Oregon · Hiking · Near Sisters

Isaac Nickerson Loop

Isaac Nickerson LoopPhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
3.0 mi
round trip
1,993 ft
climb
3,659 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is ISAAC NICKERSON LOOP open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Willamette National Forest. It doesn't name ISAAC NICKERSON LOOP, 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.

The Isaac Nickerson Loop is a 3-mile moderate hike in the McKenzie River Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back that climbs about 1,000 feet one way, with a total round-trip gain of nearly 2,000 feet. The route starts at about 3,400 feet and reaches a high point of roughly 3,660 feet, and the steepest stretch comes around the 1.8-mile mark, where the grade reaches about 31%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Santiam Junction weather station, at a similar elevation, show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F. Winter is cold, with January highs around 38°F and lows near 24°F. Prairie View Loop lies just 0.1 mile away, and Clear Lake is about 0.7 mile off. For an overnight stay, Coldwater Cove campground is about 1.1 miles away and Ice Cap is about 2 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Cold Water Cove - Willamette NF

    Campground

    Campground · 1.0 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Crockett Lodge

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 mi
  • If it rains

    Kiwanis club

    Attraction

    In town

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Sisters

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit ISAAC NICKERSON 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

PRAIRIE VIEW LOOPPhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

PRAIRIE VIEW LOOP

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WaterfallsPhoto: acaben, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Waterfalls

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Prairie View Loop

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Clear LakePhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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

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Santiam Wagon Road EastPhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), 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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