West Tiger Mountain via Preston Trail leads to the area’s top hiking destination within the state forest. It is situated between Squak Mountain on the west and Rattlesnake Mountain to the east. Moreover, many of the trails that exist on the mountain today follow the paths of old railroad grades from the logging days.1
See more trip photos here.
West Tiger Mountain via Preston Trail at a Glance
Access: Preston Powerline Trail (area info)
Round Trip: 7.4 miles
Elevation Range: 540′-2948′
Essential Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Playlist: Ethereal, Keep Moving, Melancholy
A Cloudy Start to a Familiar Trail
It is always nice to leave the car at home for a hike and explore the state forest behind the house. This was our first time visiting West Tiger Mountain in dry conditions since 2017, after three previous trips in the snow. Yesterday’s rain left a cloudy morning, but we were still excited about getting some exercise.
The lower path leading to the two major forks around 1500 feet was more overgrown now that it was summer. I had forgotten how brushy this section could be without a blanket of snow to smooth out the foliage. We pushed through the damp vegetation, which hadn’t dried overnight as I had hoped.
A Foggy Summit and a Brushy Descent
The trail continued over mild terrain it dipped across a saddle before climbing again toward the summit. A light drizzle began to fall just as we began our final ascent. We greeted one other hiker on their way down before we arrived at the radio facility. I noticed the “no entry” signs below the towers for the first time.
Connor and I then waited for the promised sunshine just off the deserted road below the summit towers. Meanwhile, several folks passed by in the fog as we entertained ourselves. Despite the post 8 AM sunny forecast, we saw no views, so we left after waiting for an hour and a half.
Exiting West Tiger Mountain via Preston and Bootleg Trails
For our descent, I decided to loop through the bootleg trail, which was super brushy before the trail fork. The path went straight down from there without regaining elevation as we did through the saddle on the Preston Trail. We greeted five more hikers along this less-traveled route, a mix of solo adventurers and small groups.
Throughout the trail, the sight of daisies and foxgloves added a splash of color to the green landscape. The sun continued to struggle to break through the clouds, which stubbornly remained overhead. It was only out of the fog by the time we returned to the community through a neighbor’s backyard.
- A bright future for the Preston Mill. ↩︎