Oregon · Hiking

Spirit Lake

1.2 mi
round trip
249 ft
climb
5,088 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Spirit Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Spirit Lake is a short, easy out-and-back hike in the Middle Fork Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest in Oregon, about 1.2 miles long. The trail gains about 132 feet one way and reaches a high point of 5,088 feet. It sits at roughly 5,019 feet at the start. The route works for hikers, riders and horseback riders. Bikes and horses are both allowed, and the trail surface is natural. A section of the climb near the start is the steepest, with a grade of about 9 percent at 0.27 miles. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. At the Odell Lake-East weather station, about 16 miles away, typical July and August highs reach the mid-70s with lows in the low to mid 40s and only about three wet days a month. Snow is common from November through April. The hike is open year-round and takes about half a day to complete. Nearby, Cupit Mary Meadow Trail #3560 and Waldo Mountain are both within 3 miles. Shadow Bay campground is about 6 miles away, and Salmon Creek offers paddling roughly 3 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 Spirit 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.

    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, 16.1 mi away at 4,800 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Cupit Mary Meadow Trail #3560Photo: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Cupit Mary Meadow Trail #3560

~4 min drive

3.1-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,311 ft elevation gain and loss.

Koch Mountain Trail #3576Photo: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Koch Mountain Trail #3576

~5 min drive

3.52-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 664 ft elevation gain.

High Divide Trail #3572Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

High Divide Trail #3572

~10 min drive

9.54-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,936 ft elevation gain and loss.

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

Waldo Mountain Trail #3592

~5 min drive

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

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

KOCH MOUNTAIN

~5 min drive

2.12-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 684 ft elevation gain and loss.

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

Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)

~13 min drive

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

VerdunPhoto: Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Verdun

~9 min drive

3.39-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 648 ft gain.

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

Salmon Lakes

~6 min drive

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

HIKE

Salmon Lakes Trail #3585

~4 min drive

5.18-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,058 ft elevation gain.

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

Rigdon Lakes

~10 min drive

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