Marion Lake to Marion Mtn.
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Marion Lake is a very popular destination for folks all over Oregon in the summer time. The 3 mile hike to the lake is very easy so most people only do that and then spend the day at the beautiful alpine lake. You can also make this hike a bit more challenging, but going up to Marion Mountain, where you will spectacular 360 degree views! The trailhead begins at the end of Marion Creek Road 2255 which creates a round parking area that can hold roughly 20 cars. Of course you can always park along the gravel road if the parking area is full. This is an extremely popular place to come in the summer, and even early in the season, there were quite a few people there already. |
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The trail starts out heading 2.1 miles through a beautiful large old growth forest. Here the trail is very wide and all you can do is ogle at the giant trees! The first mile is almost flat and then the trail heads uphill just a bit to the meadows of Lake Ann at mile 1.7. The trail next to Lake Ann is rocky, and if you listen closely you can hear the gurgle of water underneath the rocks. This sound is really unique and you should definitely stop and take it in for a moment. |
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.3 miles past Lake Ann, you will come to your first trail junction. If you are hiking all the way up to Marion Mountain, you will encounter a total of 4 trail junctions during your trip. At this trail sign you can decide if you just want to stay and hang out at the lake, if so, take the Marion Lake trail no. 3436 to the left. This will take you along the shoreline of the lake for 1 mile and then it loops back.
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If you are interested in going up to Marion Mountain, stay to the right and take Marion Outlet trail no. 3495. My guide book mentioned that 200 yards after the trail split, there is a little side trail to the right which takes you over to Marion Falls. We found a trail, but I don't think it was the correct one, because it quickly disappeared and we only saw Marion Creek, no falls. Because there is no designated trail, I generally don't recommend tromping through the woods to find the falls (Leave No Trace).
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Half a mile after the Marion Falls detour, you will come to another trail junction. Here Marion Outlet trail heads to the left, loops around and meets up with Marion Lake trail at the lake shore. If you are tired and just want to do the small loop here, you can. If you want to head up to Marion Mountain, continue on to Blue Lake trail no. 3422.
This part of the hike is really cool, because the trail starts to head up a bit more along a rocky hill. Below you can catch a view of Marion Lake and the hills beyond. You will hike along Blue Lake trail for 1 mile until coming to another trail junction. Blue Lake trail continues to the left (if you are backpacking a large loop or want to do some camping in a less crowded area, this is a perfect place to head out to do that). To get to Marion Mountain you will now take Pine Ridge trail no. 3443 to the right.
Now the trail becomes steep, and from this burned ridge trail, you can start to see views of not only Marion Lake, but also Mt. Jefferson. If you are hiking this trail shortly after the 2015 Marion Lake fire, this area will most likely look newly burned and there may still be some trees down from the winter season. The trails down by the lake get cleared, but the trails farther up are less tended to, so be prepared to step over some trees.
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After hiking .6 miles on Pine Ridge trail, you will come to your last trail split. This split is more obvious because Pine Ridge trail continues to the right and you will take the trail sign pointing to the left to Marion Mountain trail no. 3435. From here there are about 9 steep switchbacks leading up another .8 miles to the summit of Marion Mountain.
(Panorama from Marion Mtn. w/ Mt. Jefferson, Marion Lake, and Three Finger Jack)
(Mt. Jefferson)
The top of Marion Mountain is a rocky precipice with 360 degree views spanning the Cascade Mountain range, with close-up views of Mt. Jefferson and Three Finger Jack.
(Three Finger Jack)
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The hike down is spectacular, because you will continue seeing Mt. Jefferson almost the entire way back to Marion Lake. Once you get to the bridge, you can take Marion Outlet trail and walk .7 miles along the Marion Lake shore. From the shore you can see great views of Three Finger Jack. After .7 miles you hook over onto Marion Lake trail for .2 miles and then you're back on the main trail to the car. After hiking that many strenuous miles, the 2.1 miles back to the parking area are grueling and in the summer can get quite hot. |
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(Three Finger Jack from across Marion Lake)
Overall, this hike is amazing, and you can see why this area attracts folks from all over Oregon. If you are with small children, I would suggest just doing the lower 6 mile Marion Lake loop. If you are pretty fit, and are ok climbing over at least ten blowdowns, then I would highly recommend heading up to Marion Mountain. This is a wonderful area, and if you are in the Portland, Salem, Bend or Eugene area, you should definitely come explore!
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 50 minutes (for the 10.75 mile hike) w/ an average pace of 2.2 mph
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is after Labor Day when there are less people, no mosquitoes and the beautiful fall foliage starts to turn red and orange).
Trail usage: Light to moderate (light usage up to Marion Mountain once you pass Marion Lake)
Directions: Drive 66 miles east of Salem on North Santiam Highway 22 (or 16 miles north of the Santiam Y junction). At the "town" of Marion Forks between milepost 66 and 67 turn east onto Marion Creek Road 2255. Drive on this road for 5.4 miles to the parking area at the end of the road.
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 after Labor Day when there are less people, no mosquitoes and the beautiful fall foliage starts to turn red and orange).
Trail usage: Light to moderate (light usage up to Marion Mountain once you pass Marion Lake)
Directions: Drive 66 miles east of Salem on North Santiam Highway 22 (or 16 miles north of the Santiam Y junction). At the "town" of Marion Forks between milepost 66 and 67 turn east onto Marion Creek Road 2255. Drive on this road for 5.4 miles to the parking area at the end of the road.
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.
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