Getting to Columbia City is half the fun. Be advised that the four wheel drive portion of the road is not maintained during the winter, but you can easily travel the first four miles via standard passenger vehicle. After that, the gravel road starts to go up and up and up. It also becomes rugged. The steep four wheel trail does go all the way to Columbia City, but non-experienced drivers should stop when it becomes too difficult and hike the rest of the way in. Please remember that you'll be going above the tree line, so you can expect cold and windy weather, even during the summer. However, once there, the tremendous views make it all worthwhile.
While enjoying the breathtaking vistas, keep in mind that there are underground tunnels throughout the area which are liable to collapse.