Vulcan Lake
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)- 2.6 mi
- round trip
- 1,225 ft
- climb
- 4,192 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Caution today
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 8 h ago
Is Vulcan Lake open right now?
No closures listed
The Forest Service lists no closures for Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests.
As of · Source: USFS · Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Vulcan Lake is a 2.6-mile out-and-back hike in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, part of the Gold Beach Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests in Oregon. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and sits within designated wilderness, so it is a backcountry route rather than a developed one. The climb is moderate, with a total elevation gain of 1,225 feet over the round trip. The high point is about 4,192 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at roughly 0.7 miles in, where the grade reaches about 22%. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows horses, but not bikes, and it is not accessible. The trailhead is Vulcan Lake/Johnson Butte Trailhead, and the hike is open year-round. Plan on about 1.5 hours for the round trip. Nearby, Gardner Mine and Little Vulcan Lake are both about half a mile away, and the South Fork Chetco River offers canoeing about 3.6 miles off. Quail Prairie Lookout, a campground, is about 4 miles away.
Local outfitters
- John Carl Guide Service25 mi away
- Turtle Rock RV Resort26 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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