10 Breathtaking Mountains in Oregon

Written by Tracy Graham
Updated: July 28, 2023
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Oregon is known for the stunning beauty of its mountains, and there are a lot of mountains in Oregon to climb. A few of the mountain ranges in Oregon are the Cascade Mountains, Blue Mountains, Elkhorn Mountains, Pueblo Mountains, and Klamath Mountains. Oregon shares borders with California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington. Oregon’s mountains range from snow capped forest peaks to desert mountains and even a few mountains that climb straight out of the sea and can be accessed only by boat. If you’re looking for a vacation destination where you can climb a huge range of mountains. Oregon is a fantastic choice.

Picture graph of the 10 Most Breathtaking Mountains in Oregon.
Each of these mountains has its own special feature of location, views, or use.

It’s hard to choose the most amazing mountains in a state like Oregon that has so many mountain peaks to choose from, but some of the best mountain views can be see on the following mountains in Oregon.

Mount Thielsen

Mount Thielsen Oregon

You can see from the mountain’s shape why it acts as a lightning rod.

©iStock.com/estivillml

  • Located in: Southern Oregon Cascades
  • Height: 9,184 feet
  • Nearby City:  Chemult

Known For: Mount Thielsen is often called the lighting rod of the Cascades. It’s the tallest mountain in the Cascade mountain range, and it has a unique round spire shaped peak that is rocky and bare. The height and the shape of the peak act like a lighting rod and attract lightning from passing storms. It’s said that the peak of Mount Thielsen gets struck by lighting twice as much as any other point in the Cascades.

The tall rocky peak gives a fantastic view of some of the other famous mountains nearby like Mount Shasta, Howlock Mountain, and Mount Bailey. Despite the rugged terrain and narrow peak the trail up to the summit is appropriate for almost any intermediate or advanced hikers. The West Ridge Trail is the most often recommended trail to take to the summit.

North Sister

Three Sisters Mountains in Oregon, United States

The Three Sisters mountains in Oregon.

©Karin Hildebrand Lau/Shutterstock.com

  • Located in: Cascade Mountain Range
  • Height: 10,085 feet
  • Nearby City:  Bend

Known For: The North Sister is one of three volcanic mountains called the Three Sisters in central Oregon. The Three Sisters are part of the Cascade Mountains. The North Sister is the toughest to climb of the three mountains and because the terrain is so rocky and rugged it attracts only the most intrepid hikers. The easiest peaks to climb on the North Sister are the south ridge, the southeast ridge, and the north ridge. To get to the peak without too much difficulty hikers should take either the Obsidian Trail or the Pole Creek Spring Trail. Both trails will lead to the Bowling Alley, a long and narrow approach to the summit.

Steens Mountain

Steens Mountain Oregon

Steens Mountain Road, in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, is gravel.

©iStock.com/DC_Colombia

  • Located in: Steens Mountain Cooperative Management And Protection Area
  • Height: 9,734 feet
  • Nearby City:  Burns

Known For: Steens Mountain is in the southeastern part of Oregon, almost exactly opposite of Portland and about eight hours away. Steens Mountain is a remote mountain that sits by itself smack dab in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, a Federally protected wild area of more than 400,000 acres. Steens Mountain and the SMCMPA has some of the best backpacking, hiking and camping opportunities in the country. But this is a very remote area so when you visit make sure that you are prepared to live without city comforts. Burns, the nearest city, is 70 miles away.

If you want to possibly see some wild horses, alpacas, and llamas take the Wildhorse Lake Trail from Steens Summit Road. The Big Indian Gorge Trail is another popular hiking trail. This trail will take you through wonderful fields of mountain wild flowers in the right season.

Brandy Peak

Bald Peak State Park - Oregon

It’s recommended that hikers have a GPS, a trail map, and an area relief map before hiking Brandy peak.

©TayHamPhotography/Shutterstock.com

  • Located in: Siskiyou National Forest
  • Height: 5,302 feet
  • Nearby City: Agness

Known For: Brandy Peak is a remote mountain that can be a challenging hike, especially in the wintertime. Wintertime hiking is not recommended unless you have a lot of experience and are well-prepared for low temperatures and lots of snow. Brandy Peak falls directly between the Pacific Ocean and one of the major highways in Oregon but getting there can be a challenge because it’s a remote part of the Siskiyou National Forest.

