Oregon · Hiking

Sardine Mountain Trail

1.8 mi
round trip
4,819 ft
climb
4,919 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Sardine Mountain Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Detroit Ranger District. It doesn't name Sardine Mountain Trail, 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.

Sardine Mountain Trail is an out-and-back hike in the Detroit Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The route is about 3.6 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 4,819 feet, and it is rated expert. The trail starts at an elevation of about 4,883 feet and reaches a high point of roughly 4,919 feet, so the climb is steep and the return is just as long. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction, which sits about 1,200 feet lower, show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F. That station's figures are not directly comparable to the trail's higher elevation, so expect cooler temperatures on the mountain. The trip takes about 3.5 hours. Tumble Lake is about a mile away, and Dome Rock and French Creek Ridge are both within 2 miles. For an overnight stay, Detroit Lake State Recreation Area is about 4.6 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 Sardine Mountain Trail

    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, 26.5 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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

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

French Creek Ridge

~3 min drive

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

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

Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347

~4 min drive

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

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

Water Tower Mountain Trail

~4 min drive

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

Opal LakePhoto: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Opal Lake

~5 min drive

2.00-mile out-and-back trail to Opal Lake in Oregon with 612 ft gain.

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

Kopetski Trail

~11 min drive

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

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

French Creek Trail #3349

~4 min drive

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

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

Tumble Ridge

~6 min drive

10.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 4,231 ft elevation gain.

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

Piety

~8 min drive

1.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 633 ft elevation gain.

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

Henline Mountain

~12 min drive

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

HIKE

Battle Ax Creek Trail #3339

~13 min drive

12.18-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 4,622 ft elevation gain/loss

Route details

Distance
1.8 mi round trip
Climbing
About 4,819 ft
Summit
4,940 ft
Difficulty
Expert
Time
About 0.5 hours

Questions about this route

How long is the Sardine Mountain Trail on Sardine Mountain?

About 1.8 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the Sardine Mountain Trail?

About 4,819 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the Sardine Mountain Trail?

It is rated expert.

How long does the Sardine Mountain Trail take?

About 0.5 hours round trip.

Conditions and forecast on Sardine Mountain

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors