Hike 30: Coffin Mountain

Distance: 3.0 miles out and back

Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet

Trailhead elevation: 4,713 feet

Trail high point: 5,733 feet

Season: June - October

Best: late-June - end of July

Permit: none required

On the traditional lands of: the Molalla people

Directions:

  • From Salem, drive OR 22 east approximately 49 miles to Detroit.

  • Continue past Detroit on OR 22 for 19 miles to a junction with the Straight Creek Road (FR 11) on your right.

  • Turn right and drive this winding but paved road for 1.4 miles to a junction with FR 1168. Ignore this junction and continue on paved FR 11.

  • Continue another 2.6 miles to another junction with FR 1168, veering sharply off to the right.

  • Turn right and drive this gravel road 1.4 miles to a fork with FR 368.

  • Keep left on FR 1168 and continue another 2.4 winding miles to a junction with FR 450.

  • Turn left and drive 50 yards to the signed trailhead.

Every few years beargrass blankets the slopes of Coffin Mountain, seen here in 2019.

Hike: This is a wonderful hike up to the cliffy, flat-topped summit of Coffin Mountain that is short enough to do in just a few hours but exciting enough to make a day destination. The trail climbs up an open slope that is absolutely filled with wildflowers to a lookout tower with a panoramic view of the Cascade Range – it doesn’t get better than this!

Begin by charging uphill on a rocky trail, once a jeep road. Soon you will leave the forest and emerge on a steep, open slope that is carpeted with beargrass. The views out to the Cascades are stupendous, with Mount Jefferson dominating the view to the east while views to the south stretch out to the Three Sisters and all the way south to Diamond Peak.

Continue climbing on a winding trail up through the beargrass until you reach the summit plateau at 1.3 mile. Above you to the left is a radio tower on one end of the plateau. Continue on towards the lookout tower ahead of you, which you reach at 1.5 miles. The tower is staffed in the summer by an individual whose job it is to spot fires – do not enter the lookout unless you are invited to do so. The view, as you might imagine, is stupendous. In addition to the peaks to your east and south, Mount Hood and Mount Adams rise to the north. Below you to the immediate north is Detroit Lake. When you are done at the summit, return the way you came. For a bit of variety on the way back, follow a user trail near the summit off towards the radio tower on the other end of Coffin Mountain’s summit to the end of the ridge. The flowers on this end of the summit are outstanding, with lots of paintbrush, phlox and many other flowers. You can follow user trails back down to the main trail and back to the trailhead.