Erma Bell Lakes
​Hike details:
Mileage: 8.5 mile loop w/ 1,500 ft. elevation gain (just the Erma Bell Lakes Loop)
10.4 mile loop w/ 1,770 ft. elevation gain (if you include the out and back to Taylor Burn cabin)
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 30 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (for the 10.4 mile route)
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Trail usage: Medium
Highest elevation: 5,220 ft. Lowest elevation: 4,460 ft.
General location: 26 miles southwest of Blue River - Three Sisters Wilderness - Willamette National Forest
Accessible: Late May through November
(Best time to go is late May/early June - depending on the snow year - before the mosquitoes come out. Avoid mid-June through July due to horrendous mosquitoes! September, October and November before the snow falls are amazing months to hike here as well).
Permits required: Day trips - Free self issue wilderness permit June 15 - October 15 available at the trailhead
Overnight trips - Central Cascades Wilderness Permit June 15 - October 15 available at recreation.gov
Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs, horses, camping
10.4 mile loop w/ 1,770 ft. elevation gain (if you include the out and back to Taylor Burn cabin)
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 30 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (for the 10.4 mile route)
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Trail usage: Medium
Highest elevation: 5,220 ft. Lowest elevation: 4,460 ft.
General location: 26 miles southwest of Blue River - Three Sisters Wilderness - Willamette National Forest
Accessible: Late May through November
(Best time to go is late May/early June - depending on the snow year - before the mosquitoes come out. Avoid mid-June through July due to horrendous mosquitoes! September, October and November before the snow falls are amazing months to hike here as well).
Permits required: Day trips - Free self issue wilderness permit June 15 - October 15 available at the trailhead
Overnight trips - Central Cascades Wilderness Permit June 15 - October 15 available at recreation.gov
Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs, horses, camping
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Description:The Erma Bell Lakes loop is a wonderful 8.5 or 10.4 mile loop featuring many lakes and waterfalls, perfect for those seeking a quiet day hike or an easy backpacking trip on the west side of the Three Sisters Wilderness.
The trail starts at Skookum campground and right away you will see a sign with a few different hiking trail options. Whichever hike you pick here, you must first hike 0.67 miles until you come to the Otter Lake and Erma Bell Lakes junction. If you take a left here you will have a chance to see Otter Lake and then make another split to Irish Mountain. If you want to do the Erma Bell Lakes loop, continue on trail #3563 to the right. |
(Lower Erma Bell Lake)
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For the next 1.1 miles you will be going slightly uphill through a beautiful lush green second-growth forest until you come to Lower Erma Bell Lake. This lakeshore is rocky and there is no great camping nearby. Frequently you can see bald eagles fishing at this lake.
There is a creek that spills out of Lower Erma Bell Lake and the creek creates a beautiful little waterfall that cascades down over big mossy rocks and logs. You will hear the waterfall and see a small side trail on your right. It's worth checking out. |
(hidden waterfall that comes out of Lower Erma Bell Lake)
Continue down the trail for another 0.25 miles and you will hear another waterfall. There is a creek that connects Lower and Middle Erma Bell Lakes and this waterfall is on that creek. It is named Erma Bell Falls and there is a small but steep trail that goes down to the bottom of it. The waterfall hasn't been surveyed but it is guessed to be about 25 feet tall and has two beautiful drops. Right after the waterfall you will come to another little side trail that takes you to the shoreline of Middle Erma Bell Lake. There are some nice camping options here.
(Erma Bell Falls)
(Middle Erma Bell Lake)
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(Upper Erma Bell Lake)
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From Middle to Upper Erma Bell Lake it is 0.8 miles, and you will have to follow a small path to your right to get to the Upper Lake. This lake is a bit more secluded and further off the trail than the first two. Here the fish are literally jumping out of the water. Fishing is allowed at all of the Erma Bell Lakes with an Oregon fishing license. Upper Erma Bell Lake is absolutely wonderful and its shoreline is very pleasant with plenty of logs to sit on.
