Oregon · Hiking

Express Lane

Express LanePhoto: The Wandering God, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.4 mi
round trip
398 ft
climb
4,645 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Aug–Sep
best months

Express Lane is a short, easy out-and-back hike in southern Oregon, about 1.6 miles from Klamath Falls. The trail is 0.7 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 398 feet, and it starts and ends at roughly 4,438 feet. The high point on the route reaches about 4,645 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.25 miles in, where the grade reaches 21 percent. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically June through September. At a nearby weather station in Klamath Falls, typical averages run from highs around 76°F in June to about 86°F in July, with only two or three wet days a month in midsummer. That station sits roughly 560 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the route run a little cooler. The hike takes about half an hour to complete. Several other short trails start within a few tenths of a mile, including Big Sky, Five Gallon and Archery. For climbing, Cougar Rock Boulders is about 5.6 miles away.

Local outfitters

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  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit Express Lane

    Best months: May–June and August–September. 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

      41° / 21°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      46° / 23°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      52° / 27°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      58° / 29°

      9 wet

    5. May

      67° / 36°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      76° / 41°

      5 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 48°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 46°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 39°

      3 wet

    10. Oct

      64° / 31°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 25°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      40° / 21°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Klamath Falls Intl Ap, OR, 7.1 mi away at 4,084 ft. The station sits about 600 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.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors