Weekend Gem-Zig Zag Lollypop Loop
From Highway 26, Zig Zag Mountain looms over the forest of the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness. With its commanding views of Portland and the Willamette Valley to the west and Mt. Hood to the east, it’s hard to beat this loop for great scenery. From the lush Devil Canyon to Cast Lake perched high atop this wild ridge, this hike packs it all in for a total of 22 miles. Spend the last day on an almost level stretch wandering through wild flower meadows and skirting rocky outcropping while enjoying ever-changing views of Mt. Hood Wilderness. The close proximity to the Portland metro area makes this trip ideal for folks who would like a great introduction to Oregon’s highest peak but don’t want to spend a lot of time in the car.
Flowers fields complement this view of Mt. Hood from the Ridge
This trip generally opens by June with some snow patches, but it is free of snow and full of wild flowers by early to mid July. I recommend that you do this loop in a minimum of 2 days and would suggest for a novice to take 3 days total. There are sections of this trail that have significant elevation gains and losses that can impede your progress so if a longer trip is desired it would be more leisurely in order to fully enjoy this spectacular area. Park your car at the TH on RD. 1819, TR #775 Zig Zag Mtn. and begin the hike up the Ridge as the views of the Willamette Valley open up. There are great views of Portland from here, as well as a couple of dry, but great camps too. Make a right on TR #789 that takes you down to lush Devil’s Canyon. Next, begin climbing up the Canyon on TR #772, make a left on connector TR #767 for a short bit before hanging a left to Cast Lake on TR #796. Cast is my favorite lake in the Mt. Hood Wilderness, you can find a great spot above the lake on it’s east side. In the morning, backtrack to TR #775 and make a right, this is the best part of the loop. After gaining the ridge, follow this trail with it’s pocket meadows of flowers and great view of the Mountain continue for a couple of miles before dropping back down to your car.
The views of Portland and the Willamette Valley
