Crown Zellerbach Trail

The Crown Zellerbach Trail is a 21.8-mile point-to-point route in Oregon, about 1.6 miles from the town of Vernonia. It is a hard hike, with a total elevation gain of 1,752 feet and a total loss of 2,167 feet over the course of the trip. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.18 miles from the start, where the grade reaches 16 percent. The trail's high point is 1,197 feet, and the low point is 12 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Vernonia show July and August highs around 77 to 78°F with only about four wet days a month, while winter months bring highs in the mid-40s and rain on 20 days a month. The trail is open to both bikes and horses. Plan for about eight hours on foot. The East Fork Nehalem River, a canoeing route, lies about 2.4 miles away, and the Bacona Powerline Trail is about 6 miles off. Mountain bikers can head to the Unfit Settlement View Trail, roughly 8 miles away, and paddlers can try the Clatskanie River, about 9.8 miles from the trail.