Oregon · Hiking · Near Sisters

Turpentine Loop

2.8 mi
round trip
672 ft
climb
4,634 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Turpentine Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Detroit Ranger District. It doesn't name Turpentine Loop, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

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

Turpentine Loop is an easy, 2.8-mile out-and-back hike on mixed-surface trail in the Detroit Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route rises from about 4,300 feet to a high point of 4,634 feet before returning. The climb is rolling, with the steepest section near the start at about 18 percent grade. The total elevation gain is 672 feet, and the trip takes about 1.5 hours. Horses are allowed, and bikes are not. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction run to highs around 76°F in July and August, while the loop sits higher than that station, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. Winters there are cold, with January highs near 38°F and lows around 24°F. Nearby options include Pika-Fir and Duffy Lake Trail, both within a mile, and the North Santiam River for paddling. Big Pool Campground is about 1.9 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Big Meadows Horse Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 1.9 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Hoodoo Mountain Resort

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 8 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Sisters

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Turpentine Loop

    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, 5.2 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 900 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.

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Turpentine Lake Trail (unofficial)Photo: BHunsaker, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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