Beginning of the route through the lively forest to Salmon Butte.
SALMON BUTTE |
ELEVATION: 4877 ft, with 3250 ft vertical gain
DISTANCE: 5¾ mi up, 11½ mi round-trip
DURATION: 2½–3 hours up, 5–6 hours round-trip
DIFFICULTY: Strenuous. Very long, continual steep but not unbearable, minimal signage but obvious, crowded in summer near the bottom, wildlife sightings possible may include mule deer, coyote, mountain lion, and black bear
TRIP REPORT: Within Mount Hood National Forest and Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness is this summit with great vertical and exercise, only an hour from Portland. The old lookout burned and was removed many years ago and even though some of the top is overgrown, views are more far-reaching than many expect! Try the hike from June to perhaps mid-July for the wildflower and rhododendron show in full bloom. Northwest Forest Pass required, and outhouses are located at nearby Salmon River W TH just N of the river and Green River Campground (open May through September).
Beginning of the route through the lively forest to Salmon Butte.
TRAILHEAD: Salmon Butte TH. Take US-26 E from Portland 16 mi E of Sandy, turn right (S) in Zigzag past Hoodland Fire District Station on E Salmon River Road (FR-2618) 5 mi, cross the bridge over the Salmon River into gravel less than ½ mi more to the end (50 mi, 1 hour from Portland).
ROUTE: Begin S beyond the boulders on the continuation of old FR-2618 more than 1¼ mi, first across the bridge over S Fork Salmon River, then winding up across small creeks past wildflowers with some fairly big Douglas fir as the narrowing Salmon River Trail 791 dives into the forest to the right. Follow the slightly overgrown Trail 791 through the thick woods with a steady steep grade. Most of the undergrowth nearly disappears except for ferns through the moss-covered forest before you cross a partially cut tree at 2 mi from the TH. The path widens as you soon round the bottom of a NW shoulder off the N ridge of Salmon Butte and stay W of the ridge a while. More than ¼ mi farther (2¾ mi up) is an opening to a good view of a large rock monolith known as Green Knob far to the S (just W of Salmon Butte which is out of sight) and of Salmon Mountain across the valley NW.
Continue to traverse the fairly steep slope SSE steadily and somewhat easier around another NW shoulder below the main ridge to the first of 5 switchbacks as the route becomes steeper (more than 3½ mi up). After the fifth switchback (more than 4½ mi up) you soon turn up the actual ridge a bit easier (at 4240 ft) with a full shot of Mount Hood over the tall rhododendrons.
Walk the overgrown trail on the ridge through the old pines and turn up through rhododendrons to the first of 4 more undisputable switchbacks. Hike SW ¼ mi steeper up the narrow path and head right at the top of the switchbacks onto the wider trail (5½ mi up) with bear grass, paintbrush, and others. Wind more than ¼ mi to the rocky top as the path steepens with 1 easier switchback to the summit.
Past the wildflowers near the summit you see the entire local wilderness including tiny Salmon Lake SW (to complete the list of everything nearby named “Salmon”). And outwardly you may be able to gaze at most of the big volcanoes in two states from Mount Rainier down to Three Sisters on a clear day! Of course Mount Hood is the centerpiece towering over nearby Devil’s Peak and you hardly notice trees blocking the nominal views to the W.
