A Guide to Smith Rock Hiking Trails
seemingly popping out of nowhere, Smith Rock State Park is a high-desert oasis for day hiking in Central Oregon. Use this detailed guide to choose which trails to explore when planning your own adventure.
Six hours of driving lay between my bed in Seattle and the trails of Smith Rock State Park. Knowing the weekend would fly by, I planned out which hikes I’d tackle beforehand. The goal: Misery Ridge and the Canyon Trail. As it turns out, my planning was for naught as I ended up not just hiking those two, but all of them in the park - or at least darn near close to all.
With its interconnected trails, Smith Rock is an absolute nightmare for indecisive folks (read: me). Signs sprout up at junctions and present different options; left via the Mesa Verde trail or right to the shorter one past the First Kiss? To take the upper Summit Trail or the lower River Trail? At each junction, I froze with indecision. Which would I like best? What did the reviews recommend again? Will I have time to see other trails? Unsure which trail would be “better,” I decided then and there to create a unique hiking itinerary by combining multiple trials into larger loops, hence how I was able to see so much.
Below is a summary of each hike based on my personal experience, including which trails are best to combine. I’ve also added the mileage, type of route, elevation gain (with the squiggly symbol “~” representing an approximation), and difficulty level (easy, moderate, challenging). Lastly, it’s important to mention that getting onto most trails, and even just into Smith Rock itself, requires a bit of elevation - around 200 feet over 0.2 miles to be exact. This is referred to as “The Chute” and it’s the main way in and out. For a gentler approach, take a longer way down, such as via the Rim Rock Trail to Rope-de-Dope, which spits you onto the Canyon Trail.
And with that, here’s the lowdown on all the trails in Oregon’s stunning Smith Rock State Park!
Table of Contents
1. Misery Ridge
2. River Trail
4. Canyon Trail
Miles
2.0
Elevation
1100 feet
Difficulty
Moderate - Challenging
From the viewpoint at Misery Ridge
Misery Ridge is the spine of Smith Rock with several other trails branching out from it. It’s also the main trail you should do if you’re short on time.
As the name suggests, it is somewhat miserable, but it’s an enjoyable sort of miserable if that counts for anything. Yes, there’s a lot of elevation in a short amount of time, but the sweeping views of the park help keep morale up. Plus, it’s fun to watch the rock climbers up close.
For the full stand-alone out-and-back hike, continue past the viewpoint at 0.75 miles and head toward Monkey Face (the tall pillar with a big ol’ rock on top). After a mile or so of lovely views and walking past sage brush, you can continue down to see Monkey Face from below and connect to other trails, or turn back around and return the way you came.
Need a lighter day? Simply turn around at the viewpoint!
Recommended Trail Add-Ons
Miles
4.2
Elevation
150 feet
Difficulty
Easy
The River Trail (very bottom), as seen from the Canyon Trail
The River Trail is an easy out-and-back hike that is technically 4.2 miles round trip, though you can really turn around at whatever point strikes your fancy. It’s this accessibility that makes it one of the most popular and crowded trails in the park.
It meanders between the picturesque river (Smith Rock left no room for the imagination when naming their trails) and the tall rock formations that loom high above. You’ll share the path with rock climbers heading to crags, families pushing kids in strollers, and all other adventurous sorts - including a possible horse or two.
A popular day hike combination is to add on Misery Ridge, which makes for a nice 3 mile loop. See the next section for more details on that one.
Recommended Trail Add-Ons
Mesa Verde Trail to Monkey Face, and loop back on the River Trail
Miles
3.1 loop
Elevation
~750 ft. (CCW), ~900 ft. (CW)
Difficulty
Moderate - Challenging
Juniper trees and a view on the Mesa Verde Trail, the connector for Misery Ridge and the River Trail
Due to its overwhelming popularity, I thought I’d put this trail combo in its very own special section. Slapping these two together is an excellent way to see the most classic Smith Rock viewpoints and arguably gives the most bang for its buck.
There’s no huge difference between doing it counterclockwise (CCW) or clockwise (CW), and despite CCW being the popular choice for hikers, I prefer the CW direction.
Clockwise
Pros: River Trail will have less people on it early in the morning; warm up the body before tackling Misery Ridge
Con: hitting Misery Ridge later when its hotter out
counterClockwise
Pros: get the tough part done first and enjoy a leisurely descent on the River Trail after; hike down the back of Misery Ridge with the best views ahead of you
Con: River Trail will be more crowded as the day goes on
Either way, you’ll take a short detour on the Mesa Verde Trail to connect between them, so keep an eye out for those signs!
Miles
2.7
elevation
~200 feet
Difficulty
Easy
From the elusive viewpoint
The Canyon Trail is an out-and-back hike that runs parallel to the River Trail on the river’s other side and boasts an overlook. It is less exposed than the River Trail and dips between trees, which offers a nice reprieve from the sun, but despite this I did not end up loving it.
