Dome Rock
​via Tumble Creek South Trailhead
​Hike details:
Mileage: 10 miles round trip w/ 3,195 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 20 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Difficult
Trail usage: Low on the Tumble Creek Trail, medium to high from the Tumble Creek Trailhead North
Highest elevation: 4,830 ft. Lowest elevation: 1,575 ft.
General location: 45 miles east of Salem - Willamette National Forest
Accessible: May through mid-December
(Best time to go is during cooler weather since the majority of the trail is burned and exposed and will get very hot).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: No
Trail allows: Dogs, camping
Possible dangers: Risk of falling, hiking through burned areas where branches can fall at any time.
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 20 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Difficult
Trail usage: Low on the Tumble Creek Trail, medium to high from the Tumble Creek Trailhead North
Highest elevation: 4,830 ft. Lowest elevation: 1,575 ft.
General location: 45 miles east of Salem - Willamette National Forest
Accessible: May through mid-December
(Best time to go is during cooler weather since the majority of the trail is burned and exposed and will get very hot).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: No
Trail allows: Dogs, camping
Possible dangers: Risk of falling, hiking through burned areas where branches can fall at any time.
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Description:Dome Rock is a steep hike near the town of Detroit that gives you a great glimpse at the devastation of the Beachie Creek and Lionshead Fires of 2020. If you are looking for a longer hike and/or a place to camp, you can head down to Tumble Lake, where you will see the unique Sitka Spruce trees that grow near the lake. Generally you don't see Sitka Spruce much in Oregon because they prefer more Northern climates such as Northern Canada and Alaska. This is apparently the farthest south you will see these types of trees (some remain alive and standing even after the fire).
The first 0.4 miles of the hike are along an old road along a Tumble Creek and you have to keep your eyes out for the Tumble Ridge Trail that splits off and goes up to your right. It is easy to miss, especially after the fire burned the sign down. Right after getting onto the actual Tumble Ridge Trail, you will go up 5 short switchbacks and then the trail goes through an area that was logged before the fire so the burnt trees are sparse here and you can get beautiful views of Detroit Lake and Mount Jefferson. |
(Mount Jefferson view from the trail before the 2020 fire)
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(Mount Jefferson & Detroit Lake view from the trail post fire)
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At the 1.25 mile mark, the trail starts to switchback again. Now the switchbacks are a lot longer, as you gain 720 feet of elevation in just shy of a mile. Here the trail traverses a short ridge and then the views open up. There are large rock formations to your right, and you can see Detroit Lake below and Mount Washington and the Three Sisters off in the distance to the south.
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(Detroit Lake and the Three Sisters pre fire)
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(Detroit Lake post fire)
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The trail re-enters the now burned forest as you continue to climb uphill. The elevation gain is fairly gradual but constant. At one point you cross an open flat area where there is a possibility for snow to linger early in the season and it can be difficult to follow the trail through the bushes. At the 4 mile mark, you will pop out onto another Tumble Ridge.
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(an example of what the trail looks like post fire)
(pre fire)
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(post fire)
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After 0.6 miles of walking along the ridge you will again enter the forest, keep your eyes out for a sign on a tree on your right that marks the trail split to Dome Rock. This sign is very easy to miss because the plastic sign burned away and the two wooden signs are being consumed by the tree! From the sign it's just another 0.4 miles to the summit. Since the burn, the approach to the summit is rocky and a bit loose and because there are no more living trees, the steep drop offs become very apparent.
Dome Rock stands at 4,858 ft. tall and the 360 degree views from up there are absolutely incredible! You will see Mount Jefferson and Olallie Butte directly to the east, Three Fingered Jack, Mount Washington and the Three Sisters to the south, and you can even see Mount Hood to the north on a clear day. Detroit Lake looks really far down and you can see how much elevation you gained. Directly to the west you can look down to Tumble Lake, Tumble Rock and Elephant Rock. |
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(Dome Rock summit pre fire)
(view of Mount Jefferson from Dome Rock summit pre fire)
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(view of Mount Jefferson from Dome Rock summit post fire)
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(Mount Washington and the Three Sisters from Dome Rock summit pre fire)
(frozen Tumble Lake pre fire)
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(Tumble Lake post fire)
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(cougar tracks in the snow in February)
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If you want to go down to Tumble Lake, continue right on the Tumble Ridge Trail when you come back down from Dome Rock. You will hike along the ridge trail for another 0.5 miles until you come to a sign pointing to Tumble Lake. Tumble Ridge Trail continues less than half a mile to the upper trailhead at Road 2223. Take the Tumble Lake Trail to your left. It will start going steeply downhill. You will traverse some overgrown meadows where the foliage can be up to your shoulders. Be careful here since there can be lots of gopher and ground squirrel holes and it's easy to step in a hole that you can't see and twist an ankle. After the meadows you will enter the woods again and the trail becomes very rocky. At one point you may think that you have lost the trail, but really the trail has just turned into a gully. The gully dead ends at the shore of Tumble Lake. It is a total of 1.5 miles from the trail split down to the lake (with 900 feet of elevation loss).
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(Elephant Rock and Tumble Lake pre fire)
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(Tumble Lake pre fire)
Tumble Lake is absolutely beautiful, at the base of Tumble Rock. It is a shallow but very clear lake, and the shore is a bit swampy with lots of reeds. If you walk along the edge of the lake, you will come to Tumble Falls, where the water from Tumble Lake flows down a large cliff. If you do not want to do this as a day hike, you can camp down here at Tumble Lake, at least you could before the fire, post fire conditions at the lake are unknown at this time.
The hike to Dome Rock is very beautiful and highly recommended to anyone who is up for this type of mileage and elevation gain. You can do a shorter version of this hike if you start up at Road 2223, however this road is steep and has butt-clenchingly steep drop offs (especially now after the fire) and is not recommended to those who are afraid of heights. The longer hike is very rewarding and shows off all of Oregon's beauty from forest to rock formations to insane mountain views! |
Directions:
From Salem
- Drive OR-22 E for 46.2 miles east towards the town of Detroit. Shortly after Mongold Day Use/Detroit Lake State Park, you will find the trailhead on your left. There is room for about 10 cars. (Total of 49.8 miles)
- Drive north on US-97 north for 2.1 miles and then merge onto US-20 west towards Sisters on Hwy. 20 for 21.5 miles, then take a slight right onto OR-22 towards Detroit. Stay on OR-22 for a total of 31.4 miles to the town of Detroit. 2.6 miles past Detroit, find the trailhead on your right. There is room for about 10 cars. (Total of 82.2 miles)
- Drive I-5 north for 39.3 miles then take exit 233 for US-20 toward Albany/Lebanon. Turn left onto US-20 E/Santiam Hwy. SE and after 5.4 miles turn left onto OR-226 E for 6.8 miles and then turn right onto Montgomery Dr. for 2.1 miles then turn left onto Richardson Gap Rd. 2.6 miles. Turn right onto OR-226 for 12.4 miles. In the town of Lyons turn left onto OR-226 E/5th St./Main St. and continue for 1.3 miles and then turn right onto OR-22 E toward Detroit. Stay on this road for 25.2 miles and shortly after Mongold Day Use/Detroit Lake State Park, you will find the trailhead on your left. There is room for about 10 cars. (Total of 97.7 miles)
- Total of 92.5 miles via Salem.
- Total of 261 miles via Eugene.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video. KEEP IN MIND THIS VIDEO WAS MADE BEFORE THE FIRE!
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-This trail write-up was last updated September 2022-
*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.
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