There is a short trail to the summit of Brandy Peak along the Bear Ridge Trail but it’s very difficult to find. It’s recommended that hikers have a GPS and a trail map as well as a relief map of the area to be sure that they can safely find their way to the summit and back down again. Hikers can also pick up a partially formed trail to the summit at Squirrel Ridge.

Alvord Peak

Cracked,Earth,In,The,Alvord,Playa,,A,Dry,Lakebed,In

Alvord Peak, in southeastern Oregon, is in the Alvord Desert where there is a dry lakebed, Alvord Playa.

©Sara Winter/Shutterstock.com

  • Located in: Alvord Desert
  • Height: 7,132 feet
  • Nearby City:  Burns

Known For: Alvord Peak is relatively close to Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon. This part of Oregon has stunning landscape views with craggy canyons and huge rock formations carved by glaciers. But what makes Alvord Peak unique is that this mountain isn’t a forested green topped or snow topped mountain like so many of the other mountains in Oregon. Alvord Peak is in the Alvord Desert, near the California and Oregon border. The summit of Alvord Peak will give you stunning desert views instead of forest views. There are no trees at the summit of Alvord Peak. Just some scraggy sagebrush that managed to survive wild fires in the last decade that wipes out almost all of the little vegetation that did exist at the top of Alvord Peak.

Crane Mountain

Crane Mountain

Crane Mountain’s hiking trails are easy to access and climb.

©yggdrasill/Shutterstock.com

  • Located in: Fremont–Winema National Forest
  • Height: 8,451 feet
  • Nearby City:  Lakeview

Known For:  Crane Mountain is one of the easier to access mountains in Oregon. It’s just about five miles outside of Lakeview and getting into the Fremont-Winema National Forest is easy. Crane mountain has a fairly high elevation but the trails leading to the summit have easy inclines so that hikers of all abilities can enjoy them.

The primary trail that hikers use on Crane Mountain is the Crane Mountain National Recreation Trail which runs all along the Warner Mountains and eventually into California. This trail connects the Fremont National Recreation Trail with the South Fork Crooked Creek Trailhead. In addition to marked trails there are lots of old fire roads and fire vehicle access roads that can be used for hiking on Crane Mountain. You may even see some old fire fighting equipment left behind in some areas of the mountain.

On the way to the summit hikers will see beautiful lush forests and rich grasslands. At the summit be prepared for much colder temperatures and lots of snow. It’s very common for hikers to see find snow at the summit in July. Summer hiking is highly recommended for hikers that want to get to the peak of Mount Crane because it has snow most of the year except for the height of summer in late July and August.

Pearsoll Peak

Pearsoll Peak Oregon

Getting to the top of Pearsoll Peak is difficult, but worth the views of Mount Shasta and the Pacific Ocean.

©Forest Service / public domain

  • Located in: Kalmiopsis Wilderness
  • Height: 5,098 feet
  • Nearby City:  Agness

Known For: Once you make it to the top of Pearsoll Peak you can see all the way to Mount Shasta in one direction and the Pacific Ocean in the other direction. But, Pearsoll Peak is not a climb that is good for beginners or anyone with physical challenges. Getting to the summit of Pearsoll Peak can be a slog. Anyone that wants to attempt this climb should remember that during the Biscuit Fire wildfire of 2002 the entire Kalmiopsis Wilderness area burned including Pearsoll Peak. As a result there are no trees left on the mountain to provide any kind of shade as you hike. Come prepared with hats, umbrellas, or other sun protection for your hike because there is none on the mountain. And make sure that you bring plenty of water as well. You’ll need it.

There is a remote mining access road that will deposit hikers directly at the Upper Chetco Trailhead but not every vehicle can safely make it up the access road. If your vehicle can’t make it up the mining road the closest place to park is McCaleb Ranch. From there will you need to hike about five miles to Chetco Pass in order to access the trail to the summit of Pearsoll Peak. The climb is worth it though for the stunning long distance views you can see from the summit.

Mount Hood

Mount Hood reflecting in Lost Lake at sunrise

Mount Hood reflecting in Lost Lake at sunrise

©Michal Balada/Shutterstock.com

  • Located in: Mount Hood National Forest
  • Height: 11,249 feet
  • Nearby City: Portland

Known For: Mount Hood is the tallest mountain in Oregon and one of the most well-known mountains in the country. This mountain volcano is estimated to be more than 500,000 years old. It rises majestically out of the trees and plains in the enormous Mount Hood National Forest and is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts who come in droves to hike, ski, bike, hunt, camp, cycle, ride horses and witness the incredible views from the summit of this ancient mountain. Mount Hood National Forest has more than one million protected acres of forest and grasslands where people can hike, camp, fish and surround themselves in the stunning beauty of nature.

