Kings Mountain Trail

Kings Mountain Trail is a steep, out-and-back climb to the summit of Kings Mountain in Oregon’s Tillamook State Forest. The route is on a designated hiking path and heads hard upward for a relatively short distance before settling into the summit area.

The hike is described as a moderate-long route by its mapped length, but the character is consistently “grueling” in practice: it packs very large elevation gain into a short uphill push, with footing that can require hands on steeper rock-step sections.

Most of the ascent stays under forest canopy, with views opening only closer to the ridge and summit. Expect the trail to tighten into steeper climbing segments as you near the top.

Along the way, you’ll reach junctions with the Wilson River–Kings Mountain system—at minimum, the route begins at the Kings Mountain Trailhead and reaches the Wilson River–Kings Mountain Trail Junction early in the hike.

Nearer the top, the route includes a very steep final push, plus a spur to a west-ridge viewpoint. The summit has a posted elevation and hikers can sign the summit register.

For planning, aim for the drier, snow-free season window noted for the trail (late May through October). Winter conditions can bring snow and slick/muddy footing, and the hike can be hard to follow if the ground is wet or visibility is poor.

If you want more than the point-to-summit portion, the trail is commonly connected with the Elk Mountain and Elk Creek routes in the same Tillamook State Forest area for a longer, more demanding day.

More information: Elk Mountain-Kings Mountain Loop Hike - Oregon Hikers, Kings Mountain Trail - Travel Oregon, Kings Mountain Hike - Oregon Hikers