Oregon · Hiking · Mount Jefferson Wilderness · Near Sisters

Lava Lakes

5.6 mi
round trip
919 ft
climb
5,039 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Lava Lakes open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Detroit Ranger District. It doesn't name Lava Lakes, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

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

Lava Lakes is a moderate out-and-back hike in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness, part of the Detroit Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest in Oregon. The Forest Service manages the land, and the nearest town is Marion Forks, about 10 miles away. The trail is about 5.6 miles long, with a one-way climb of about 307 feet from a starting elevation of roughly 4,865 feet to a high point near 5,039 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.14 miles in, with a grade of about 9 percent. The surface is natural, and the route is open to horses. Bikes are not allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction, which sits well below the trail, show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F. That station's figures are not directly comparable to conditions on the trail, which sits higher. Maxwell Butte and the Maxwell Loop are both about a mile away, and the Park Loop is about 1.5 miles off. For an overnight stay, Lost Lake campground is about 2.6 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Lost Lake

    Campground

    Campground · 2.6 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Hoodoo Mountain Resort

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 5 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 Lava Lakes

    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, 2.1 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.