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Lookout Mountain from Round Mountain South Hike

From Oregon Hikers Field Guide

View southwest from the summit of Lookout Mountain (romann)
The snow shelter on Lookout Mountain (romann)
Partial view of Big Summit Prairie to the east (romann)
The dry meadows of the upper plateau (romann)
Cluster lilies blooming in July (romann)
Map showing the lollipop loop to the summit of Lookout Mountain
  • Start point: Round Mountain South TrailheadRoad.JPG
  • End point: Lookout Mountain
  • Hike type: Lollipop loop
  • Distance: 8.9 miles
  • Elevation gain: 1800 feet
  • High point: 6,926 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Seasons: Mid June-October for the loop
  • Family Friendly: Yes, for teenagers
  • Backpackable: Yes
  • Crowded: No

Contents

Hike Description

This hike follows a popular Lookout Mountain loop counter-clockwise, but starts right above paved FR 42 so you don't have to drive the last rocky, slow mile to the Mother Lode Mine Trailhead. Instead, you hike that mile up a pleasant (if sometimes steep) trail through old ponderosa pine forest, meadows with plenty of wildflowers in early June, and rewarding views. The downside is this lower trail addition has some unsigned, confusing junctions (described below), but overall it's in good condition and much quieter than the upper loop.

Start at the big gravel parking lot, which is signed for two trailheads at once; the far end is signed as the Round Mountain South Trailhead, and the near end has a sign for the Lookout Mountain Upper Trailhead. Park at the near end of trailhead lot. Walk across the access road, and just uphill you'll see a sign for the Lookout Mountain Trail #804, the beginning of our hike.

In about a third of a mile, our trail will merge with a double-track trail. Go straight on the double track. In about 100 yards it splits - keep right, and soon it will turn into single-track again (there are no signs but a couple of rock cairns will mark the way). In the next half mile, the trail comes to what looks like a big, long-forgotten gravel parking lot overgrown with grass. Hike across it, and a good trail will resume on the other side. Past here, the going is straightforward - just ignore a few small trails to your left. Big ponderosa pines provide an attractive hiking environment, and the open hillside on your right has plenty of views. In late May and early June, you'll see a lot of wildflowers - blue larkspur, red paintbrush, and yellow balsamroot-like Wyethia (a.k.a. mule's ears). In the fall, a small grove of aspens will take turns at adding color to landscape. At 0.9 miles from the start, you'll keep right at a junction with your return trail near the Mother Lode Mine Trailhead, and soon you'll see abandoned mine buildings on the hill to your left.

In the next two miles, you'll be climbing in pleasant shade as subalpine fir replaces pine and juniper. The forest will be interrupted a couple times with large meadows that host spectacular flower displays in July. About 3.3 miles from the start, you'll come to the junction with the Mother Lode Mine Trail #808A. Keep right here, still staying on trail #804. The climb is now almost over as the terrain gradually flattens out, and here on the plateau it gets a lot drier. Instead of the shady fir forest you've just seen, you'll notice groups of lodgepole pine and juniper, as well as wide sagebrush meadows (look for abundant flowers among sagebrush, especially red scarlet gilia - a hummingbird's favorite). Soon after that junction, you'll see a spur trail on your left, signed for a snow shelter. This historic, three-wall structure with a stove and wooden roof is just a short way from the main trail and worth a visit. There are good places to camp under the trees around the shelter (and of course, in the shelter itself - but expect some company), but if you camp, you'll need to bring water with you.

Back on the main trail, you will come to another junction, less than a third of a mile later, in the middle of a large sagebrush meadow. For the summit of Lookout Mountain, keep straight on an unsigned trail, and in less than 100 yards, the trail will abruptly end at the top of a cliff with incredible views to the west, north, and south. There are the old foundations of the former lookout building and of the corral on the windswept rocky top. On a good day, you'll see most of the central Cascade's snow-capped volcanoes, including Mount Bachelor, Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood, and Mount Adams, and all the smaller summits in between. Looking back, you'll get a glimpse of Big Summit Prairie through the trees to the east.

After soaking up the views, head south (right if facing away from cliff edge) on Trail #807A (the Line Butte Tie Trail). You'll descend fairly steeply for 0.6 miles to the next signed junction, where you'll continue on Trail #808. The trail goes in and out of forest, passing through false hellebore meadows. At the bottom of a big gully, you will cross Brush Creek, the only reliable water source on this loop. The next mile and half after Brush Creek is mostly open terrain, dry rocky meadows with an impressive variety of flowers. If you come here in early June (which means crossing some snowfields on the way), you may see wild peonies in bloom; their flowering time is very short, and only a few lucky hikers will time the trip right. However, other flowers last well into July, so there's always something to see. The trail approaches good viewpoints as it comes close to the north edge of the plateau.

The trail makes a sharp switchback left as it leaves the plateau and gradually descends the much greener, forested north side of the mountain. In just over a mile you'll come to the Mother Lode Mine Trailhead. Cross the trailhead parking area and the road, and find a trail going downhill. In about 50 yards, it comes to the Lookout Mountain Trail #804 you hiked up. Turn right to return to your car.


Regulations or restrictions, etc

  • No pass requirements
  • No facilities at trailhead
  • Water sources in the area may be contaminated by toxic mine tailings

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Guidebooks

  • Oregon Hiking by Matt Wastradowski
  • Pacific Northwest Hiking by Craig Hill & Matt Wastradowski
  • 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Eastern Oregon by William L. Sullivan
  • Oregon Hiking by Sean Patrick Hill
  • Hiking Central Oregon & Beyond by Virginia Meissner
  • Hiking Oregon's Geology by Ellen Morris Bishop
  • Best Hikes With Dogs: Oregon by Ellen Morris Bishop

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Oregon Hikers Field Guide is built as a collaborative effort by its user community. While we make every effort to fact-check, information found here should be considered anecdotal. You should cross-check against other references before planning a hike. Trail routing and conditions are subject to change. Please contact us if you notice errors on this page.

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