Oregon · Hiking · Waldo Lake Wilderness

Moolack Lake

0.6 mi
round trip
370 ft
climb
4,570 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Moolack Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Willamette National Forest. It doesn't name Moolack 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.

Moolack Lake is a short, easy hike in Oregon's Waldo Lake Wilderness, within the Middle Fork Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest. The trail is about 0.6 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 370 feet, and it makes an out-and-back trip from a low point of about 4,400 feet to a high of about 4,570 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and open year-round. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from July through September, when typical averages from a nearby weather station at Odell Lake show highs in the low to mid 70s and only three or four wet days a month. Winter is cold and snowy, with highs in the mid 30s and about 10 snow days a month from December through February. The trail is horse-friendly, and bikes are not allowed. Six Lakes and Blair Lake are both within half a mile, and Skookum Creek Campground is about 3 miles away. Climbers can find the Lost Art Area roughly 5 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Moolack 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

      35° / 20°

      14 wet · 10 snow

    2. Feb

      38° / 21°

      13 wet · 9 snow

    3. Mar

      42° / 24°

      14 wet · 8 snow

    4. Apr

      46° / 28°

      11 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      55° / 34°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      63° / 38°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      73° / 44°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 42°

      3 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 36°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 30°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      41° / 26°

      14 wet · 6 snow

    12. Dec

      34° / 20°

      15 wet · 10 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Odell Lake-East, OR, 19.4 mi away at 4,800 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Waldo Mountain Trail #3592Photo: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Waldo Mountain Trail #3592

~7 min drive

2.22-mile out-and-back trail at Waldo Mountain with 758 ft gain.

Salmon LakesPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Salmon Lakes

~8 min drive

2.61-mile out-and-back trail to Salmon Lakes in Oregon with 423 ft gain.

Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)

~9 min drive

19.81-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 7,223 ft elevation gain/loss.

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

Rigdon Lakes

~8 min drive

4.16-mile out-and-back trail to Rigdon Lakes in Oregon with 455 ft gain.

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

Harralson

~9 min drive

2.09-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 6,108 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Six Lakes

Next door

10.44-mile out-and-back trail with 1,288 ft gain in Oregon.

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Williams Lake

~5 min drive

5.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 845 ft elevation gain.

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Upper Quinn

~1 min drive

Upper Quinn is a 1.08-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 61 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Blair Lake

Next door

6.80-mile out-and-back trail to Blair Lake in Oregon with 1,412 ft gain.

HIKE

Erma Bell Lakes Trail #3563

~5 min drive

4.39-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 1,594 ft gain.