Broken Top to No Name Lake
WARNING -> the water at no name lake and the creek running off of the lake is currently contaminated because of the dead elk that are rotting on the glacier that is melting into the lake. a few elk have now also fallen into the lake. if you are going to hike in this area, please be sure to bring enough water for the entire day! because there are 19 rotting carcasses, please also be advised to watch for wildlife that may have moved into the area such as bears and cougars!
The hikes around Broken Top are plentiful and amazing; and they are also extremely popular. The trail up to No Name Lake and Broken Top's crater is not actually shown in many guide books or maps, but on weekends the trail up to the lake is crowded. It is recommended to do this hike during the week, or during the evening hours and spend the night up at the lake. You can also make this a longer trek and connect it with the Green Lakes hike.
The trailhead begins at Todd Lake. The parking is extremely limited, so get there early, as there is no side of the road parking like at many other trailheads along the Cascade Lakes Highway. (*To do a shorter hike up to the Broken Top crater, you will take Road 370 six very grueling miles up to another trailhead. This road is only recommended for high clearance vehicles as it is extremely rough! From there it is only 3 miles to No Name Lake). There is a pit toilet at Todd Lake trailhead, but not at the Broken Top trailhead on Road 380.
You will walk 2.3 miles on the Todd trail through some trees, crossing some small streams, and eventually coming to beautiful open meadows. Here you will encounter your first trail split with the Soda Creek trail. Continue straight for another .8 miles.
The trailhead begins at Todd Lake. The parking is extremely limited, so get there early, as there is no side of the road parking like at many other trailheads along the Cascade Lakes Highway. (*To do a shorter hike up to the Broken Top crater, you will take Road 370 six very grueling miles up to another trailhead. This road is only recommended for high clearance vehicles as it is extremely rough! From there it is only 3 miles to No Name Lake). There is a pit toilet at Todd Lake trailhead, but not at the Broken Top trailhead on Road 380.
You will walk 2.3 miles on the Todd trail through some trees, crossing some small streams, and eventually coming to beautiful open meadows. Here you will encounter your first trail split with the Soda Creek trail. Continue straight for another .8 miles.
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After .8 miles you will come to your second trail junction. Here you can go left to Green Lakes, or continue to the right up towards Broken Top. Once you are on the Broken Top trail, the terrain opens up and the trees start getting much smaller. At one point there is a trail that splits off to the left and heads up into the heart of Broken Top's bowl, ignore this trail. While it may look like this is way you need to go, it is not. Continue straight until you get to a creek crossing and another trail split with a sign.
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Right before a creek crossing (Little Crater Creek), you will see another trail sign. The trail to the right will take you down to that closer Broken Top trailhead (this is where you will see the majority of the people coming from). Cross the creek and follow the trail and the creek up hill.
There are beautiful views here. You continue to follow the creek, which occasionally creates small waterfalls. There are sparse and small trees at this elevation, so the views are expansive. There is Ball Butte at 7,916 ft., Cayuse Crater at 7,332 ft., and Mt. Bachelor standing at 9,068 ft. Most years even in September you will still see large snow fields in this high elevation area.
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The only difficult section of this trail is the short jaunt where you have to scramble up a very steep creek bed. This is why it is recommended to do this hike later in the season, as this creek (that flows out of No Name Lake) can be raging in July and August, making it that much more difficult to climb up to the lake. Once you are over the lip of the creek bed, you are greeted with an amazing view of No Name Lake and the top crown of Broken Top.
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The trail curves around the edge of the green colored lake and over to a viewpoint where you can see the Three Sisters. I recommend spending the night at the lake, as the sunset colors on Broken Top are absolutely magical, and you will not have to battle as many people for that perfect photo. **If you do spend the night at the lake, pack warm clothes and make sure you have a warm sleeping bag, as you are at an elevation of 8,000 ft. which even in mid-August can get extremely cold.
Overall, this is a must-see place in Oregon! The trail is extremely easy and well maintained, with little rocks and roots, and other hazards. It is not very steep and you gain elevation fairy gradually. The only reason this is labeled as difficult, is because of the length of the hike, and that last short scramble up the creek bed. Other than those two factors, it is actually a very easy hike. In late July and early August you will see wildflowers up at the lake which creates a beautiful contrast to the harsh ruggedness of the terrain. Keep in mind that the majority of this hike does not have tree cover, so you are definitely exposed to the sun. Make sure to bring a hat and plenty of sunscreen.
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 50 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.7 mph
Suggested seasons: End of July through early October
(Best time to go is end of September when there less people. If you want to see wildflowers go in mid-July but during this time you will also run into some mosquitoes).
Trail usage: Moderate to heavy
Directions: From the town of Bend drive 24 miles west on the Cascade Lakes Highway then turn onto Road 4600-380 to the Todd Lake trailhead. For the shorter hike, from Todd Lake parking area continue on Road 370 4.5 very rough miles and then turn onto Road 380 for another 1.5 miles to its end. This has been dubbed "the roughest road in Oregon", so ONLY take a high clearance vehicle up Road 380.
You will need your Annual Northwest Forest Pass, or pay $5 for parking if you don't have one.
Suggested seasons: End of July through early October
(Best time to go is end of September when there less people. If you want to see wildflowers go in mid-July but during this time you will also run into some mosquitoes).
Trail usage: Moderate to heavy
Directions: From the town of Bend drive 24 miles west on the Cascade Lakes Highway then turn onto Road 4600-380 to the Todd Lake trailhead. For the shorter hike, from Todd Lake parking area continue on Road 370 4.5 very rough miles and then turn onto Road 380 for another 1.5 miles to its end. This has been dubbed "the roughest road in Oregon", so ONLY take a high clearance vehicle up Road 380.
You will need your Annual Northwest Forest Pass, or pay $5 for parking if you don't have one.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.