Halfway between the Columbia River and Mt. St. Helens, the Trapper Creek Wilderness is a warren of hiking paths along woodsy creeks and ridges. Several trails climb 6 miles or more to reach the old lookout site at Observation Peak, with views from Mt. Jefferson to Mt. Rainier, but a little-known trailhead gets you there in less than 3 miles—and allows explorers to take a side trip to a higher, better viewpoint atop Sisters Rocks.

To find this back-door trailhead, drive . . .

Other Options

The area’s best viewpoint, at Sisters Rocks, requires . . .

This chapter taken from the book 100 Hikes: Northwest Oregon