The Wy?East Rhododendron Gardens started out in 1952 as a roadside beautification project. It is located in the grounds of the historic Zigzag Ranger Station inside the Mount Hood National Forest in the state of Oregon.

Initially, local nurseries and horticulturists donated 100 plants to help start the garden. It had grown to have 235 rhododendron plants when it was dedicated in 1953. The Zigzag District Ranger at the time, James P. Langdon, also donated a couple of plants like shrubs and trees from his own nursery. His gifts included a seedling of the rare Dawn Redwood.

Although, not everything from the original plant list survived, the Wy?East Rhododendron Gardens still boast of numerous species of flora. It is best known for giving visitors a shot at seeing the plant species native to the Mount Hood National Forest in one area.