Half a mile from Upper Erma Bell Lake, you will see a split in the trail. If you are backpacking you could go to the right on the Judy Lake trail and check out Mud Lake, Edna Lake and the trail ultimately takes you to Taylor Burn Campground, but this will add some mileage to your hike. To continue on the Erma Bell Lakes Loop, stay to your left.
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After another 0.8 miles, you will see another trail junction, where the trail you are on continues straight to Taylor Burn and another trail goes to the left. If you just want to do the 8.5 mile Erma Bell Lakes Loop and you have crossed a creek, you have missed this trail junction. You must go left and within a few feet of stepping foot onto this new trail you will see a sign that says Williams Lake trail #3589. If you want to extend your hike and check out the Taylor Burn cabin, you can continue straight here.
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To check out the Taylor Burn cabin continue uphill for just under half a mile until you come to a forest road junction. The forest road to the left goes to the cabin set in a beautiful open meadow and the forest road to the right goes to Taylor Burn Campground, a very remote but really neat place to camp. After checking out the Taylor Burn cabin and campground area (the campground makes for an excellent place to have lunch because there are picnic tables and pit toilets), you will backtrack to the loop and continue right on the Williams Trail #3589.
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After walking through some very marshy areas (especially in spring during snowmelt it can be easy to lose the trail here because it is sometimes under water), the terrain dries out significantly and becomes very rocky where only lodgepole pines and beargrass seem to want to grow. Within 0.45 mile of the trail junction you will see Williams Lake. This lake is absolutely spectacular and there are many great spots to camp here as well.
(Williams Lake)
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After checking out the glassy waters of Williams Lake, you will make your way up and over a small hill, hiking through sparse lodge pole pine forest for 0.3 miles and then you will come to a creek. During the summer/fall months, this creek should be no problem to cross. During the spring, it can be quite roaring and you might have to use a log farther upstream to cross. If you look downstream, you will actually see another beautiful unnamed waterfall.
From the creek crossing, the trek to Otter Lake is 2.3 miles, mostly through the forest. Otter Lake is also quite stunning with a larger area to camp among big trees that shade the lakeshore. In the spring Otter Lake has hundreds of lily pads that do flower with yellow and white blooms in mid-July. From Otter Lake it is another 1.2 miles back to your car at Skookum Campground. |
(unnamed waterfall)
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(creek crossing in spring)
Whether you are day hiking, camping or doing a little backpacking loop, there is so much to see in this area. There aren't any parts along this hike where there is a steep cliff, where you would have to watch your footing and have to be really careful, which makes this hike very relaxing and perfect for the whole family. Early in the season you might have to deal with a few blowdowns, however this trail does get yearly maintenance.
(Otter Lake)
Directions:
From Eugene
- Drive east on OR-126 for 43.5 miles to Blue River. 5 miles east of Blue River take the Cougar Reservoir turnoff on the right and continue on Aufderheide Rd. 19 for 25.6 miles. After seeing the Box Canyon guard station on the left, turn left onto Rd. 1957 for 3.6 miles to its end at Skookum Campground. (Total of 76.5 miles). Depending on what side of Eugene you are coming from, you can also drive OR-58 31.3 until you see a sign for Westfir. Turn left onto the Westfir-Oakridge Road which eventually becomes Westfir Road. Continue through the town and then continue straight (by the red covered bridge) where Westfir Road becomes Aufderheide Road 19. Drive along Road 19 for 34.4 miles then turn right onto Rd. 1957 for 3.6 miles to its end at Skookum Campground.
- Drive south US-97 for 47 miles to the Crescent Cutoff Road. Take a right and continue on for 12 miles until you merge with Hwy. 58 west for another 39 miles until you see a sign for Westfir. Turn right onto the Westfir-Oakridge Road which eventually becomes Westfir Road. Continue through the town and then continue straight at the red covered bridge where Westfir Road becomes Aufderheide Road 19. Drive along Road 19 for 34.4 miles then turn right onto Rd. 1957 for 3.6 miles to its end at Skookum Campground. (Total of 137 miles).
- It is a total of 138 miles via Eugene.
- It is a total of 183 miles via Eugene.
- It is a total of 229 miles via Eugene.
-This trail write-up was last updated June 2023-
*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*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.