Oregon · Hiking · Mount Jefferson Wilderness · Near Sisters

Jefferson Lake Trail

0.6 mi
round trip
179 ft
climb
4,769 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Jefferson Lake Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name Jefferson Lake Trail, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Jefferson Lake Trail is an easy out-and-back hike in Oregon's Mount Jefferson Wilderness, on the Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail's short length and gentle climb make it a quick stop for anyone already in the area. The route is 0.6 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 179 feet, and it starts and ends around 4,739 feet. The high point is 4,769 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.24 miles in, where the grade reaches 10 percent. Horses are allowed, and the trail's natural surface makes it suitable for riding. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July and August highs reach about 76°F with lows near 42°F at a nearby weather station in Santiam Junction, which sits roughly 1,000 feet lower than the trail. Winter is cold there, with January highs around 38°F. The trail is open year-round, and the trip takes about half an hour. Hole in the Wall Overlook Trail and Table Lake Cutoff are both within about 1.7 miles, and Carl Lake Trail #4003 is about 2.6 miles away. Sheep Springs Horse Camp, about 4.6 miles off, offers a place to camp.

Around this trail

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

    Sheep Springs Horse Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 4.6 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    HOLA

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 12 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 Jefferson Lake Trail

    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, 15.6 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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

Hole in the Wall Overlook TrailPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hole in the Wall Overlook Trail

~3 min drive

2.78-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 886 ft of elevation gain.

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

Table Lake Cutoff

~3 min drive

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Minto PassPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Minto Pass

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HIKE

Table Lake Trail #4003

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

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Marion Lake Trail 3436Photo: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Marion Lake Trail 3436

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Climber's TrailPhoto: Nwcamera1, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~5 min drive

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Marion Lake OutletPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Marion Lake Outlet

~11 min drive

0.96-mile out-and-back trail to Marion Lake Outlet in Oregon.

Jefferson Creek TrailheadPhoto: DBerry2006, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Jefferson Creek Trailhead

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5.16-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 650 ft elevation gain