Oregon · Hiking · Opal Creek Wilderness

Opal Lake

Opal LakePhoto: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.0 mi
round trip
647 ft
climb
3,705 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Opal Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Detroit Ranger District. It doesn't name Opal Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

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

Opal Lake is an easy out-and-back hike in the Opal Creek Wilderness, part of the Detroit Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and sits within designated wilderness. The route is about 2 miles long, with a total climb of about 650 feet, so the one-way gain is roughly half that. The steepest stretch comes within the first fifth of a mile, where the grade reaches about 20 percent. The low point on the trail starts around 3,378 feet, and the high point at the lake sits at about 3,705 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July and August highs reach about 76°F with lows near 42°F, according to averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction. Winter is much colder, with typical January highs around 38°F and lows near 24°F. The trail is open from June through October. Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347 and French Creek Ridge both lie within about a mile. Opal Creek, a canoeing route, is roughly 1.7 miles away, and Elk Lake Campground is about 4.9 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 Opal 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, 28.3 mi away at 3,750 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347Photo: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347

~1 min drive

5.37-mile out-and-back hike on Elkhorn Ridge in Oregon with 2,500 ft gain

French Creek RidgePhoto: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

French Creek Ridge

~1 min drive

4-mile out-and-back trail on French Creek Ridge in Oregon with 1,328 ft gain.

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

Kopetski

~6 min drive

2.68-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 713 ft elevation gain

Water Tower Mountain TrailPhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Water Tower Mountain Trail

~8 min drive

1.26-mile out-and-back hike to Water Tower Mountain summit with 2,817 ft gain

French Creek Trail #3349Photo: Ian Sane, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

French Creek Trail #3349

~2 min drive

10.7-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 5,152 ft elevation gain and loss.

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

Kopetski Trail

~7 min drive

1.38-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 1,051 ft elevation gain.

Opal Creek TrailPhoto: mjfmjfmjf, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Opal Creek Trail

~6 min drive

1.25-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 715 ft of elevation gain.

Nasty Rock Trail #3356Photo: mjfmjfmjf, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Nasty Rock Trail #3356

~9 min drive

5.64-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 3,350 ft elevation gain and loss.

HIKE

Sardine Mountain Trail

~5 min drive

1.78-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,398 ft elevation loss.

Henline MountainPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Henline Mountain

~9 min drive

5.12-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,830 ft elevation gain.