Oregon Watershed

Zigzag River

The Zigzag River Basin is located on Mount Hood’s southwestern flank, flowing from the Zigzag Glacier to its confluence with the Sandy River near the town of Brightwood. The area is known for high precipitation, falling primarily as snow at the river’s origin and rain lower on its course. The river was first named by pioneer Joel Palmer, who traversed Mount Hood in search of a navigable route to the Willamette Valley.