Oregon · Hiking · Opal Creek Wilderness

Whetstone Mountain

12.8 mi
round trip
6,880 ft
climb
4,727 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Whetstone Mountain open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Detroit Ranger District. It doesn't name Whetstone Mountain, 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.

Whetstone Mountain is a hard hike in Oregon's Opal Creek Wilderness, part of the Detroit Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest. The route is an out-and-back that climbs from about 2,776 feet to the summit at 4,727 feet, with a total elevation gain of 6,880 feet over the course of the trip. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.36 miles from the start, where the grade reaches 47 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction, which sits about 977 feet lower than the summit, show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F. Winter is cold, with January highs around 38°F and lows near 24°F. The trip is estimated to take about 7.5 hours, and the Forest Service lists the open season as running from June 1 to October 31. The trail is natural-surfaced and does not allow bikes. The Battle Ax Creek Trail #3339 and Battle Axe Creek lie about 0.2 miles away, and the Whetstone Trail #546 is about 1.5 miles off. Elk Lake Campground is about 3.2 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Whetstone Mountain

    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, 31.1 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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

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

Kopetski

~3 min drive

2.68-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 713 ft elevation gain

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

Kopetski Trail

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Nasty Rock Trail #3356

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French Creek Trail #3349Photo: Ian Sane, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

French Creek Trail #3349

~9 min drive

10.7-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 5,152 ft elevation gain and loss.

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Opal Creek Trail

~3 min drive

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French Creek Ridge

~10 min drive

4-mile out-and-back trail on French Creek Ridge in Oregon with 1,328 ft gain.

HIKE

Whetstone Trail #546

~3 min drive

Whetstone Trail #546 is an 8.04-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 2,848 feet of elevation gain.

Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347Photo: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347

~10 min drive

5.37-mile out-and-back hike on Elkhorn Ridge in Oregon with 2,500 ft gain

Opal LakePhoto: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Opal Lake

~8 min drive

2.00-mile out-and-back trail to Opal Lake in Oregon with 612 ft gain.

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

Henline Mountain

~12 min drive

5.12-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,830 ft elevation gain.