10 Breathtaking Mountains In Oregon
It’s hard to choose the most amazing mountains in a state like Oregon that has so many mountain peaks to choose from but some of the best mountain views can be see on these amazing mountains in Oregon:
Mount Thielsen
Located in: Southern Oregon CascadesHeight: 9,184 feetNearby City: Chemult
Known For: Mount Thielsen is often called the lighting rod of the Cascades. It’s the tallest mountain in the Cascade mountain range. And it has a unique round spire shaped peak that is rocky and bare. The height and the shape of the peak act like a lighting rod and attract lightning from passing storms. It’s said that the peak of Mount Thielsen gets struck by lighting twice as much as any other point in the Cascades. The tall rocky peak gives a fantastic view of some of the other famous mountains nearby like Mount Shasta, Howlock Mountain, and Mount Bailey. Despite the rugged terrain and narrow peak the trail up to the summit is appropriate for almost any intermediate or advanced hikers. The West Ridge Trail is the most often recommended trail to take to the summit.
North Sister
Located in: Cascade Mountain RangeHeight: 10,085 feetNearby City: Bend
Known For: The North Sister is one of three volcanic mountains called the Three Sisters in central Oregon. The Three Sisters are part of the Cascade Mountains. The North Sister is the toughest to climb of the three mountains and because the terrain is so rocky and rugged it attracts only the most intrepid hikers. The easiest peaks to climb on the North Sister are the south ridge, the southeast ridge, and the north ridge. To get to the peak without too much difficulty hikers should take either the Obsidian Trail or the Pole Creek Spring Trail. Both trails will lead to the Bowling Alley, a long and narrow approach to the summit.
Steens Mountain
Located in: Steens Mountain Cooperative Management And Protection AreaHeight: 9,734 feetNearby City: Burns
Known For: Steens Mountain is in the southeastern part of Oregon, almost exactly opposite of Portland and about eight hours away. Steens Mountain is a remote mountain that sits by itself smack dab in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, a Federally protected wild area of more than 400,000 acres. Steens Mountain and the SMCMPA has some of the best backpacking, hiking and camping opportunities in the country. But this is a very remote area so when you visit make sure that you are prepared to live without city comforts. Burns, the nearest city, is 70 miles away. If you want to possibly see some wild horses, alpacas, and llamas take the Wildhorse Lake Trail from Steens Summit Road. The Big Indian Gorge Trail is another popular hiking trail. This trail will take you through wonderful fields of mountain wild flowers in the right season.
Brandy Peak
Located in: Siskiyou National ForestHeight: 5,302 feetNearby City: Agness
Known For: Brandy Peak is a remote mountain that can be a challenging hike, especially in the wintertime. Wintertime hiking is not recommended unless you have a lot of experience and are well-prepared for low temperatures and lots of snow. Brandy Peak falls directly between the Pacific Ocean and one of the major highways in Oregon but getting there can be a challenge because it’s a remote part of the Siskiyou National Forest. There is a short trail to the summit of Brandy Peak along the Bear Ridge Trail but it’s very difficult to find. It’s recommended that hikers have a GPS and a trail map as well as a relief map of the area to be sure that they can safely find their way to the summit and back down again. Hikers can also pick up a partially formed trail to the summit at Squirrel Ridge.
Alvord Peak
Located in: Alvord DesertHeight: 7,132 feetNearby City: Burns
Known For: Alvord Peak is relatively close to Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon. This part of Oregon has stunning landscape views with craggy canyons and huge rock formations carved by glaciers. But what makes Alvord Peak unique is that this mountain isn’t a forested green topped or snow topped mountain like so many of the other mountains in Oregon. Alvord Peak is in the Alvord Desert, near the California and Oregon border. The summit of Alvord Peak will give you stunning desert views instead of forest views. There are no trees at the summit of Alvord Peak. Just some scraggy sagebrush that managed to survive wild fires in the last decade that wipes out almost all of the little vegetation that did exist at the top of Alvord Peak.
Crane Mountain
Located in: Fremont–Winema National ForestHeight: 8,451 feetNearby City: Lakeview
Known For: Crane Mountain is one of the easier to access mountains in Oregon. It’s just about five miles outside of Lakeview and getting into the Fremont-Winema National Forest is easy. Crane mountain has a fairly high elevation but the trails leading to the summit have easy inclines so that hikers of all abilities can enjoy them. The primary trail that hikers use on Crane Mountain is the Crane Mountain National Recreation Trail which runs all along the Warner Mountains and eventually into California. This trail connects the Fremont National Recreation Trail with the South Fork Crooked Creek Trailhead. In addition to marked trails there are lots of old fire roads and fire vehicle access roads that can be used for hiking on Crane Mountain. You may even see some old fire fighting equipment left behind in some areas of the mountain. On the way to the summit hikers will see beautiful lush forests and rich grasslands. At the summit be prepared for much colder temperatures and lots of snow. It’s very common for hikers to see find snow at the summit in July. Summer hiking is highly recommended for hikers that want to get to the peak of Mount Crane because it has snow most of the year except for the height of summer in late July and August.
