Little Huckleberry Mountain Trail #49

Dogs Off-leash

Features Fall Colors · Views

The trail up Little Huckleberry is short but steep enough to offer a good workout followed by some great views from the summit, which hosted a fire lookout until 1970.

The signed trailhead for the #49 trail is on Forest Road 66, less than 2 miles past where it becomes a gravel road. There is ample parking at this trailhead, but no other amenities and no potable water.

The trail starts by following up along a ridge with a deep ravine on the left. After a steep climb, the trail levels out a bit before continuing with a gentle, rising traverse. It then descends some and makes an up-down traverse before again ascending more steeply.

About 1.6 miles from the trailhead, it crosses a rocky, dry creek bed and a spring before continuing up a shallow draw to another spring at "Spring Camp", marked by a fire pit enclosed by a galvanized tub. From here, the trail rises steeply to the saddle immediately southwest of Point 4478. It then turns northwest to traverse in a northeasterly direction past Point 4711 through open ground covered with bear-grass and huckleberry when in season. About 0.5 miles from the saddle, the trail ends at the summit, where foundation pillars are all that remain of the lookouts that once occupied this site.

From the summit—if the weather cooperates—you'll have big views of Mount Hood to the south, of Mount Adams to the northeast, of the 9-mile-long Big Lava Bed to the west and south, and of Goose Lake and the Indian Heaven Wilderness to the north.