Oregon · Hiking

Big Meadows Loop

5.2 mi
round trip
1,454 ft
climb
3,890 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Big Meadows Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Detroit Ranger District. It doesn't name Big Meadows Loop, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Detroit Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Big Meadows Loop is a 5.2-mile moderate out-and-back hike in the Detroit Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest. The trail runs on gravel and reaches a high point of about 3,890 feet, with an elevation gain of about 276 feet, and the Forest Service manages the land. The loop starts at the Big Meadows Loop (North) Trailhead and is open year-round. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F, while winter highs sit in the upper 30s. The trail is rated moderate. It works for a full day on its own or as a link with other outings in the area. Pika-Fir is a half-mile away, and Big Pool Campground is about a mile off. Turpentine Loop and the North Santiam River are each roughly 1.4 to 1.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Big Meadows Loop

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      38° / 24°

    2. Feb

      41° / 24°

    3. Mar

      44° / 26°

    4. Apr

      49° / 29°

    5. May

      58° / 35°

    6. Jun

      65° / 38°

    7. Jul

      76° / 42°

    8. Aug

      76° / 42°

    9. Sep

      69° / 39°

    10. Oct

      56° / 33°

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

    12. Dec

      36° / 23°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santiam Junction, OR, 5.4 mi away at 3,750 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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BIG SPRINGS LOOPPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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LAVA LAKE ACCESS EASTPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Pine RidgePhoto: BHunsaker, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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SOUTH SPRINGS LOOPPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Turpentine Lake Trail (unofficial)Photo: BHunsaker, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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