Oregon · Hiking

Willow Prairie East Loop

16.3 mi
round trip
2,336 ft
climb
5,201 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Willow Prairie East Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in High Cascades Ranger District. It doesn't name Willow Prairie East Loop, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Willow Prairie East Loop is a 16.3-mile out-and-back hike in the High Cascades Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests in southern Oregon. The trail rises from about 4,450 feet to a high point of 5,201 feet, with a total elevation gain of 2,336 feet over the course of the round trip. The climb is rated hard, and the steepest stretch comes at about 2.1 miles in, where the grade reaches 13%. The trail is natural-surface and open to bikes, and it is not accessible. It sits on Forest Service land, and the trip is estimated to take about 6.5 hours. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Howard Prairie Dam weather station, about 12 miles away, show July and August highs near 79°F with only two or three wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the mid-30s and regular snow days. Willow Prairie Horsecamp and Willow Prairie Cabin are both about half a mile away, and the Willow Prairie North Loop is a short hike from the trail. North Fork Campground lies about 2 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 Willow Prairie East 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

      36° / 23°

      15 wet · 9 snow

    2. Feb

      40° / 23°

      14 wet · 8 snow

    3. Mar

      45° / 26°

      16 wet · 8 snow

    4. Apr

      50° / 29°

      13 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      60° / 36°

      11 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      68° / 40°

      5 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 47°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      79° / 46°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 40°

      4 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 33°

      8 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

      13 wet · 5 snow

    12. Dec

      35° / 23°

      15 wet · 9 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Howard Prairie Dam, OR, 11.8 mi away at 4,567 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Stage 2 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated September 4, 2026; seen Sep 3, 2026 → lifted Oct 28, 2026 · Forest Service

    • Stage 3 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated July 17, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Sep 3, 2026 · Forest Service

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