On Mt. Hood’s east side, Zig Zag Trail #678 is a short, lightly used route off Oregon Highway 35. It starts at 2,950 feet and climbs about 1,050 feet to 4,000 feet, where it meets both the Dog River Trail #675 and the Surveyor’s Ridge Trail #688.
That junction makes it a handy way to reach either of those trails. From Hood River, drive 23 miles south on Highway 35. The parking area is on the road’s east side, roughly 0.7 mile south of milepost 72.
Trail map & elevation
- Trail class
- Class 2 of 5
- Typical grade
- 12-20%
- Surface
- Native material
- Tread width
- 18-24 inches
- Ranger district
- Hood River
Connects to: Surveyor’s Ridge Trail #688, Dog River Trail #675, East Fork Trail #650
Line, length and trail class: U.S. Forest Service trail data. Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Difficulty is our estimate for hiking it out and back (once around for a loop), from distance and total climb. Lines can be off by a few hundred feet; carry a real map and check the official page for closures.
Getting there
From Hood River
- travel 23 miles south on Oregon Hwy 35, approximately 0.7 mile south of milepost 72, to the parking area on the east side of the road.
From the Forest Service
Rules and restrictions
Bikes are only allowed to ride uphill. No downhill riding is allowed in order to prevent erosion.
Trails nearby
Surveyor’s Ridge Trail #688
35 mi
6,218 ft
Very hard
Dog River Trail #675
10.6 mi
2,565 ft
Very hard
East Fork Trail #650
14 mi
1,820 ft
Very hard
Elk Meadows Trail #645
17.6 mi
3,439 ft
Very hard
Tamanawas Falls Trail #650A
2.2 mi
458 ft
Easy
Tamanawas Tie Trail #650B
0.8 mi
237 ft
Easy
Bluegrass Ridge Trail #647
12.2 mi
3,084 ft
Very hard
Lamberson Spur Trail #644
3.2 mi
1,330 ft
Moderate
Tilly Jane Ski Trail #643
5.4 mi
1,920 ft
Hard
Cooks Meadow Trail #639
13.4 mi
2,512 ft
Very hard
Knebal Springs Trail #474
8.4 mi
1,644 ft
Hard
