Silver Star Mountain

Natural rock arch on Ed's Trail

Difficult (via Ed’s Trail)

8.7-mile loop

2100 feet elevation gain

Open May to mid-November

Use: hikers, horses, bicycles

From Portland, Silver Star Mountain appears as a humble brown ridge. From the mountain’s wildflower-spangled meadows, however, the view is proud indeed, encompassing four snowpeaks and a long, silver ribbon of Columbia River.

In 1902 the mountain was overswept by the Yacolt Burn, the largest forest fire in Washington history. Today, wildflower meadows thrive on the ridges where trees failed to reseed. A new footpath on the mountain’s north flank climbs to the summit by ducking through a natural rock arch. If you return on an abandoned road as a loop, the hike’s only 6.4 miles. But it’s worth adding a 2.3-mile side trip to visit a mysterious collection of Indian pits.

To find this northern trailhead, drive …

Other Options

For a longer loop hike, go straight across the 4-way junction when …

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