Oregon · Hiking · Sky Lakes Wilderness

Halifax

6.0 mi
round trip
2,268 ft
climb
5,547 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Halifax open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in High Cascades Ranger District. It doesn't name Halifax, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Halifax is a hard hike in the Sky Lakes Wilderness, part of the High Cascades Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests in southern Oregon. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a natural-surface out-and-back that starts at about 4,026 feet and climbs to about 5,547 feet, with a total gain of about 2,268 feet over the round trip. The steepest stretch comes at about 1.3 miles in, where the grade reaches 30%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Crater Lake show July and August highs around 69°F with only about four wet days a month, while winter months bring highs in the low 30s and rain on most days. The trail is open to horses, and bikes are not allowed. It is not an accessible route. Nearby, Middle Fork and Alta Lake are both about 2 miles away, and the Tom and Jerry Trail is about 2.5 miles off. Bessie Shelter, a campground, sits about 3.7 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Halifax

    Best months: June–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

      33° / 20°

      18 wet

    2. Feb

      34° / 19°

      17 wet

    3. Mar

      36° / 20°

      18 wet

    4. Apr

      40° / 23°

      16 wet

    5. May

      49° / 29°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      57° / 34°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      69° / 41°

      4 wet

    8. Aug

      69° / 42°

      4 wet

    9. Sep

      63° / 37°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      51° / 30°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      38° / 23°

      16 wet

    12. Dec

      33° / 19°

      18 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Crater Lake Nps Hq, OR, 13.8 mi away at 6,485 ft. The station sits about 900 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Stage 2 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated September 4, 2026; seen Sep 3, 2026 → lifted Oct 28, 2026 · Forest Service

    • Stage 3 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated July 17, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Sep 3, 2026 · Forest Service

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Lake IvernPhoto: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lake Ivern

~7 min drive

3.69-mile out-and-back trail to Lake Ivern in Oregon with 292 ft gain.

Rogue Wolf LoopPhoto: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Rogue Wolf Loop

~8 min drive

An 18-mile point-to-point Oregon trail through Rogue River wilderness.

Devils PeakPhoto: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Devils Peak

~8 min drive

2.47-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 523 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Middle Fork

~3 min drive

12.86-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,156 ft gain.

Nannie Creek TrailPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Nannie Creek Trail

~12 min drive

1.81-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 995 ft gain

HIKE

THREEMILE LOOP

~14 min drive

17.06-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Oregon with 3,545 ft elevation gain

Donna LakePhoto: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Donna Lake

~14 min drive

1.60-mile out-and-back trail to Donna Lake in Oregon with 83 ft gain.

HIKE

Tom and Jerry Trail

~4 min drive

10.96-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,569 ft elevation gain/loss

DividePhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Divide

~14 min drive

5.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,337 ft elevation gain.

SKY LAKES CUTOFFPhoto: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

SKY LAKES CUTOFF

~15 min drive

3.54-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 702 ft gain and loss.