Hiking Bear Point Trail # 3342 - Mt Jefferson Wilderness, Oregon

During our camping trip along the Breitenbush River (NE of Detroit Lake along Rd 46), Katie, our dog Bella, and I went for a day hike into the Mount Jefferson Wilderness to Bear Point. The trailhead is about 4.5 miles from road 46 off road 4685. The well-marked trailhead parking is a large gravel area with room for many vehicles. Wilderness permits are available for free at the trailhead and are required for day and overnight trips. The hike to Bear Point is approximately 7.2 miles round-trip and is rated difficult due to its nearly 3,000-foot elevation gain. However, it is well worth the effort for the exquisite views of Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood, and other Cascade Volcanoes it provides.

Download route (one-way) in Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format for use with GPS units and mapping programs. Disclaimer.

We started our hike fairly early (around 8:15 AM) and were the only ones at the trailhead. The first half of the hike follows the South Breitenbush Trail # 3375. After 1.8 miles, the Bear Point Trail # 3342 intersects the South Breitenbush Trail on the left. From here the trail is a series of long switchbacks leading to the summit of Bear Point. The above-average snow pack made our sunny July hike feel more like June, with snow visible on the higher slopes and plants in full bloom.

   

We crossed several small creeks along the South Breitenbush trail. The trail was visible the whole way, but appeared to get only light use. Vegetation has encroached on the sides of the trail, making it very narrow in places.

   

Once on the actual Bear Point trail, the terrain becomes more exposed. This is where we had our first unobstructed views of Mount Jefferson.

   

At approximately 5,700 feet elevation, we found snow had engulfed the trail. At this point, we were only about 300 vertical feet below the summit, so we decided to climb straight up. The snow was solid and our trekking poles came in handy for maintaining our balance.

   

After we covered about half of the remaining distance, the snow disappeared and we scrambled over talus to reach the top of Bear Point. It took us about two hours to reach the summit from the trailhead. Two low rock-wall wind breaks have been erected on the top, providing a nice place to camp.

   

The views from the summit are absolutely amazing. Mount Hood, Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, North and Middle Sister, Mount Washington, and Three Fingered Jack can all be seen from Bear Point on a clear day.

   

   

There was still a lot of snow on Mount Jefferson and the other Cascade volcanoes. We enjoyed a few snacks and took in the scenery while Bella played in the snow before heading back.

   

   

As we descended in the scorching sun, we quickly began to miss the cool breeze from Bear Point. Our return trip took about 1.5 hours. We ran into two other pairs of hikers on our way back and saw a handful of cars in the parking lot. I recommend the Bear Point hike. The 3,000 foot elevation gain didn't seem too trecharous, but it definitely helps to be in shape.