Pearsoll Peak
Located in: Kalmiopsis WildernessHeight: 5,098Nearby City: Agness
Known For: Once you make it to the top of Pearsoll Peak you can see all the way to Mount Shasta in one direction and the Pacific Ocean in the other direction. But, Pearsoll Peak is not a climb that is good for beginners or anyone with physical challenges. Getting to the summit of Pearsoll Peak can be a slog. Anyone that wants to attempt this climb should remember that during the Biscuit Fire wildfire of 2002 the entire Kalmiopsis Wilderness area burned including Pearsoll Peak. As a result there are no trees left on the mountain to provide any kind of shade as you hike. Come prepared with hats, umbrellas, or other sun protection for your hike because there is none on the mountain. And make sure that you bring plenty of water as well. You’ll need it. There is a remote mining access road that will deposit hikers directly at the Upper Chetco Trailhead but not every vehicle can safely make it up the access road. If your vehicle can’t make it up the mining road the closest place to park is McCaleb Ranch. From there will you need to hike about five miles to Chetco Pass in order to access the trail to the summit of Pearsoll Peak. The climb is worth it though for the stunning long distance views you can see from the summit.
Mount Hood
Located in: Mount Hood National ForestHeight: 11,249 feetNearby City: Portland
Known For: Mount Hood is the tallest mountain in Oregon and one of the most well-known mountains in the country. This mountain volcano is estimated to be more than 500,000 years old. It rises majestically out of the trees and plains in the enormous Mount Hood National Forest and is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts who come in droves to hike, ski, bike, hunt, camp, cycle, ride horses and witness the incredible views from the summit of this ancient mountain. Mount Hood National Forest has more than one million protected acres of forest and grasslands where people can hike, camp, fish and surround themselves in the stunning beauty of nature. During the winter months the ski resort at Mount Hood is hopping and there’s downhill and cross-country skiing on the mountain for skiers of all abilities. If you’re hiking Mount Hood you definitely should take some of the trails that lead to the summit, or use the vehicle friendly paved roads to get to the observation deck. But don’t miss out on some of the stunning trails that will lead you around the mountain and give you great waterfall views like the Bald Mountain Trail, the Trillium Lake Loop, and the Lost Lake Trail.
Humbug Mountain
Located in: Humbug Mountain State Park Height: 1,765 feet Nearby City: Port Orford Known For: Humbug Mountain sits directly on the southern coast of Oregon. It’s one of only a couple of mountains that rise straight from the Pacific Ocean. On your way to the summit you will pass through stunning old-growth temperate rainforest that is practically primordial. The hike to the summit of Humbug Mountain is a nice day hike, but there is also camping available in Humbug Mountain State Park which surrounds the mountain so you can make a trip out of your visit if you want. The summit trail is an easy hike of about six miles so both advanced beginners or more experienced hikers can enjoy a nice hike through the forests to the top of Humbug Mountain. The Oregon Crest Trail crosses through Humbug Mountain State Park so hikers that are doing the trail may want to take a side trip to the summit of Humbug Mountain while they are close.
Wizard Island Peak
Located in: Crater Lake Height: 6,933 feet Nearby City: Klamath Falls Known For: Wizard Island Peak is a volcanic mountain and climbing it is an experience that is not to be missed if you’re visiting Oregon. Wizard Island Peak is a mountain that sits entirely on a small island in Crater Lake off the coast of Oregon. The views from the summit are astounding. The trail is all uphill from the beach though so be prepared for a climb. After you’ve seen made the climb to the summit of Wizard Island Peak you can actually go down into the actual crater. You can also spend time some swimming in the absolutely pristine waters of Crater Lake. The only way to access Wizard Island is by taking the Wizard Island Boat Tour. The tour runs at designated times so you can choose to remain on Wizard Island for up to an entire day depending on how many activities you want to do on the island and how long it will take you to climb to the summit and down into the crater. It’s a good idea to book your Boat Tour tickets well in advance because they tend to fill up quickly, especially during the early summer months of June and July.
10 Tallest Mountains In Oregon
Mount HoodMount JeffersonSouth SisterNorth SisterSacajawea PeakSteens MountainAneroid MountainTwin PeaksRed MountainMount McLoughlin
Highest Point In Oregon
Mount Hood- 11,240 feet
