Oregon · Hiking · Mount Jefferson Wilderness · Near Sisters

Minto Lake

1.8 mi
round trip
548 ft
climb
5,340 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Minto Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name Minto 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.

Minto Lake is an easy out-and-back hike of about 1.8 miles in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness, within the Sisters Ranger District of Deschutes National Forest in Oregon. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and sits at roughly 5,300 feet, with a total climb of about 550 feet for the round trip. The route is short and gentle, with the steepest stretch coming around 0.85 miles in, where the grade reaches about 18 percent. Horses are allowed, and the trail surface is natural. Bikes are not. 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 a direct match for the trail's higher elevation, so expect cooler temperatures up top. The hike is open year-round, and the trip should take about an hour. Minto Pass Tie lies about 0.3 miles away, and Old Summit Trail #4014 is about half a mile off. Canyon Creek Meadow Loop Trail is about 1.3 miles away, and Jack Creek Campground is about 5.5 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Round Lake Christian Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 5.0 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    The Boathouse

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 7 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 Minto 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, 8.7 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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.

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