Oregon · Hiking · Three Sisters Wilderness · Near Sisters

Linton Lake

Linton LakePhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
3.3 mi
round trip
919 ft
climb
3,734 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 15 h ago

Is Linton Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Willamette National Forest. It doesn't name Linton Lake, 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.

Linton Lake is a 3.3-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon's Three Sisters Wilderness, within the McKenzie River Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and rated moderate, with a total elevation gain of 212 feet. The route starts at about 3,731 feet and reaches a high point of 3,734 feet, so the climb is minimal. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.19 miles in, with a grade of 18 percent. The trail is natural-surface and does not allow bikes or horses. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction, 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. The hike is open from June 1 to October 31. Alder Springs Campground and Alder Springs C.G. are both about a mile away, and Proxy Falls Trail #3532 is about 1.8 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Alder Springs C.G.

    Campground

    The next 4 weekends are full on Recreation.gov
  • Eat after

    Takoda's

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 19 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 Linton 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, 18.5 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

Proxy Falls Trail #3532Photo: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Proxy Falls Trail #3532

~3 min drive

1.72-mile out-and-back trail with 451 ft gain in Oregon

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

Scott Trail #3531

~5 min drive

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

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

Scott Mountain

~8 min drive

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

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

Pct - Oregon Section F

~13 min drive

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

PROXY FALLSPhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

PROXY FALLS

~3 min drive

1.35-mile loop trail with 429 ft gain and 420 ft loss in Oregon.

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

Benson Lake Trail #3502

~8 min drive

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

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

HIKE

Separation Lake Trail #3536

~8 min drive

15.88-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,412 ft elevation gain

Scott-Obsidian TiePhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Scott-Obsidian Tie

~5 min drive

1.12-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 79 ft elevation gain.

Camp LakePhoto: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Camp Lake

~12 min drive

10-mile out-and-back trail to Camp Lake in Oregon with 249 ft gain.