Oregon · Hiking · Near Sisters

Peterson Ridge Trail West

15.8 mi
round trip
1,001 ft
climb
3,846 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Aug–Sep
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 21 h ago

Is Peterson Ridge Trail West open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name Peterson Ridge Trail West, 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.

Peterson Ridge Trail West is a hard hike in Oregon's Deschutes National Forest, on the Sisters Ranger District, about 16 miles long with a total elevation gain of 1,001 feet. It is a natural-surface out-and-back, and it is managed by the Forest Service. The trail's climb is steepest at about 6.8 miles, with a 10% grade. The trail is rated hard. It starts at about 3,222 feet and climbs to a high point of 3,846 feet. The route is open year-round, and an estimated six hours should allow time for the trip. Summer is the warmest stretch. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Sisters put July highs around 86°F with lows near 43°F, while September is milder at about 76°F by day and 36°F at night. That station sits several hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so expect cooler temperatures on the ridge. The Peterson Ridge Trail East lies just 0.1 mile away, and the Five Pine Connector and Whychus Footbridge Tie are both within half a mile. Climbers can find The Brain Boulder about half a mile off.

Around this trail

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

    Three Sisters Overnight City Park

    Campground

    Campground · 0.5 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Jermaican Jerkculture

    Fast food

    In town
  • If it rains

    Art Gallery Dyrk Godby

    Gallery

    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–Jun, Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit Peterson Ridge Trail West

    Best months: May–June and August–September. 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

      41° / 21°

    2. Feb

      44° / 22°

    3. Mar

      51° / 25°

    4. Apr

      57° / 29°

    5. May

      66° / 34°

    6. Jun

      74° / 39°

    7. Jul

      86° / 43°

    8. Aug

      85° / 42°

    9. Sep

      76° / 36°

    10. Oct

      61° / 29°

    11. Nov

      47° / 25°

    12. Dec

      39° / 20°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sisters, OR, 0.1 mi away at 3,180 ft. The station sits about 700 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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