First, the trail maps are a bit deceiving. They show the hike’s mid-point as hitting the road (NE Wilcox St), which I initially found odd but went with it. Following the map, I could tell I was nearing the end of the trail, but instead of finding an overlook, it led away from the park. I walked beside a fence, presumably marking private property, and eventually into a small field; no viewpoint, no real trail, just dry grass.
Confused, I turned back. As I got closer to the river, I just happened to notice a teensy narrow trail with views peeking between trees. I took it and found what I think all the fuss is about: a lovely overlook. It was basically off trail and not intuitive to find.
If you take the Canyon Trail, I suggest going one mile in, finding the overlook, which is near the river’s southernmost end, and turning back from there. For the same view without the frustration, I recommend the Rim Rock Trail.
Recommended Trail Add-Ons
Miles
6.0
elevation
1600 feet (CW & CCW)
difficulty
Moderate - Challenging
Looking toward Smith Rock on the Burma Road portion of the Summit Trail Loop
This one is listed as a stand-alone trail, but due to its location it’s impossible to do on its own. Instead, it’s best done as a loop which involves combining a number of trails: Misery Ridge / Mesa Verde / Summit Trail / Burma Road / Wolf Tree.
It’s about the same elevation no matter the direction you choose, though it seemed that I was just about the only person doing it clockwise. I didn’t mind clockwise, but I do see the appeal of counterclockwise.
Clockwise
Pros: Misery Ridge done first; enjoy a post-hike beer on Wolf Tree by the river; sun on your back
Cons: Mountain views behind you; going up the exposed section of Misery Ridge in the sun
Counterclockwise
Pros: gradual incline up Burma Road; views of the mountains ahead of you while on Summit Trail; going up to Misery Ridge via the more shaded side and down in the sun
Cons: Misery Ridge will be busy by the time you get there and you’ll be in full afternoon sun
Miles
1.6
elevation
~250 feet
difficulty
Easy
The Homestead and Wolf Tree Trails run parallel to the river on opposite sides. They are very similar in terms of terrain and views, though the Homestead Trail can be more easily accessed from the northern parking lot as it connects from the short North Point Trail (#9 on this list).
For avian enthusiasts, it’s a great trail to see a variety of bird species. Even for non-bird people, it is fun to watch as they flit from the trees and glide down along the river.
With its little elevation, the Homestead Trial can get crowded with visitors who are looking for an easy stroll around the park, so it's best to do in the morning or at sunset. It also offers a more gentle way to get in and out of the park as opposed to the steepness of The Chute.
Recommended Trail Add-Ons
Miles
2.1
elevation
200 feet
difficulty
Easy
For a gentle trail with a little less hustle and bustle than the River Trail, head on over to Wolf Tree, an easy two mile out-and-back that explores the northern part of the park.
It snakes alongside the western side of the river and wanders through trees, all while the soundtrack of geese plays in the background (still unsure if their noises can be considered pleasant). There are several spots along the river to pull off and have a small picnic or to just sit and take it all in.
I took the Wolf Tree Trail after tackling the Summit Trail, which ended up being a nice cool-down. Before heading back to the main area, I pulled over and found a nice little sitting spot to sip on a beer and drink in the view.
Recommended Trail Add-Ons
Miles
1.o
Elevation
20 feet
Difficulty
Easy
Rim Rock Trial is an easy out-and-back at the top of Smith Rock. It makes for a nice introduction to the landscape and has amazing views the whole way through, including of the distant mountains.
Due to its flat terrain, this trail is far from demanding. I moseyed along this one on my trip’s final morning, bringing a thermos of coffee to enjoy as I took in the view one last time. I could see hikers, appearing like small as ants in the distance, as they walked the trails that I was on the day before.
Rim Rock Trail starts and ends at either of the two southern parking lots and I like that you can use the trail to get down into Smith Rock rather than walking through the parking lot or on the pavement. It’s like a nice welcome in!
For photographers, it makes an ideal spot to take sunset or sunrise photos without having to hike too far in.
Recommended Trail Add-Ons
Canyon Trail via Rope-de-Dope Trail
Miles
0.5
elevation
0 whopping feet
difficulty
Easy
This quick loop is accessible from the turn-around parking lot at the northern end of the park. It can serve as a brief wind-down or warm-up, or is a good option for those who need a more accessible trail.
Even if you’re an avid hiker, this is a fun one to wander. It meanders along rock lined gravel paths and offers wonderful views of the park’s spires at every turn. Since it’s at the top of the park, it also has great views from above.
I did this trail in the morning on my last day as a final hurrah. I was pooped from the previous day’s hiking adventures but wanted to still explore the park - particularly on less demanding terrain. What I thought would be a simple and not-too-impressive trail turned out to be a delightful morning stroll.
I was pleasantly surprised to find myself walking along the top of the canyon and looking down sheer basalt rock walls to the river below and eyeing rock climbers as they disappeared in search of crags.
Recommended Trail Add-Ons
Canyon Trail via Homestead Trail