Oregon · Hiking · Three Sisters Wilderness · Near Sisters

Lava Camp Lake

Lava Camp LakePhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.4 mi
round trip
84 ft
climb
5,296 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Lava Camp Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name Lava Camp Lake, 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.

Lava Camp Lake is a short, easy hike in the Three Sisters Wilderness, on the Sisters Ranger District of Deschutes National Forest in Oregon. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is about 0.4 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 84 feet. It's an out-and-back route that starts and ends at nearly the same point, with a steady climb of about 2% grade at the steepest stretch. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F, while winter highs there stay in the mid-30s. The trail is on natural surface, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. Millican Crater is about 0.3 miles away, and North Matthieu Lake and the Lava River Nrt are each about 0.6 miles off. For an overnight base, Benson Lake/Scott Lake Complex is about 5.8 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Lava Camp Lake

    Campground

    Campground · 0.2 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    McDonald's

    Fast food

    On your way back · 12 mi
  • If it rains

    Clearwater Gallery

    Gallery

    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 Lava Camp 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

      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, 14.4 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,500 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

Millican CraterPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Millican Crater

Next door

8.30-mile out-and-back trail at Millican Crater in Oregon

North Matthieu LakePhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

North Matthieu Lake

Next door

4.18-mile out-and-back to North Matthieu Lake in Oregon with 802 ft gain

Lava River NrtPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Lava River Nrt

~1 min drive

0.68-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 13 ft of elevation gain.

Pct - Oregon Section FPhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Pct - Oregon Section F

~1 min drive

107.17-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon, managed by the Forest Service.

Scott Trail #3531Photo: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Scott Trail #3531

~9 min drive

10.54-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,914 ft elevation gain/loss

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

Hand Lake

~8 min drive

5.60-mile out-and-back trail to Hand Lake in Oregon with 810 ft gain

Huckleberry Lake TrailPhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Huckleberry Lake Trail

~4 min drive

1.6-mile out-and-back hike to Huckleberry Lake in Oregon with 306 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Deer Butte Trail #3508

~15 min drive

17-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,077 ft elevation gain and loss.

Benson Lake Trail #3502Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Benson Lake Trail #3502

~11 min drive

11.3-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 2,597 ft gain/loss and 5,538 ft max elevation.

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

Scott Mountain

~11 min drive

3.20-mile out-and-back trail to Scott Mountain summit in Oregon.