Pets allowed
Allowed
Elevation Gain
1,358.00 ft (413.92 m)
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
2.40 mi (3.86 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

With Iron Mountain you have a few choices as to where to start your hike or how long to make it. Either way you cannot go wrong. The ideal time to hike is late spring through the fall. Summer wildflowers and wildlife add to this already beautiful area. The geology is something interesting to ponder as you hike. On a clear day you can see Mount Adams, Mount Hood, the tips of Three Fingered Jack, Mount Washington, the Three Sisters and Diamond Peak

Iron Mountain has served as a fire lookout from the early 1920s. Two lookout cabins have been used to detect summer forest fires from 1933 to 2007. In 2009 the platform that stands there now was built. The platform has historical postings explaining the history of the lookout and of the area including the indigenous Mollala tribe as well as the local flora and geology.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

NW Forest Pass

Pros

Short hike. Well marked. Amazing views.

Cons

None.

Trailhead Elevation

4,078.00 ft (1,242.97 m)

Features

Big vistas
Wildflowers

Location

Nearby Adventures

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

Iron Mountain is only about 15 minutes from several of the campgrounds on this section of the Santiam. We stayed at Fernview Group Site and found the hike to be a perfect halfday adventure. Bring a picnic meal and prepare to enjoy the view. Even on a smokey August mid-day, we loved the trail and reward at the top. Bonus: nearby Santiam swimming holes are the perfect after-rest.
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