During the winter months the ski resort at Mount Hood is hopping and there’s downhill and cross-country skiing on the mountain for skiers of all abilities. If you’re hiking Mount Hood you definitely should take some of the trails that lead to the summit, or use the vehicle friendly paved roads to get to the observation deck. But don’t miss out on some of the stunning trails that will lead you around the mountain and give you great waterfall views like the Bald Mountain Trail, the Trillium Lake Loop, and the Lost Lake Trail.

Humbug Mountain

Humbug Mountain Oregon

There is a stunning old-growth temperate rainforest on Humbug Mountain that is practically primordial.

©iStock.com/TerryJLawrence

Located in: Humbug Mountain State Park

Height: 1,765 feet

Nearby City:  Port Orford

Known For: Humbug Mountain sits directly on the southern coast of Oregon. It’s one of only a couple of mountains that rise straight from the Pacific Ocean. On your way to the summit you will pass through stunning old-growth temperate rainforest that is practically primordial.

The hike to the summit of Humbug Mountain is a nice day hike, but there is also camping available in Humbug Mountain State Park which surrounds the mountain so you can make a trip out of your visit if you want. The summit trail is an easy hike of about six miles so both advanced beginners or more experienced hikers can enjoy a nice hike through the forests to the top of Humbug Mountain. The Oregon Crest Trail crosses through Humbug Mountain State Park so hikers that are doing the trail may want to take a side trip to the summit of Humbug Mountain while they are close.

Wizard Island Peak

Crater Lake National Park, National Park, Oregon - US State, USA, Wizard Island

Wizard Island Peak is the top of the volcanic mountain that comprises an island in Crater Lake.

©iStock.com/Kalichka

Located in: Crater Lake

Height: 6,933 feet

Nearby City:  Klamath Falls

Known For: Wizard Island Peak is a volcanic mountain and climbing it is an experience that is not to be missed if you’re visiting Oregon. Wizard Island Peak is a mountain that sits entirely on a small island in Crater Lake off the coast of Oregon. The views from the summit are astounding. The trail is all uphill from the beach though so be prepared for a climb. After you’ve seen made the climb to the summit of Wizard Island Peak you can go down into the actual crater. You can also spend some time swimming in the absolutely pristine waters of Crater Lake.

The only way to access Wizard Island is by taking the Wizard Island Boat Tour. The tour runs at designated times so you can choose to remain on Wizard Island for up to an entire day depending on how many activities you want to do on the island and how long it will take you to climb to the summit and down into the crater. It’s a good idea to book your Boat Tour tickets well in advance because they tend to fill up quickly, especially during the early summer months of June and July.

10 Tallest Mountains In Oregon

  • Mount Hood
  • Mount Jefferson
  • South Sister
  • North Sister
  • Sacajawea Peak
  • Steens Mountain
  • Aneroid Mountain
  • Twin Peaks
  • Red Mountain
  • Mount McLoughlin

Highest Point In Oregon

Mount Hood- 11,240 feet

Summary of 10 Breathtaking Mountains in Oregon

Name of MountainHeight in FeetSpecial Feature
Mount Thielsen9,184Attracts a lot of lightning, but has great views of neighboring mountains including Mount Shasta, Howlock Mountain, and Mount Bailey.
North Sister10,085One of the Three Sisters volcanic mountains and the toughest to climb.
Steens Mountain9,734A remote mountain that sits by itself in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, but great for backpacking, camping, hiking, and flora and fauna.
Brandy Peak5,302In a remote part of the Siskiyou National Forest and difficult to hike.
Alvord Peak7,132In a desert with little vegetation on the mountain.
Crane Mountain8,451Easy to access and easy to hike.
Pearsoll Peak5,098From the top you can see Mount Shasta and the Pacific.
Mount Hood11,249The tallest mountain, a volcanic mountain, and a skiing area.
Humbug1,765Rises straight from the Pacific coast and hosts a temperate rainforest.
Wizard Island Peak6,933Volcanic mountain on an island in Crater Lake.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Michal Balada/Shutterstock.com


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