Indian Racetrack
It was a lovely early autumn morning at the edge of the Indian Heaven Wilderness, and I couldn’t wait to visit my favorite spots—first the Indian Racetrack and then Red Mountain.
This 32-square-mile wilderness is full of big, open meadows to wander through. After just a couple of miles, I found myself by a little lake bed at the north end of a huge, flat meadow. For centuries, tribes used it for horse racing until the 1920s. What a beautiful place!
North end of Indian Racetrack (there’s usually water in the lake)
Beargrass lining the trail marked by an old blaze
Indian Racetrack
Into the Wilderness
Indian Racetrack
Red Mountain
Starting from the meadows, it’s a fun, steep mile up to the top of Red Mountain—an old cinder cone volcano. There’s a rare, standing lookout up there, and I enjoyed the views stretching all the way to Mt. Hood in the south and Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Rainier in the north.
I leaned back, enjoyed a snack, and soaked in the scenery of the Indian Heaven Wilderness spread out below.
Indian Heaven is still one of the most beautiful autumn spots near Portland.
Mt. Adams from Red Mountain
Red Mountain Lookout
Mt. St. Helens
Mt. Hood
Summit of Red Mountain
Mt. Rainier from Red Mountain
Mt. Hood far to the south
Small pond on the north end of the Indian Racetrack (taken on a previous hike)
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