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Hike Silver Star Mountain

Yacolt, Washington

4.6/5
based on 5 reviews

Description

Added by David Schelske

Distance: 5 mile loop. Elevation gain: 1,250 ft. Some of the best views in the Northwest. Lake spring wildflowers. High elevation meadows. Two summits. 2 hours from Portland.

Silver Star is simply a must-do hike for adventure lovers here in the Northwest!

From the parking area, take the main trail up to the first open meadow. Eds Trail splits off here, meeting back up just before the summit. Be warned, Eds Trail is much steeper in sections and is more difficult than the standard trail, although it offers amazing views and adds some challenge and excitement.

Much of the trail is at a high elevation, passing through open meadows with little shade. When you reach the top, there are two summits with amazing views all around – the northern peak is the true summit.

Bring a truck or standard SUV for the drive up. You don't need a 4x4, but something with better ground clearance than a standard car will save you from tearing up the bottom of your rig, as the last mile or so are very rough.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Dog Friendly
Forest
Scenic
Wildflowers
Wildlife

Hike Silver Star Mountain Reviews

one of my absolute favorites highly recommend!!

This is hands down one of my favorite hikes yet. I am already itching to go back. We could see all 5 mountains (Mt Saint Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Rainier, Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson), amazing wildflowers, and trees for miles. Since I don't have 4w drive, we parked on the side and hiked up the extra 2 miles to the trailhead. This part of the hike was rough as it was steep and without much view. With the added miles it was still worth it! We ended up doing 10 miles, (4 miles to and from our car and trail head), and 6 miles with the ed's trail loop.

I loved every minute of this hike, I went towards the end of summer and I can't wait to get back earlier in the year. My favorite part was hiking along the ridge line with the wind blowing through. It is however somewhat troublesome to get to the trail head so make sure that you are prepared with a high clearance vehicle that can make it up there, I saw many cars left on the side of the road. Would always recommend this hike!

This is an excellent hike. It has some amazing views. Just make sure to have 4wd for the road

Fantastic hike with breathtaking views! I also recommend riding in a vehicle with either high clearance and/or 4-wheel drive to access the trail head. It's about 8 rugged miles; bring a road map since there's limited cell service and a few unmarked routes that split from the main route. At the trailhead, take the scenic Silver Star Trail. I agree, Ed's Trail is much more technical and isn't well marked. It hugs the ravine and requires that you scramble up a couple rock faces. You'll reach a trail junction in about 2 mi (where Ed's Trail reconnects). There are a couple other routes to hike if you plan to stay longer. Continue southwest along Route 180D to reach the summit, where there are 2 peaks to lookout from. On a clear day, you will see Mt. St. Helens, Adams Mtn and Mt. Hood. The views are incredible!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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