Maxwell Sno-Park
​Maxwell Loop to Mountain View & South Maxwell Shelter
​Hike details:
Mileage: 7.3 mile loop w/ 1,130 ft. elevation gain (the entire loop)
3.8 miles round trip w/ 700 ft. elevation gain (out and back to Mountain View Shelter)
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 3 minutes w/ an average pace of 1.8 mph (the entire loop)
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail usage: Low on weekdays, medium to high on sunny weekends
Highest elevation: 4,355 ft. Lowest elevation: 3,670 ft.
General location: 29 miles west of Sisters off of highway OR-22 - Willamette National Forest - Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Accessible: Year-round
(The sno-park trails are accessible for winter recreation as soon as about 2 feet of snow have accumulated usually end of December. This sno-park usually melts out around end of March).
Permits required: Sno-park pass is required from November 1 - April 30
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs on leash only, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, overnight stay in shelters (first come first served)
Possible dangers: N/A
3.8 miles round trip w/ 700 ft. elevation gain (out and back to Mountain View Shelter)
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 3 minutes w/ an average pace of 1.8 mph (the entire loop)
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail usage: Low on weekdays, medium to high on sunny weekends
Highest elevation: 4,355 ft. Lowest elevation: 3,670 ft.
General location: 29 miles west of Sisters off of highway OR-22 - Willamette National Forest - Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Accessible: Year-round
(The sno-park trails are accessible for winter recreation as soon as about 2 feet of snow have accumulated usually end of December. This sno-park usually melts out around end of March).
Permits required: Sno-park pass is required from November 1 - April 30
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs on leash only, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, overnight stay in shelters (first come first served)
Possible dangers: N/A
(map of the entire Maxwell Sno Park - click to enlarge)
Description:
Maxwell Sno-Park is a wonderful sno-park located between Sisters and Detroit that has many easy and moderate trails. At Maxwell Sno-Park you will find many different loops that you can snowshoe or cross-country ski and there is also Big Springs Sno-Park across the highway if you want even more trails to choose from. The main highlight of this sno-park is Mountain View Shelter which is a large 4-sided shelter where you can spend the night. It is stocked with fire wood, there is a nice wood stove inside and there is even an outhouse nearby.
(Oregon sno-park permit)
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One of the most scenic loops at Maxwell Sno-Park is a moderate level 7.3 mile loop that takes you up to two shelters, the Mountain View Shelter and the South Maxwell Shelter.
Maxwell Sno-Park has a very spacious, plowed parking area with a pit toilet. From the parking lot you will take the Flat Loop Trail to the north for 0.8 easy miles to a junction. The junctions are usually marked with blue signs and/or maps. Unfortunately, if the snow isn't very deep, the maps will be too high up to read. It is important to have a map of your own as well as a GPS track with you when you go. At the 3-way junction, go right for just 0.1 miles, then at a Y junction take the Mountain View Loop trail for 1.34 uphill miles to the Mountain View Shelter. |
(view of North Sister through the trees)
The Mountain View Shelter sits up on a flat area where before the trees grew in, you had amazing views of the Three Sisters and Mount Washington. Now you can just catch glimpses of the mountains through the trees to the south. To the northeast you will get a great view of Duffy Butte.
(view of Duffy Butte from Mountain View Shelter)
(Mountain View Shelter)
Mountain View Shelter is a spacious, fully enclosed shelter with lots of windows and a big wood stove. The shelter is usually stocked with fire wood, although if you are going late in the season, it is best to bring your own just in case the supply at the shelter has run out. The shelter can sleep about 15 people and there is even an outhouse close by for convenience.
(the inside of Mountain View Shelter)
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From Mountain View Shelter, you will take the wide road straight ahead to a gate and there you will take a right on the Cutoff Trail for a total of 1.6 miles to another signed junction. Continue straight through this junction and now you are on the Maxwell Loop Trail. This trail takes you up and down some small hills and through a beautiful forest for 0.7 miles, until you reach the South Maxwell Shelter. This is a mostly enclosed shelter with two small windows. The door is a leather flap that you can roll open or keep closed. After enjoying the shelter, please always pull the leather flap closed so that snow doesn't blow into the shelter. The South Maxwell Shelter isn't very spacious and is more of just a warming hut rather than an overnight hut and it also has an awesome wood stove.
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(South Maxwell Shelter)
The view from South Maxwell Shelter is open and you can see the hills of the old Cascade crest to the southwest. Because the shelter faces south, on a sunny day this little area warms up quite nicely and you can sit on wooden stumps outside and soak up some winter sun during your lunch break. After visiting the South Maxwell Shelter, continue on the Maxwell Loop Trail for another easy 2.5, mostly downhill miles through the woods back to the Maxwell Sno-Park parking area.
(the inside of South Maxwell Shelter)
Even though it is fairly long for a snowshoe trek, this loop is relatively easy. There are a few elevation changes and you do have to pay attention to navigation because there are so many junctions, it is easy to take the wrong trail on accident. This loop is definitely a great intermediate snowshoe trail with some awesome views and a beautiful forest with the possibility of a winter overnight if you choose to do so. Because this is one of the lower elevation sno-parks, it is recommended to do this one in January/early February when there is generally the most snow in Oregon. If you want to go up to Mountain View Shelter but don't want to commit to the entire loop, it would be an easy 3.8 mile out and back with 700 feet of elevation gain.
(the view of the old Cascade crest from South Maxwell Shelter)
Directions:
From Bend
- Drive on US-97 north and take exit 135A to merge onto US-20 west towards Sisters for 20 miles. In the town of Sisters at the roundabout take the 2nd exit and stay on US-20 west for another 25.1 miles. Take a slight right onto OR-22 west towards Detroit for 2.8 miles and then turn Turn right onto NF-080 at a sign for Maxwell Sno-Park. (Total of 51 miles)
- Take on OR-22 east towards Detroit Lake/Bend for a total of 77.4 miles then turn left onto NF-080 at a sign for Maxwell Sno-Park. (Total of 81 miles)
- Take OR-126 east for 6.8 miles, at a traffic light use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto OR-126 E/Main St. and continue on OR-126 for 68.2 miles. Shortly after Clear Lake Resort take a slight right and merge onto US-20 east for 3.1 miles then turn left onto OR-22 west towards Detroit for a total of 2.6 miles. Turn right onto NF-080 at a sign for Maxwell Sno-Park. (Total of 83 miles)
- Drive I-5 south towards Salem for 45.3 miles, then take exit 253 for OR-22 east toward Detroit Lake/Bend. Take OR-22 east for 77.4 miles then turn left onto NF-080 at a sign for Maxwell Sno-Park. (Total of 124 miles)
- Drive on I-5 north for 170 miles to Eugene. Take exit 194A to merge onto OR-126 east toward Springfield for about 6.6 miles. At a traffic light use the two left lanes to turn left and continue on OR-126 for 72.6 miles. Shortly after Clear Lake Resort, take a slight right onto US-20 east for 3.1 miles and then turn left onto OR-22 west for 2.6 miles towards Detroit, then turn right onto NF-080 at a sign for Maxwell Sno-Park. (Total of 246 miles)
-This trail write-up was last updated January, 2023-
*All pictures unless otherwise marked are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*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.