The hike to Hardesty Mountain is a fairly challenging 9.8-mile adventure through varying terrain. Rewards to be reaped include fabulous wild rhododendrons blooming in May and June, open alpine meadows filled with wildflowers, and panoramic views of the entire south Willamette Valley and Cascades from Mount Hood to south of Mount Bachelor.
From the gravel road, the trail begins meandering up the steep side of Mount June for about half a mile before branching off. At this trail junction, hikers take the Sawtooth trail to the left.
The summit of Mount June (4,618 feet) lies a short but steep climb away for those choosing a right at this trail junction (2.4 miles round trip). Being the tallest peak in the area, the views from Mount June are no less spectacular than those of Hardesty Mountain.
The Hardesty Mountain trail leads hikers along the top of the ridge, following the up-and-down contour of it. The narrow single-track trail takes hikers through more coniferous forest terrain. About halfway to the mountain, the trail goes steep down and meanders through several beautiful alpine meadows overflowing with wild flowers this time of the year.
At the far end of the meadows, hikers follow the trail up a few steep switchbacks. On the top of these, it is easy to bushwack to the base of the 50-foot Sawtooth Rock, which has a shallow cave in its base.
From the end of the switchbacks follows the last portion of the trail to Hardesty Mountain. The last two miles to the lookout point at Hardesty Mountain is mostly well maintained. However, the very last part up to the point has not been cleared this year and from the look of it, not last year either.
From the lookout point atop the 4,266-foot Hardesty Mountain the entire valley opens up for those who fought their way there: the Calapooya Mountains to the south (with Bohemia Mountain being the tallest), Mount Hood in the north and Diamond Peak to the south.
The Hardesty Mountain hike is an out-and-back, but with a shuttle, hikers can take the Lower Trail for a five-mile plunge of 3,300 feet to the Goodman Creek parking area (just before milepost 21) on Highway 58.