Visits to Smith Rock State Park’s Misery Ridge Loop piqued my interest in the diagonal road ascending the northeast side of the park.

That diagonal road, named Burma Road, services an irrigation canal. 

It’s part of the Summit Loop, also known as Burma Road Loop, another longer loop trail that circumnavigates the park and offers nearly continuous views that rival those enjoyed along Misery Ridge.

I logged 7.5 miles and an elevation gain of 1,375 feet in three hours when I hiked the trail last month.

Summit Loop is a combination of trails. When hiking the loop clockwise, it includes (in chronological order), Canyon Trail (or The Chute), River Trail, Summit Trail, Burma Road Trail and Wolf Tree Trail.

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Which direction should I hike?

Following the recommendations of reviews I read online, I chose to hike the loop counterclockwise. I was glad to conquer the majority of the journey’s elevation early on Burma Road, but concluded afterward I would have preferred hiking the trail clockwise. Hiking the trail clockwise saves the grind for the later portion of the hike, but it means the elevation is tempered by a series of switchbacks.

The elevation is then followed by a descent down Burma Road with a classic panoramic view of the Three Sisters behind Smith Rock. As I labored up the service road, I was more focused on making it to the top than stopping to appreciate the breathtaking scenery.

Hiking the trail clockwise is also recommended by Mike and Marcia Volk’s independent online guide on the park, Smithrock.com, which was established in 2000. At the end of the day, however, it’s entirely a matter of personal preference.

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No pain no gain

At over a thousand feet in elevation, the Summit Loop is a slog and a cardio challenge. But it’s also a treat.

The path feels secluded, especially compared to its fellow loop trail, Misery Ridge. I intermittently passed other hikers, but on a weekend morning, it was nowhere near the train of hikers on the aforementioned trail.

I descended into the Crooked River Canyon via the Canyon Trail and crossed the bridge. It is at this point hikers are faced with choosing which direction they’d like to hike the loop. Continuing straight up the switchbacks opposite the bridge is the start of Misery Ridge Trail.

Hiking the loop counterclockwise, I turned right onto Wolf Tree Trail, which hugs the river and passes under a grove of ponderosa trees. Once it connects with Burma Road, the heart-pumping elevation gain begins.

This part of the trail is also an access point for climbing Staender Ridge or connecting with the Bureau of Land Management’s Grey Butte Trail, which leads outside the park.

It was midway up Burma Road I started questioning my decision to hike the trail, along with my life’s decisions. But it only took pausing to catch my breath and soak in the 180-degree views for me to remember why I was there.

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Smith Rock State Park’s beauty

The views didn’t end with the 3,600-foot summit but continued throughout the journey. The switchbacks of Summit Trail offered additional sights of the Cascade Mountains and then of Monkey Face, the park’s iconic 350-foot rock spire.

My legs grew tired as I curved around the southern tip of the park via the River Trail, anticipating the sight of the picnic shelter at the top of the ridge, indicating the parking lot and the journey’s end.

Still, the scenery of the flat River Trail was stunning, as the yellow canyon walls reflected off the slow-moving Crooked River as if it were sunset and climbers clung to the surrounding red walls.

The trail grew noticeably busier as morning gave way to afternoon.

For whatever adventure you may choose to take at Smith Rock, be sure to arrive early so it’s not too much trouble to find a parking space.

Day-use permits, which may be purchased from fee stations in the parking lot, increase from $5 per vehicle to $10 effective Jan. 1.