.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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*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.
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