Quartz Mtn. Nordic Trail
- 10.0 mi
- round trip
- 2,635 ft
- climb
- 5,842 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Jun, Sep
- best months
Is QUARTZ MTN. NORDIC TRAIL open right now?
No closures listed
The Forest Service lists no closures for Fremont-Winema National Forest.
As of · Source: USFS · Fremont-Winema National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
The Quartz Mt. Nordic Trail is an expert-level out-and-back hike in Oregon's Fremont-Winema National Forest, within the Bly Ranger District. The trail stretches about 20 miles, with a total climb of 2,635 feet from the start elevation of 5,506 feet to a high point of 5,842 feet. That makes it a significant, steady-grade journey, and the steepest section comes around 4.6 miles in, where the grade reaches 18%. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from late spring through early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Bly put June highs near 76°F and September highs around 78°F, with fewer wet days in July and August. That station sits about 1,280 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler than those figures. The trip is estimated to take about eight hours. The Main Trail South begins just 0.1 mile away, and the Quartz Nordic North Loop and Quartz Nordic East Loop are both within a mile. For an overnight stay, Lofton Reservoir and Holbrook Reservoir campgrounds are each about 4.5 miles off.
Best time to go · May–Jun, Sep
Best time to visit QUARTZ MTN. NORDIC TRAIL
Best months: May–June and 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.
Jan
42° / 21°
13 wet
Feb
46° / 23°
11 wet
Mar
51° / 26°
13 wet
Apr
57° / 29°
13 wet
May
66° / 37°
10 wet
Jun
76° / 41°
6 wet
Jul
86° / 49°
3 wet
Aug
86° / 45°
2 wet
Sep
78° / 38°
4 wet
Oct
64° / 30°
7 wet
Nov
48° / 25°
11 wet
Dec
41° / 20°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bly 4 Se, OR, 14.4 mi away at 4,560 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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
QUARTZ NORDIC EAST LOOP
~1 min drive
17.4-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,275 ft elevation gain/loss.
QUARTZ VALLEY NORDIC LOOP
~2 min drive
3.35-mile loop in Oregon with 467 ft gain and 540 ft loss.
Dead Cow Trail
~28 min drive
3.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 13 ft gain and 666 ft loss
HIKE
SOUTH TRAIL SIDE LOOP
~2 min drive
31.1-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Oregon with 2,650 ft elevation gain and loss.
Lakes Loop
~28 min drive
14-mile loop trail in Oregon with 1,412 ft elevation gain.
Photo: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Sprague River Spur A
~14 min drive
0.96-mile out-and-back trail at Sprague River Spur A in Oregon with 58 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons, No known copyright restrictions (via Flickr)Bullard Canyon Trail
~45 min drive
3.33-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,315 ft gain.
HIKE
Boulder Springs
~20 min drive
4.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,628 ft gain.
HIKE
Cougar Peak
~16 min drive
8-mile out-and-back hike to Cougar Peak in Oregon with 2,220 ft gain.
Photo: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Sprague River Trail
~14 min drive
0.86-mile out-and-back hike along the Sprague River in Oregon.