Hiking With My Brother | Zig Zag Trail

The Zig Zag Trail is one of many unofficial paths branching off the Iron Horse trail in search of greater heights and more secluded climbing walls. Around this time of year, when the days get longer but the mountaintops are still snowbound, hikes to rocky bluffs and outlooks at lower elevations have a certain appeal. Built by volunteers, the route offers both views and connections to the Hall Creek Valley and beyond.

The Zig Zag Trail climbs up the east side of the Hall Creek Valley. Before you reach the trail, however, you'll pass over or under the restored trestle bridge that spans Hall Creek Valley. Originally built in 1912, the Hall Creek Bridge stood for more than 70 years before a 1988 storm unleashed a torrent of mud and debris downstream, pulling portions of the bridge down with it. For the next 10 years, a 171-foot gap separated the eastern and western portions of Iron Horse State Park. The trails used to by-pass the gap still exist today – the more popular path up Change Creek, and a more hidden route that follows Hall Creek. By 1999, funding was found to repair the bridge and unify the park, which today sees thousands of hikers, bikers, and climbers every year.

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