Iron Mountain is a very popular hike especially during the peak wildflower season, which is typically from mid-June to mid-July, with some flowers starting as early as the end of May. This hike’s close proximity to Bend, Salem and Eugene, makes it a mecca for lots of people to come and view the wildflowers and the epic views.​

There are two places that you can start the Iron Mountain loop hike from. The first one is off of Rd. 15 which is off of US-20. This is the official Iron Mountain trailhead. It is easy to miss, and the parking lot is not very large, making it not as convenient as just parking at Tombstone Pass. There is a large place to park (room for about 15 cars) at Tombstone Pass which you can’t miss right off the side of US-20. This area does not get very much sun, so early in the season, there could still be snow at the parking area, however that doesn’t necessarily mean there is still snow on Iron Mountain. Make sure to hang up your Northwest Forest Pass, as you will get ticketed for parking here without a permit.