Lookout Mountain

Mt. Hood from Lookout Mountain

Easy (from High Prairie)

2.5-mile loop

570 feet elevation gain

Open July through October

Use: hikers, horses


Difficult (from Highway 35)

10 miles round trip

2980 feet elevation gain

This summit not only overlooks every Cascade peak from the Three Sisters to Mt. Rainier, it also has a rare panorama of the Columbia River Plateau and the Badger Creek Wilderness. Certainly the view of Mt. Hood is hard to beat.

Two very different routes climb to Lookout Mountain. The loop from High Prairie is easy enough for hikers with children. Although the climb from Highway 35 via Gumjuwac Saddle is long and tough, it starts at a convenient trailhead and offers views of its own. For the easy loop, drive Highway …

Other Options

If you’ve already hiked to Lookout Mountain via Gumjuwac Saddle and would like to try a different viewpoint …

This chapter taken from the book 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington.

Mt. Hood and Lookout Mountain