Dragonflies dip into Burnt Lake’s reflection of Mt. Hood, splitting the snowy volcano into ripples. This is one of the cherished sanctums of the Mt. Hood Wilderness, just far enough from the world of roads to keep casual tourists at bay. A well-graded trail to the lake passes a waterfall, wildflowers, and huckleberries. For a longer hike, continue up to East Zigzag, a former fire lookout site with a bird’s-eye view of the magic mountain.

To find the trailhead from Portland, take Highway . . .

This chapter taken from the book 100 Hikes: Northwest Oregon