Oregon · Hiking

Castle Rock

Castle RockPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
9.0 mi
round trip
4,523 ft
climb
3,800 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Castle Rock open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Willamette National Forest. It doesn't name Castle Rock, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Willamette National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Castle Rock is a 9-mile hike in the McKenzie River Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest. It is rated hard and follows a natural-surface trail that is also open to bikes. The route is an out-and-back with an unusual shape. It begins at about 3,700 feet, close to its high point of 3,800 feet, then drops to a low of about 2,200 feet before you turn and climb back out. The page's stats list about 1,580 feet of gain one way, but the ups and downs along the full round trip add up to roughly 4,500 feet of climbing and the same amount of descent. The steepest pitch comes early, about three-quarters of a mile in, where the grade reaches roughly 44 percent. Summer is the most comfortable season. A nearby weather station at a similar elevation records typical July and August averages of highs around 76°F and lows near 42°F. The trail sits close to other hikes, including King Castle about 1.3 miles away and O Leary Mountain at 1.7 miles. For an overnight stay, McKenzie Bridge campground is about 2.5 miles off, and Delta campground is about 3.6 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 Castle Rock

    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, 23.7 mi away at 3,750 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

O Leary MountainPhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

O Leary Mountain

~3 min drive

18-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 4,258 ft gain.

EchoPhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Echo

~3 min drive

5.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,443 ft gain.

Lowder Mountain Trail #3329Photo: Kane5187, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lowder Mountain Trail #3329

~6 min drive

19.84-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 6,757 ft elevation gain and loss.

Delta Old Growth Nature Trail #3317Photo: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Delta Old Growth Nature Trail #3317

~6 min drive

0.47-mile loop trail in Oregon with 135 ft gain and 170 ft loss.

FrisselPhoto: theslowlane, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Frissel

~7 min drive

8.40-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,882 ft elevation gain.

Walker CreekPhoto: Kane5187, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Walker Creek

~7 min drive

4.00-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,105 ft gain

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WALKER CREEK

~7 min drive

8.7-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 5,675 ft elevation gain and loss.

Terwilliger Hot Springs TrailPhoto: Kane5187, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Terwilliger Hot Springs Trail

~8 min drive

0.45-mile out-and-back hike to Terwilliger Hot Springs in Oregon.

Yankee Mountain Trail #3318Photo: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Yankee Mountain Trail #3318

~13 min drive

2.48-mile out-and-back hike with 3,675 ft gain in Oregon

HIKE

Horsepasture Mtn

~10 min drive

2.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,369 ft elevation gain.