Silver King Lake
- 0.3 mi
- round trip
- 111 ft
- climb
- 4,124 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Is Silver King Lake open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Clackamas River Ranger District. It doesn't name Silver King Lake, so check the source for the area it covers.
Clackamas River RD Fires
Agency closure covering Clackamas River Ranger District · Order 06-06-05-26-20 · USFS · Clackamas River Ranger District
Emergency fire closure on FR 57
Agency alert covering Clackamas River Ranger District · USFS · Clackamas River Ranger District
Eagle Creek Fire Area Closures
Agency alert covering Mt. Hood National Forest · Order 06-22-01-26-04 · USFS · Mt. Hood National Forest
Roadside Danger Trees Health and Safety Closure
Agency alert covering Clackamas River Ranger District · Order 06-06-05-26-02 · USFS · Clackamas River Ranger District
FR 4613 road damage- use caution
Agency alert covering Mt. Hood National Forest · USFS · Mt. Hood National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Clackamas River Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Silver King Lake is an easy hike in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness, part of the Clackamas River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon. The trail is short and low, at about 0.3 miles round trip, and the climb is front-loaded, so the steepest stretch comes right at the start. The trail runs on natural ground and crosses from the low point of about 4,000 feet to a high of 4,124 feet, with a total gain of about 110 feet one way. The steepest section is at the very beginning, with a grade of about 18 percent, but it soon eases. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F, while winter highs there stay in the upper 30s. The Whetstone Trail #546 starts just 0.2 miles away, and Twin Lakes is about a mile off. For paddling, Battle Ax Creek is roughly 2 miles away, and Elk Lake Campground sits about 3 miles out.
Local outfitters
- Horseback Riding Adventures Oregon30 mi away
- Tree Climbing at Silver Falls32 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Oct
Best time to visit Silver King 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.
Jan
38° / 24°
Feb
41° / 24°
Mar
44° / 26°
Apr
49° / 29°
May
58° / 35°
Jun
65° / 38°
Jul
76° / 42°
Aug
76° / 42°
Sep
69° / 39°
Oct
56° / 33°
Nov
42° / 28°
Dec
36° / 23°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santiam Junction, OR, 31.6 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
Battle Axe Creek
~3 min drive
1.40-mile out-and-back trail at Battle Axe Creek in Oregon with 304 ft gain.
Kopetski Trail
~7 min drive
1.38-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 1,051 ft elevation gain.
Photo: mjfmjfmjf, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Bagby Trail #544
~8 min drive
10.68-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,373 ft elevation gain.
Photo: mjfmjfmjf, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Nasty Rock Trail #3356
~11 min drive
5.64-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 3,350 ft elevation gain and loss.
Whetstone
~5 min drive
Whetstone is a 1.28-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 557 feet of elevation gain.
Gold Butte Lookout
~8 min drive
2.50-mile out-and-back trail to Gold Butte Lookout in Oregon with 1,145 ft gain.
Photo: Ian Sane, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)French Creek Trail #3349
~11 min drive
10.7-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 5,152 ft elevation gain and loss.
HIKE
Whetstone Trail #546
Next door
Whetstone Trail #546 is an 8.04-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 2,848 feet of elevation gain.
Photo: 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.
Photo: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)French Creek Ridge
~12 min drive
4-mile out-and-back trail on French Creek Ridge in Oregon with 1,328 ft gain.