Oregon · Hiking

Johnny Lake

1.0 mi
round trip
122 ft
climb
5,379 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Johnny Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name Johnny Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

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

Johnny Lake is an easy 0.96-mile out-and-back hike on natural surface in the Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District of Oregon's Deschutes National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is rated easy, with a total climb of about 122 feet and the steepest stretch near the start at about 6%. The route starts at 5306 feet and reaches a high point of 5379 feet before returning. The climb is front-loaded, so the most elevation gain happens early on. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Odell Lake-East weather station show July and August highs in the low 70s with only three or four wet days a month. Winter brings highs in the mid-30s and regular snow, with about 10 snow days a month from December through January. The trip takes about half an hour. The trail is open year-round. Bikes and horses are both allowed. Nearby, Clover Meadow is about 1.7 miles away and the Metolius-Windigo Trail about 2.4 miles. Found Lake is about 2.6 miles off, and Rock Creek campground is about 4.4 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Johnny Lake

    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

      35° / 20°

      14 wet · 10 snow

    2. Feb

      38° / 21°

      13 wet · 9 snow

    3. Mar

      42° / 24°

      14 wet · 8 snow

    4. Apr

      46° / 28°

      11 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      55° / 34°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      63° / 38°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      73° / 44°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 42°

      3 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 36°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 30°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      41° / 26°

      14 wet · 6 snow

    12. Dec

      34° / 20°

      15 wet · 10 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Odell Lake-East, OR, 12.8 mi away at 4,800 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Charlton Lake Trail #3593Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Charlton Lake Trail #3593

~8 min drive

1.66-mile out-and-back trail to Charlton Lake in Oregon with 208 ft gain.

Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)

~9 min drive

19.81-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 7,223 ft elevation gain/loss.

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

Rigdon Lakes

~12 min drive

4.16-mile out-and-back trail to Rigdon Lakes in Oregon with 455 ft gain.

HIKE

Metolius-Windigo Trail

~4 min drive

40.72-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,734 ft elevation gain

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

Harralson

~9 min drive

2.09-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 6,108 ft elevation gain.

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

Gold Lake

~11 min drive

9.18-mile out-and-back trail to Gold Lake in Oregon with 739 ft gain.

HIKE

The Twins

~4 min drive

3.40-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 896 ft gain

HIKE

Pacific Crest Trail_def

~11 min drive

16.86-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,127 ft elevation gain.

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

CHARLTON LAKE

~9 min drive

3.0-mile out-and-back trail to Charlton Lake in Oregon with 397 ft elevation gain

Twins PeakPhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Twins Peak

~11 min drive

6.18-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 7,650 ft elevation gain.