Oregon · Hiking · Waldo Lake Wilderness

Six Lakes

10.4 mi
round trip
1,640 ft
climb
5,386 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Six Lakes open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Six Lakes is a hard hike in the Waldo Lake Wilderness, part of the Middle Fork Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest in Oregon. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a natural-surface out-and-back that starts at about 4,755 feet and climbs to about 5,386 feet, with a total gain of 1,640 feet over the round trip. The steepest stretch comes at about 4.4 miles, where the grade reaches 13%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Odell Lake show July and August highs around 73 to 74°F with only about three wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the mid-30s and regular snow days. The trail is open to horses, and bikes are not allowed. Blair Lake and Upper Quinn are both within half a mile. Skookum Creek Campground is about 3.5 miles away, and the Lost Art Area climbing spot is about 4.9 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 Six Lakes

    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

      35° / 20°

      14 wet · 10 snow

    2. Feb

      38° / 21°

      13 wet · 9 snow

    3. Mar

      42° / 24°

      14 wet · 8 snow

    4. Apr

      46° / 28°

      11 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      55° / 34°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      63° / 38°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      73° / 44°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 42°

      3 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 36°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 30°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      41° / 26°

      14 wet · 6 snow

    12. Dec

      34° / 20°

      15 wet · 10 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Odell Lake-East, OR, 19.3 mi away at 4,800 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Waldo Mountain Trail #3592Photo: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Waldo Mountain Trail #3592

~6 min drive

2.22-mile out-and-back trail at Waldo Mountain with 758 ft gain.

Salmon LakesPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Salmon Lakes

~7 min drive

2.61-mile out-and-back trail to Salmon Lakes in Oregon with 423 ft gain.

Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)

~9 min drive

19.81-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 7,223 ft elevation gain/loss.

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

Rigdon Lakes

~7 min drive

4.16-mile out-and-back trail to Rigdon Lakes in Oregon with 455 ft gain.

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

Harralson

~9 min drive

2.09-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 6,108 ft elevation gain.

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Blair Lake

Next door

6.80-mile out-and-back trail to Blair Lake in Oregon with 1,412 ft gain.

HIKE

GANDER LAKE

~5 min drive

1.42-mile out-and-back trail with 1,235 ft gain and 4,881 ft max elevation

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Upper Quinn

Next door

Upper Quinn is a 1.08-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 61 ft of elevation gain.

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Winchester Ridge

~2 min drive

10-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,543 ft gain.

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Williams Lake

~5 min drive

5.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 845 ft elevation gain.