Oregon · Hiking · Menagerie Wilderness

Rooster Rock

Rooster RockPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
2.9 mi
round trip
4,342 ft
climb
2,875 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Oct
best months

Is Rooster Rock open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Rooster Rock is a 2.9-mile out-and-back hike in the Menagerie Wilderness, part of the Sweet Home Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest in Oregon. The trail climbs to a high point of 2,875 feet, with a total elevation gain of 4,342 feet over the course of the trip, which makes it a serious climb. The route is back-loaded, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.45 miles in, where the grade reaches 37 percent. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced and not open to bikes. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs around 83°F in July and August, with only three or four wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the mid-30s and frequent rain. That station sits well below the summit, so temperatures up high run cooler. The hike opens from June 1 through October 31, and the trip takes about three hours. Climbers will find Lower Menagerie about 0.3 miles away and the Menagerie Wilderness climbing area about a mile off. Fernview Campground is 1.2 miles away, and paddlers can head to the South Santiam River, about 2 miles from the trail.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Rooster Rock

    Best months: June–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

      37° / 29°

      17 wet

    2. Feb

      42° / 29°

      15 wet

    3. Mar

      48° / 31°

      18 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 34°

      17 wet

    5. May

      65° / 41°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 46°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 50°

      4 wet

    8. Aug

      82° / 49°

      3 wet

    9. Sep

      75° / 45°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      60° / 38°

      12 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 33°

      17 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 30°

      18 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Belknap Springs 8 N, OR, 16.3 mi away at 2,152 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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