Oregon · Hiking · Three Sisters Wilderness · Near Sisters

Obsidian

8.4 mi
round trip
1,810 ft
climb
6,471 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Get a permit

Obsidian Limited Entry Area · overnight

Reserve on Recreation.gov

Is Obsidian open right now?

Closure in the area

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

The Obsidian hike is an out-and-back route of about 8.4 miles 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 is rated hard, with a one-way climb of 1,410 feet and a total round-trip gain of 1,810 feet. The climb is front-loaded, peaking at 6,471 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.4 miles, where the grade reaches 18 percent. The trail is on natural surface and is open to horses, while bikes are not allowed. The hike is open year-round and takes about 3.5 hours. The closest nearby places include the Scott-Obsidian Tie and Scott Trail #3531, both within 2 miles, and the Benson Lake/Scott Lake Complex campground at 1.9 miles. The Three Sisters Wilderness climbing area lies about 7 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Benson Lake/Scott Lake Complex.

    Campground

    Campground · 1.9 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Takoda's

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 16 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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

Scott-Obsidian Tie

~2 min drive

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

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

Scott Trail #3531

~3 min drive

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

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

Linton Lake

~4 min drive

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

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

Pct - Oregon Section F

~9 min drive

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

Hand Lake Cutoff #4344Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hand Lake Cutoff #4344

~4 min drive

1.16-mile out-and-back trail with 322 ft gain and loss in Oregon.

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

Benson Lake Trail #3502

~7 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

~5 min drive

5.60-mile out-and-back trail to Hand Lake in Oregon with 810 ft gain

HIKE

Separation Lake Trail #3536

~12 min drive

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

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

HAND LAKE CUTOFF

~4 min drive

1.08-mile out-and-back trail with 425 ft elevation gain in Oregon

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

Foley Ridge

~9 min drive

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