Canyon Creek Meadows
(only the lower loop is accessible to horses)
Canyon Creek Meadows is a popular summer and fall hike near Bend and Sisters. It is a relatively easy to moderate loop hike with beautiful views of Three Finger Jack, as well as some lakes. This is also one of the inlets for the popular backpacking loop around Three Finger Jack.
The road up to Jack Lake and the trailhead, can be quite miserable due to stutter bumps that develop from overuse. But because this trail is so popular, they take quite good care it. After the road has become wet enough from rain-fall in the fall season, they grade it and make it nice and easy to drive on again. For the trailhead you will park at Jack Lake where there are a few primitive camping spots, and a pit toilet.
The road up to Jack Lake and the trailhead, can be quite miserable due to stutter bumps that develop from overuse. But because this trail is so popular, they take quite good care it. After the road has become wet enough from rain-fall in the fall season, they grade it and make it nice and easy to drive on again. For the trailhead you will park at Jack Lake where there are a few primitive camping spots, and a pit toilet.
(Jack Lake is the first spectacular thing you see on this hike)
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The beginning of the trail takes you from the parking lot to Jack Lake. You gently climb around the lake and after .4 of a mile you will come to your first trail junction. Because this trail is so popular, especially in the summer months, it is encouraged to take the loop clockwise, so that you are not running into a lot of people and would frequently have to stop to let someone by. But if you are only going to Wasco Lake and/or the Pacific Crest Trail, then it is ok to take the trail going counter-clockwise.
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(the two ponds you pass on the way to Lower Meadow)
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After turning left at the junction, the next part of the hike takes you uphill a bit through mixed lodge pole pine forest. Some of the trees have been damaged by the beetle kill so they appear silver rather than green. You hike through the forest for about 1.7 miles while passing two small lakes (one at most times of the year is dried up and looks more like a meadow), then you reach the Lower Meadow where the trail forks again.
(Cougar tracks at Lower Meadow)
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This portion of the hike is a 1.5 mile out and back to Cirque Lake and the Viewpoint Saddle (3 miles total). You will take the path to the left and cross a small creek. In the winter we saw some medium sized cougar tracks along this area (Lower Meadow). |
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From the Lower Meadow to the Upper Meadow it is only a mile, but the climb does get steeper. There are quite a few switchbacks, but the view from Cirque Lake is stunning and worth the effort! Viewpoint Saddle is another half mile from Cirque Lake, and from there you can see the Three Sisters to the south, and Mt. Jefferson to the north.
(Cirque Lake in November)
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(Cirque Lake in September)
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(saddle viewpoint towards Mt. Jefferson - picture by Ellen Drury)
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(saddle viewpoint looking towards Mt. Washington & Three Sisters - picture by Ellen Drury)
After the out and back trek, you will rejoin the loop trail and travel .9 miles through some beetle kill and burned forest along Canyon Creek. A long time ago this was a place where beavers made their dams, therefor we now have large swampy meadows here, and there is still some evidence of the beavers on the old trees.
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(Fireweed flowering in July)
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After the beaver meadows you will come to another junction. Most day hikers choose to only do the Canyon Creek Meadows loop, however if you are backpacking and want to go somewhere a bit more secluded, take a left at the intersection by the falls, cross the stream, and hike another .7 miles over to beautiful Wasco Lake.
The trail to Wasco Lake is definitely not as maintained as the Canyon Creek Meadows trail, and you will definitely have to climb over some blowdowns. But this is in true Jefferson Wilderness style.
There is plenty of camping on the northwest side of Wasco Lake. Here you might even see some Pacific Crest Trail thru hikers, as this lake is only half a mile from the PCT, and a perfect resting spot. If you go to Wasco Lake and Viewpoint Saddle, it makes the whole hike 8.9 miles instead of 7.5.
There is plenty of camping on the northwest side of Wasco Lake. Here you might even see some Pacific Crest Trail thru hikers, as this lake is only half a mile from the PCT, and a perfect resting spot. If you go to Wasco Lake and Viewpoint Saddle, it makes the whole hike 8.9 miles instead of 7.5.
(Wasco Lake)
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Once you get back on the loop trail from the out and back Wasco Lake excursion, you will hike another 1.6 miles back to the car. About half of this mileage is open (due to the burn that happened here), and you can catch glimpses of beautiful Mt. Jefferson peeking out over the hills in the distance.
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Overall, this hike is one of the most popular hikes in the area, and I can see why. It is definitely do-able for most age and fitness ranges. Most of the trail is an easy walk through the forest. The section heading up to Cirque Lake is a bit more rocky and steep, so I would only recommend this to hikers with good shoes. For peak wildflower viewing, do this hike in early to mid-July. But if you want to avoid large crowds, head here in the fall (late September early October).
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 30 minutes (for the 8.9 mile hike) w/ an average speed of 2.0 mph
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is mid-July for prime wildflower viewing, however this is also the time when the mosquitoes are the worst. August to mid-October is perfect for hiking in this area).
Trail usage: Heavy
Directions: Turn off Hwy 20, 8 miles east of Santiam Pass, or 12 miles west of Sisters. You will see a sign for "Wilderness Trail heads" near milepost 88. Drive north 3.7 miles on paved Road 12, continue straight on a gravel Road 1230 for 1.5 miles, and then turn left onto Road 1234 climbing 5 steep miles to the trail head, which is located at the primitive Jack Lake campground.
You will need your Annual Northwest Forest Pass, or pay $5 for parking if you don't have one.
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is mid-July for prime wildflower viewing, however this is also the time when the mosquitoes are the worst. August to mid-October is perfect for hiking in this area).
Trail usage: Heavy
Directions: Turn off Hwy 20, 8 miles east of Santiam Pass, or 12 miles west of Sisters. You will see a sign for "Wilderness Trail heads" near milepost 88. Drive north 3.7 miles on paved Road 12, continue straight on a gravel Road 1230 for 1.5 miles, and then turn left onto Road 1234 climbing 5 steep miles to the trail head, which is located at the primitive Jack Lake campground.
You will need your Annual Northwest Forest Pass, or pay $5 for parking if you don't have one.
*All pictures unless otherwise marked 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.