Elevation Gain
1,100.00 ft (335.28 m)
Trail type
Loop
Distance
5.00 mi (8.05 km)
Warming hut
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

If you regularly travel between Eugene or Salem and the Cascades, chances are you've sped past this nondescript sno-park on your way across Santiam Pass without stopping to check it out. The next time you're headed over the pass, throw some snowshoes in your car and stop here for a quick viewpoint jaunt. A couple of well-marked trails lead out from the Potato Hill Sno-Park. Take the Hash Brown Loop for a pleasant, well-marked 3-mile walk through the woods.

If it's views you're after, then venture off on Jack Pine Road. This route goes straight to a dead end at a lovely viewpoint of Three Fingered Jack. Or keep walking beyond the viewpoint up the ridge to the summit of Potato Hill. There you'll see everything from Mount Jefferson to Black Butte and the Three Sisters

Potato Hill lies at the southern end of the B&B Complex fires that burned over 90,000 acres of forest in 2003. As you climb up toward the summit ridge beyond the end of Jack Pine Road you'll enter an eerie post-burn landscape. In winter, the blackened tree skeletons contrast beautifully with the sparkling white snow. Take your time to weave your own path through the sparse trees and identify all the volcanoes in the distance.

For a fun adventure, snowshoe the ridge to the summit of Potato Hill, then backtrack to the western edge of the ridge. Hike south down the hill to intersect the Hash Brown Loop Trail. Finish the loop and return to the sno-park.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Sno-Park Parking Permit (required in OR + WA 11.01 thru 04.30)

Pros

Easy access. Beautiful views.

Cons

Some routefinding to make the full loop.

Pets allowed

Allowed

Trailhead Elevation

4,100.00 ft (1,249.68 m)

Features

Big vistas
Cross-country skiing

Typically multi-day

No

Groomed trail

No

Location

Nearby Adventures

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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