Oregon · Hiking · Three Sisters Wilderness

East Fork

9.7 mi
round trip
2,572 ft
climb
2,953 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Is East Fork open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Willamette National Forest. It doesn't name East Fork, 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.

East Fork is a hard hike in Oregon's Three Sisters Wilderness, within the McKenzie River Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest. The trail is an out-and-back of about 9.7 miles, with a total elevation gain of 2,572 feet, and it starts at roughly 1,818 feet, rising to a high point of about 2,953 feet. The steepest stretch comes within the first 0.12 miles, with a grade of about 22 percent. The route is on natural surface, and horses are allowed. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. Plan for about 4.5 hours on the trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 86°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Nearby, Lowder Mountain Trail #3329 and Echo are both within about a mile and a half. Slide Creek campground is about 3 miles away, and paddlers can reach the East Fork South Fork McKenzie River, about 3 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit East Fork

    Best months: April–June and September–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

      43° / 31°

    2. Feb

      47° / 32°

    3. Mar

      53° / 33°

    4. Apr

      61° / 37°

    5. May

      70° / 43°

    6. Jun

      77° / 47°

    7. Jul

      86° / 51°

    8. Aug

      86° / 49°

    9. Sep

      76° / 45°

    10. Oct

      59° / 39°

    11. Nov

      47° / 35°

    12. Dec

      41° / 31°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mckenzie Rvr Rs, OR, 6.1 mi away at 1,478 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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

Lowder Mountain Trail #3329

~2 min drive

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

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

Echo

~2 min drive

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

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.

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

Terwilliger Hot Springs Trail

~5 min drive

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

HIKE

WALKER CREEK

~3 min drive

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

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

Walker Creek

~3 min drive

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

Castle RockPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Castle Rock

~4 min drive

9.00-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,495 ft gain.

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

~9 min drive

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

HIKE

Walker Creek Trail #3330

~9 min drive

13.2-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 6,255 ft elevation gain/loss

HIKE

Horsepasture Mtn

~8 min drive

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