A section of the Chetwoot Loop Trail (Jamey Pyles)

One of Basil Clark's hand-crafted trail signs (Tom Kloster)

Perham Creek along the Chetwoot Loop Trail (Jamey Pyles)

Logs across the Chetwoot Trail (bobcat)

View to Mitchell Point from the Chetwoot Loop (bobcat)

• Start point: Mitchell Point Trailhead
• End point: Middle Wygant Viewpoint
• Trail Log: Trail Log
• Hike Type: Loop
• Distance: 4.4 miles
• Difficulty: Moderate
• High point: 930 feet
• Seasons: All
• Family Friendly: No
• Backpackable: No
• Crowded: No

Hike Description

NOTICE: As per Oregon State Parks: "The I-84 Exit 58 offramp that leads to Mitchell Point Overlook and Mitchell Point Trailhead will be closed until 2023 while ODOT rebuilds the historic Mitchell Point Tunnel."

WARNING: As of 2012, the Chetwood Loop Hike should be considered an off-trail adventure, difficult to follow, in fact, as much of the tread has been obscured due to slides and vegetation regrowth. The "long footbridge" over Perham Creek on the Wygant Trail has also been washed away. There are two serious slides, one above the east bank of Perham Creek and the other near the hanging meadows on the west side. There are also numerous downed trees and dense brush with its fair share of poison oak.

The trip begins at the Mitchell Point Trailhead, located at exit 58 on Interstate-84 eastbound. Park at the south end of the large parking area, where a paved path heads into the trees. Take the entry drive downhill until you see a Wygant Trail sign on the left at a gate guarding an abandoned section of the Historic Columbia River Highway. The trail follows the old highway for a quarter mile before a short segment veers off the highway grade to the left, crossing Mitchell Creek on logs. It then curves back to follow another abandoned highway stretch. After nearly a half-mile along this second piece of historic road, the trail leaves the road grade for good, turning left into a dramatic, cliff-lined draw. Poison oak is common here - so take your time, and watch for those "leaves of three".

After climbing up the draw and exiting by way of a couple of switchbacks, the trail travels through open Douglas fir forest briefly, then arrives at the east junction with the Chetwoot Loop Trail and a few feet beyond, the edge of Perham Creek canyon. Continue on the Wygant Trail, following a sign that points to Perham Creek, and descend through a grove of gnarled Oregon white oak. Soon, you will enter the shady, green oasis formed by the creek - a sharp contrast to the dry oak savanna on the east canyon wall. Fill your water bottles here, if needed. This is the last water source until you return.

Cross the creek on a log, and begin a gentle climb of the shady west wall of the canyon, soon passing a tree-framed view of Mitchell Point, soon arriving at a junction marked with a 'Trail' sign, where the main trail goes left, and the spectacular Lower Wygant Viewpoint is straight ahead along a brushy and overgrown path. The Lower Wygant Viewpoint is a good stopping point for a short hike, with a round trip of 3.2 miles and an elevation gain of a couple hundred feet. The flat, moss-covered bluff is a nice picnic spot that provides views from White Salmon, Washington and Mitchell Point on the east to Table Mountain and Cascade Locks to the west.

Retrace your steps back to the main trail, turn right, and continue under the set of powerlines that have paralleled the route thus far. The trail curves east, climbing above the powerlines and up the shoulder of Wygant Peak. Climb a series of short switchbacks, then a longer set. Make sure to stop by the Middle Wygant Viewpoint (located by taking a short spur trail before reaching the west junction with the Chetwoot Loop. Now that you've seen Perham Creek, you can decide if you want to take this route back and make the upstream ford that is required.

The Chetwoot Loop Trail is an informal alternate route along the Wygant Peak Hike that swings further south into Perham Creek Canyon, then rejoins the main Wygant route. It has been officially abandoned for a number of years, so only experienced off-trail hikers should attempt the loop. The trail was built by Portlander Basil Clark and other volunteers in the 1970s and is a far more rustic route than the main Wygant Trail, involving short scrambles and negotiating downed trees. Note that the map on the Wygant Peak Hike also shows the Chetwoot Loop Trail. Watch for poison oak on this lightly maintained route, as it crowds the trail in several spots. There are also spots where the tread seems to disappear, making for potentially difficult travel for less experienced hikers. It is best done in winter after leaves have dropped; in spring and summer it will be more difficult to follow. Please use great caution when exploring this path!

Beginning at the west Chetwoot junction, you'll pass a deteriorating Chetwoot 'bear' sign on an oak tree. The trail crosses a steep hanging meadow that blooms with colorful wildflowers in spring. You'll encounter the first serious slide, where soil that had accreted against a basalt wall has simply slipped away. Take care as you scramble across. Views open up to Mitchell Point, and you'll negotiate a rotten log that obscures the trail. The trail makes a descending traverse to reach two trees that need to be crawled under. After another view of Mitchell Point, you'll pass across another steep hanging meadow. After more blowdown, you'll come to the most difficult log, a big four-footer on a steep slope without hand or footholds. (One technique here is to sprawl across the log making contact with as much of your body as possible, and shove off with one leg.) There are a couple more faint sections of trail and two minor slumps before you arrive at Perham Creek.

When you reach the bridgeless crossing of the creek, take a moment to look up and down the ravine. The area is very photogenic, with a mossy dripping wall a hundred feet downstream from the trail. Logs placed in the stream should facilitate your crossing most of the year although there are times when you might have to ford. Coming out of the creek, you'll reach the second serious slide, again where soggy soil plastered against a dripping basalt wall has slumped down. A large notch cut on a fallen tree facilitates your passage through here. The route rises to pass around a couple of fallen trees and then switchbacks down a steep slope. You'll be hiking through a carpet of Oregon grape before you cross a log-filled gully. Soon, you'll come to the power line corridor maintenance track where a "Trail Closed" sign was posted a few years ago by Oregon State Parks: angle across to pick up the faint trail winding down through the grassy corridor where poison oak flourishes. The trail enters the woods again, dropping along the rim of Perham Creek's ravine under a canopy of oak trees. When you reach the east junction with the Wygant Trail, bear right to return to your vehicle.

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder
• Chetwoot Loop Trail (Route You)
• Green Trails Maps: Columbia River Gorge - West #428S
• National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Regulations or Restrictions, etc.

• Abandoned trail: experienced off-trail hikers only
• Trailhead is day use only: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Restrooms, picnic table, interpretive signs

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Chetwoot

• Wygant - Chetwoot Equinox hike 031920
• Wygant Trail + failed Chetwoot Loop + offtrail shenanigans
• GoalTechHikes Mitchell Pt/Wygant Peak/Chetwood Loop...almost
• A Chetwood trail Report from NWHikers
• Wygant trail/chetwoot loop 6-20-09
• Wygant Trail and Chetwood Loop 7-10-08

Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Chetwoot Loop Hike
• Wygant-Chetwoot Trail loop... totally destroyed

Guidebooks that cover this hike

• None that detail current conditions

More Links

• Wygant State Natural Area (Oregon State Parks)
• Vinzenz Lausmann Memorial State Natural Area (Oregon State Parks)
• Hike 7 - Mitchell / Wygant / Chetwoot (GoalTech)
• Wygant Peak - Chetwood Trail & Mitchell Point - January 2010 (Smugmug)
• "Mazama creates signs that point down primrose path" (The Oregonian)

Contributors

• pyles_94 (creator)