South Ridge
Photo: R6, State & Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)- 1.4 mi
- round trip
- 319 ft
- climb
- 6,024 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Is South Ridge 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.
South Ridge is a short, easy hike in the Klamath Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest in southern Oregon, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 1.4 miles long and rises roughly 78 feet from a low point of about 5,925 feet to a high of about 6,024 feet. The route is an out-and-back on natural surface, and it works for hikers, riders and horseback travelers. It is not an accessible trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Howard Prairie Dam weather station, about 16 miles away, show July and August highs near 79°F with only two or three wet days a month. Winter brings highs in the mid-30s and regular snow days. Bull Swamp Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and Badger Lake Trail and Rye Spur Trail are each about 1.3 miles off. Fourmile Lake Campground is about 1.4 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures21 mi away
- Yamsi Fly Fishing27 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Oct
Best time to visit South Ridge
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
36° / 23°
15 wet · 9 snow
Feb
40° / 23°
14 wet · 8 snow
Mar
45° / 26°
16 wet · 8 snow
Apr
50° / 29°
13 wet · 4 snow
May
60° / 36°
11 wet · 1 snow
Jun
68° / 40°
5 wet
Jul
79° / 47°
3 wet
Aug
79° / 46°
2 wet
Sep
72° / 40°
4 wet
Oct
58° / 33°
8 wet · 1 snow
Nov
42° / 28°
13 wet · 5 snow
Dec
35° / 23°
15 wet · 9 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Howard Prairie Dam, OR, 16.4 mi away at 4,567 ft. The station sits about 1,500 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
Photo: R6, State & Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)Bull Swamp Trail
Next door
0.84-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 184 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Holzwerk, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Badger Lake Trail
~2 min drive
10.16-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,432 ft elevation gain
Photo: Holzwerk, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)BADGER LAKE
~3 min drive
9.54-mile out-and-back trail to Badger Lake in Oregon with 1,508 ft gain/loss.
Photo: jfdervin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Pct - Oregon Section C
~7 min drive
73.78-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 5,925 ft gain.
Photo: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Freye Lake
~3 min drive
0.40-mile out-and-back trail to Freye Lake in Oregon, 55 feet of elevation loss.
Photo: Holzwerk, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Rye Spur Trail
~2 min drive
12.08-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,077 ft elevation gain and loss.
Photo: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Twin Ponds Trail
~6 min drive
2.52-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 258 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Holzwerk, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Rye Loop
~5 min drive
Rye Loop is a 1.40-mile loop in Oregon with 61 ft gain.
Photo: Holzwerk, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Upper Canal Nordic Trail
~2 min drive
13.76-mile out-and-back route in Oregon with 2,214 ft elevation gain and loss.
Photo: Holzwerk, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)HYATT LAKE
~7 min drive
5.4-mile out-and-back trail to Hyatt Lake in Oregon with 1,319 ft elevation gain.
