Lofton to Heart Lake
Oregon
Free — you'll pick up right here.
3.6 mi
Distance
1,049 ft
Gain
1h 17m
Time
Conditions: Caution
for hike, todayAgency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good
2 factors · 2 sources
Newest 5 h ago · oldest 5 h
caution: Agency alerts
2 active alerts in Bly Ranger District; most severe: National Forest System Road 34 Partial Closure
USFSPosted Aug 1 · checked 5 h ago
clear: Weather
Clouds, high 65°F / low 40°F, 0% precip — 97/100 for hike
OpenWeather5 h ago
Been out here in the last few days? One report keeps this current for everyone.
Why you'll love it
Here's your day, mapped
Lofton to Heart Lake
Suggested plan · check conditions before you go
Meals
Gear for the day
Elevation & route
- Distance
- 3.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,049 ft
- Elevation loss
- 1,049 ft
- Highest point
- 6,276 ft
- Lowest point
- 5,784 ft
Photos
Directions & GPX
Permits & access
- Managing agency
- Forest Service
- Bikes
- Allowed
- Horses
- Allowed
- Surface
- Natural
Source for bikes, horses, surface: USDA Forest Service National Forest System Trails (EDW)
About this trail
Lofton to Heart Lake is a 3.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 180 feet of elevation gain and 563 feet of elevation loss. The route follows a straightforward path to Heart Lake.
Facts about this trail
The climb
- Starts at
- 6,175 ft
- High point
- 6,276 ft
- Total climbing
- 1,049 ft
- Total descent
- 1,049 ft
- Steepest stretch
- 17% grade around mile 0.5 on the way out
- Length (round trip)
- 3.6 mi
- Shape
- Out and back
Source: Roamze elevation profile and trail geometry (DEM samples along the mapped route)
When to go
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Gerber Dam, OR weather station, 17 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan43° high21° low
- Feb45° high24° low
- Mar49° high25° low
- Apr56° high29° low
- May64° high37° low
- Jun75° high40° low
- Jul86° high48° low
- Aug84° high47° low
- Sep78° high39° low
- Oct64° high31° low
- Nov49° high25° low
- Dec40° high19° low
The station sits about 1,400 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.
Where it is
- Bly Ranger District · Ranger district
- Fremont-Winema National Forest · National forest
- Managed by
- Forest Service
Conditions
Active alerts for Bly Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:
National Forest System Road 34 Partial Closure
information · posted Oct 1, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
- Lofton ReservoirCamping0.2 mi
- Lofton LoopHiking0.3 mi
- Lofton Big SwampHiking0.7 mi
- Holbrook ReservoirCamping1.8 mi
- SOUTH TRAIL SPUR 108EHiking2.3 mi
- Fishhole CreekCanoeing7.1 mi
- Cottonwood ComplexCamping8.9 mi
- Barnes Valley CreekCanoeing9.3 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Add to a trip & share
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)MAIN TRAIL SOUTH
~8 min drive
27.33-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 1,658 ft gain and 6,029 ft max elevation.
Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)QUARTZ VALLEY NORDIC LOOP
~9 min drive
3.35-mile loop in Oregon with 467 ft gain and 540 ft loss.
Photo: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Sprague River Spur A
~19 min drive
0.96-mile out-and-back trail at Sprague River Spur A in Oregon with 58 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons, No known copyright restrictions (via Flickr)Bullard Canyon Trail
~43 min drive
3.33-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,315 ft gain.
QUARTZ MTN. NORDIC TRAIL
~8 min drive
19.96-mile out-and-back trail with 2,635 ft elevation gain and loss in Oregon.
Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)QUARTZ NORDIC EAST LOOP
~9 min drive
17.4-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,275 ft elevation gain/loss.
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)Lakes Loop Tie
~34 min drive
Lakes Loop Tie is a 0.40-mile lollipop trail in Oregon with 149 feet of elevation gain.
Photo: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Sprague River Trail
~19 min drive
0.86-mile out-and-back hike along the Sprague River in Oregon.
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)Dead Cow Trail
~36 min drive
3.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 13 ft gain and 666 ft loss
SOUTH TRAIL SIDE LOOP
~6 min drive
31.1-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Oregon with 2,650 ft elevation gain and loss.
