Flag Point Add-on Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Connecting Hikes: School Canyon-Little Badger Creek Loop Hike or Little Badger Creek Hike
- End point: Flag Point
- Distance: 7.6 miles out and back
- Elevation gain: 1700 feet
- High point: 5,651 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Summer into fall
- Family Friendly: No
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Description
This hike to a historic lookout is a good extension of the School Canyon-Little Badger Creek Loop Hike or the Little Badger Creek Hike. Alternatively, it is possible to start at Road 200 just below the lookout and go all the way down to the School Canyon Trailhead or the Little Badger Creek Trailhead if you've planned a car shuttle. For those backpacking, there's one campsite at the Trail 469/Road 200 junction (Sunset Spring Trailhead), and a couple more down near the Helispot Viewpoint and Gnome Rocks. Since 2016, the lookout can no longer be rented due to continuing vandalism. It is usually staffed from about mid-June into October, depending on the length of the fire season.
From the School Canyon-Little Badger Creek Trail Junction, follow the trail above the Helispot Viewpoint and Gnome Rocks through a mixed ponderosa pine and fir forest. Soon, you'll see the spur leading down to Junction Spring, where you can fill your water bottles. About a mile later, the trail goes through a burned area, which means there may be a lot of fallen trees across the trail. After the junction with the Tygh Creek Way #460A, the going becomes easier as some trees have been cleared (although new trees may have fallen since the last trail work). Soon you'll pass the junction with the rarely maintained Gordon Butte Trail, which may be marked by a cairn. Later on, the trail follows a long-abandoned road through more montane fir forest, passes above Sunset Spring, and connects with little-traveled Forest Road 200, which leads to Flag Point. Four trails reach the road near this point. There is a campsite with a huge fire ring, and you'll pass the upper end of the Tygh Creek Trail.
Take a sharp left, and hike a mile up the road. When you come to the summit area, you'll see an A-frame and an antenna as well as a new restroom; walk a bit further, and you'll see the lookout tower, initially hidden behind the rocky high point. If you're here during fire season, you may climb the stairs all the way to the cabin for a better view. Ask the lookout staff person for permission to enter the cabin. There's usually a register for visitors to sign.
Take a lot of water on this hike, since there is none above Junction Spring near the Helispot Viewpoint. Bear in mind that the travel over blowdown may take longer than expected.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- No fees
- Restrooms at Flag Point
- Lookout staffed from about mid-June to October
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Green Trails Maps: Flag Point, OR #463
- Discover Your Northwest: Mt. Hood National Forest North: Trail Map & Hiking Guide
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Hood National Forest
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Barlow Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Columbia Wilderness and Badger Creek Wilderness
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount Hood
- Adventure Maps: Mt. Hood Area
- Adventure Maps: Hood River, Oregon, Trail Map
- Adventure Maps: 44 Trails Area plus the best of the G.P.N.F.
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Flag Point Add-on Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Flag Point Add-on Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Hiking Oregon's Mount Hood & Badger Creek Wilderness by Fred Barstad
- A Guide to the Trails of Badger Creek by Ken & Ruth Love
More Links
- Little Badger Trail #469 (USFS)
- Little Badger Trail #469 (Mt. Hood National Forest)
- Flag Point Lookout (USFS)