Oregon · Hiking

Top Lake

Top LakePhoto: BHunsaker, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.0 mi
round trip
189 ft
climb
5,353 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Top Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Clackamas River Ranger District. It doesn't name Top Lake, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Clackamas River Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Top Lake is an easy hike in the Clackamas River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about a mile long, with a total elevation gain of 189 feet, and it makes a short out-and-back from the low point at about 5,199 feet to the high point at about 5,353 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 0.3 miles, with a grade of about 12 percent. 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 mid-30s. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Red Lake Trail #719 is about 0.2 miles away, and Timber Lake and Double Peaks are within half a mile. For an overnight stay, Camp Ten (Olallie) is about a mile off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Top 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

      38° / 24°

    2. Feb

      41° / 24°

    3. Mar

      44° / 26°

    4. Apr

      49° / 29°

    5. May

      58° / 35°

    6. Jun

      65° / 38°

    7. Jul

      76° / 42°

    8. Aug

      76° / 42°

    9. Sep

      69° / 39°

    10. Oct

      56° / 33°

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

    12. Dec

      36° / 23°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santiam Junction, OR, 26.4 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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

Red Lake Trail #719Photo: Infinite Dust, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Red Lake Trail #719

Next door

5.32-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,512 ft elevation gain.

Timber LakePhoto: Infinite Dust, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Timber Lake

Next door

1.2-mile out-and-back trail at Timber Lake in Oregon with 52 ft of elevation gain.

Monon LakePhoto: BHunsaker, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Monon Lake

~2 min drive

4.20-mile loop trail at Monon Lake in Oregon with 382 ft gain.

Climber's TrailPhoto: Nwcamera1, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Climber's Trail

~12 min drive

Short out-and-back climb with steady elevation gain near Oregon.

Double PeaksPhoto: BHunsaker, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Double Peaks

Next door

0.70-mile out-and-back trail at Double Peaks in Oregon with 338 ft of elevation gain.

Pyramid ButtePhoto: LukeDetwiler, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pyramid Butte

~6 min drive

1.66-mile out-and-back trail to Pyramid Butte in Oregon with 842 ft gain.

HIKE

Olallie Butte Trail

~5 min drive

6.98-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 3,482 ft gain and 7,175 ft max elevation.

Red LakePhoto: Infinite Dust, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Red Lake

~1 min drive

Red Lake is a 1.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 261 feet of elevation gain.

Devil's Peak TrailPhoto: oregondave, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Devil's Peak Trail

~14 min drive

2.92-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 1,996 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Crag

~10 min drive

5.96-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,877 ft elevation gain.