Oregon · Hiking

Monon Lake

Monon LakePhoto: BHunsaker, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
4.2 mi
loop
4,982 ft
high point
Loop
route
Moderate
difficulty
May–Oct
best months

Is Monon Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Clackamas River Ranger District. It doesn't name Monon Lake, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Monon Lake is a 4.2-mile hike in the Clackamas River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is rated moderate, and it runs on natural surface. The route is nearly flat, with a high point of 4,982 feet and a low of 4,957 feet, so the climb is minimal. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.07 miles in, with a grade of about 4 percent. 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. That station sits roughly 1,200 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the hike run cooler. Several campgrounds sit close by, including Peninsula (Olallie) at half a mile and Horseshoe Lake (Olallie) at about a mile. Horseshoe Saddle and Timber Lake are also within a mile.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Monon 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, 25.9 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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

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

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Timber LakePhoto: Infinite Dust, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Timber Lake

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HIKE

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South Breitenbush GorgePhoto: oregondave, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Red LakePhoto: Infinite Dust, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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