Oregon · Hiking

Lost Creek

Lost CreekPhoto: theslowlane, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.6 mi
round trip
94 ft
climb
1,654 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Is Lost Creek open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Lost Creek is an easy, short out-and-back hike in Oregon's McKenzie River Ranger District, part of the Willamette National Forest. The trail is about 0.6 miles long and sits at an elevation of roughly 1,600 feet, with a low point at 1,603 feet and a high point at 1,654 feet. The total elevation gain for the round trip is about 94 feet. The route is natural-surfaced and open to bikes, and it makes a quick add-on to a longer trip on the McKenzie River Trail. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. A typical day on the trail takes about half an hour. Summer and early fall are the mildest times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs in the upper 70s in June and around 76 degrees in September, while July and August average highs near 86 degrees. Limberlost Campground and the McKenzie River Trailhead at Paradise Campground are both about a mile away. The Frissel hike is roughly 4 miles off, and the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail is about 4.4 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Lost Creek

    Best months: April–June and September–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

      43° / 31°

    2. Feb

      47° / 32°

    3. Mar

      53° / 33°

    4. Apr

      61° / 37°

    5. May

      70° / 43°

    6. Jun

      77° / 47°

    7. Jul

      86° / 51°

    8. Aug

      86° / 49°

    9. Sep

      76° / 45°

    10. Oct

      59° / 39°

    11. Nov

      47° / 35°

    12. Dec

      41° / 31°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mckenzie Rvr Rs, OR, 2.6 mi away at 1,478 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

FrisselPhoto: theslowlane, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Frissel

~7 min drive

8.40-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,882 ft elevation gain.

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

PROXY FALLS

~12 min drive

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

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

Scott Mountain

~14 min drive

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

Lowder Mountain Trail #3329Photo: Kane5187, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lowder Mountain Trail #3329

~17 min drive

19.84-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 6,757 ft elevation gain and loss.

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

Foley Ridge

~12 min drive

15.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,433 ft elevation gain

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

Proxy Falls Trail #3532

~12 min drive

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

Linton LakePhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Linton Lake

~15 min drive

3.32-mile out-and-back trail to Linton Lake in Oregon with 653 ft gain.

HIKE

Mckenzie River National Recreation Trail

~7 min drive

13.30-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 6,308 ft elevation gain.

Castle RockPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Castle Rock

~13 min drive

9.00-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,495 ft gain.

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

Scott-Obsidian Tie

~17 min drive

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