Flag Point via Lookout Mountain Hike

Overview

The high ridge between Lookout Mountain and Flag Point, on the northern edge of the Badger Creek Wilderness, offers a panoply of attractions: magnificent views of wilderness and the Cascade Range, wet and dry wildflower meadows, exotic rock formations, and a working lookout tower at Flag Point. While you can sometimes drive to the latter via a rough road, a shorter drive gives you a real hiking experience. One more access option to Flag Point that involves a hike is by using the Fret Creek Trail (see the Palisade Point via Fret Creek Hike for a description of part of this route). This is a great hike in the summer but is also a revelation in the fall (end of October - early November) when the larches blaze in golden glory before dropping their needles. Be aware that the Divide Trail loses elevation between Lookout Mountain and Flag Point, meaning that most of the elevation gain on this hike happens on the way back. The Divide Trail itself is an old trail, constructed sometime before 1920. From the High Prairie Trailhead, cross Road 4410 and take the High Prairie Trail #493: this is the short loop trail to the summit of Lookout Mountain. Go right at the trail sign and begin a traipse across High Prairie’s lush meadows of arrow-leaf groundsel, heliotrope, lupine, arnica, and subalpine daisy. The trail swings left at a decommissioned spur to an old trailhead on the Bennett Pass Road. Wind gently up in mountain hemlock forest carpeted in patches by lupine, grouseberry, and woodrush. Stay right at the unsigned junction for the short tie that leads to the lookout road. Pass a viewpoint above a red cinder slope to Mount Hood and Elk Mountain. Then reach a pointed rock outcrop which also offers excellent views west. The trail turns up the ridge in a matted carpet of pinemat manzanita, and you will get your first views of Mount Jefferson and the Three Sisters. Reach the Divide-High Prairie West Trail Junction, and go left. Pass a campsite on Lookout Mountain’s west summit with a view back to the volcanoes of the Wash

Trail Stats

Photos

400px-FlagPointLookoutMtMap

400px-FlagPointLookoutMtMap

160px-FlagPointLookoutMt1

160px-FlagPointLookoutMt1

160px-FlagPointLookoutMt3

160px-FlagPointLookoutMt3

250px-FlagPointLookoutMt4

250px-FlagPointLookoutMt4

400px-FlagPointLookoutMt2

400px-FlagPointLookoutMt2

Tags