Oregon · Hiking · Near Sisters

Sparks Lake

Sparks LakePhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
2.7 mi
round trip
337 ft
climb
5,596 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 10 h ago

Is Sparks Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name Sparks Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Deschutes National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Sparks Lake is an easy out-and-back hike in the Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District of Oregon's Deschutes National Forest, about 2.7 miles long with a total elevation gain of 337 feet. The trail starts at roughly 5,524 feet and reaches a high point of about 5,596 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 0.9 miles in, where the grade reaches about 6 percent. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced, with horses and bikes allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Sunriver show July highs around 84°F and lows near 41°F, while winter highs there sit in the low 40s. That station sits about 1,400 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the hike run cooler. The trip takes about an hour, and the trail is open year-round. The Ray Atkeson Memorial hike is about 0.6 miles away, and Soda Creek campground is about 1.1 miles off. The Metolius-Windigo Trail and the Appaloosa hike are both about 1.4 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Soda Creek

    Campground

    Campground · 1.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Pine Marten Lodge

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi
  • If it rains

    Clearwater Gallery

    Gallery

    In town

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Sisters

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Sparks Lake

    Best months: May–September. 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

      40° / 20°

    2. Feb

      43° / 21°

    3. Mar

      50° / 24°

    4. Apr

      57° / 25°

    5. May

      65° / 33°

    6. Jun

      72° / 37°

    7. Jul

      84° / 41°

    8. Aug

      83° / 40°

    9. Sep

      76° / 34°

    10. Oct

      62° / 28°

    11. Nov

      46° / 24°

    12. Dec

      37° / 19°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sunriver, OR, 17.7 mi away at 4,180 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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

SPARKS LAKEPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

SPARKS LAKE

~1 min drive

1.44-mile out-and-back trail to Sparks Lake in Oregon with 159 ft of elevation gain

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

Appaloosa

~2 min drive

3.52-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 160 ft elevation gain.

South Sister ClimberPhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

South Sister Climber

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Green Lakes Trail #17Photo: Jonathan Miske, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Green Lakes Trail #17

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1.90-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 784 ft of elevation gain.

SUMMIT CROSSOVERPhoto: Kris Arnold from New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

SUMMIT CROSSOVER

~4 min drive

2.02-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,168 ft gain/loss and 7,724 ft max elevation.

Soda CreekPhoto: Jonathan Miske, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Soda Creek

~3 min drive

9.46-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,690 ft elevation gain.

Devils LakePhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Devils Lake

~4 min drive

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Evergreen TrailPhoto: Kris Arnold from New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Evergreen Trail

~4 min drive

4.31-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon managed by the Forest Service.

Katsuk PondPhoto: David Doan, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Katsuk Pond

~5 min drive

8-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 5,918 ft elevation gain.

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

TODD RIDGE

~4 min drive

2.64-mile out-and-back trail on Todd Ridge in Oregon with 932 ft gain.

Also worth it near here

SEE

Mt. Bachelor

~4 min drive