West Zigzag Mountain

Easy (to Castle Canyon)

1.8 miles round trip

800 feet elevation gain

Open all year


Difficult (to lookout site)

11 miles round trip

3100 feet elevation gain

Open May through November

Use: hikers, horses

Forests cloak this steep ridge in the westernmost corner of the Mt. Hood Wilderness, but two convenient trails lead to viewpoints above the trees. The first is a short but very steep path to a collection of craggy rock towers. The second is a strenuous conditioning hike—a 3000-foot climb at a steady grade to the clifftop site of a former lookout building.

From Portland, drive Highway …

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