Santiam Sno-Park

Hike details​:

​Mileage: Depends on where you go
Approximate hike time: Depends on where you go
Difficulty: Easy to difficult
Trail usage: Medium on good weather weekends at the sno-park, the further away you get from the sno-park the less people you will see
Highest elevation: Depends on where you go Lowest elevation: The sno-park sits at 4,773 ft.
General location: 20 miles west of Sisters - Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Accessible: This sno-park is open year-round 
(Best time to go is end of December through early April depending on how much snow is on the ground).
Permits required: Sno-park pass November 1 - April 30
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, dogs, camping
Possible dangers: Getting lost because there are no marked trails/routes

(Mount Washington from Santiam Sno-Park)

Description​:

Santiam Sno-Park is one of the few sno-parks in Oregon that doesn't have any marked trails or routes. Because it is located in the B&B fire scar, the landscape is open, so it is fairly easy to navigate and explore your own routes and go wherever you want to. This does mean that if you do decide to snowshoe or cross-country ski here, you should definitely take not only a map and compass, but also some sort of GPS device so that you can track your route and keep tabs on where you are going and how to get back to the car. Another important thing when recreating at Santiam Sno-Park, is to keep your skill level in mind. Because there are no groomed or tamped down trails like at other sno-parks you may have previously been to, your trek will be a lot harder physically than you are used to. Especially if you are snowshoeing (which is a lot slower going than cross-country skiing), unless you are very experienced, you should not go more than 2-3 miles from the car. A 5-6 mile cross-country snowshoe trek, especially in this terrain where there are many little elevation changes, can often take you 5+ hours and during the winter there aren't a lot of daylight hours. 

(climbing up the first hill to the north of the sno-park)

(Three Fingered Jack from the second hill to the north of the sno-park)

From the parking lot at Santiam Sno-Park there are many directions you can go and many awesome destinations. You can head east over to Square Lake, which as the crow flies is 2 miles each way. If you want to keep it short, you can check out the two little hills that are just north of the parking area, both of which have great views. From these kills you can see a ridge to the northeast, this route is approximately 4.5 miles roundtrip. That ridge has an incredible view of Three Fingered Jack, Booth Lake, Green Ridge, Black Butte, Mount Washington, the Three Sisters and Broken Top. This ridge is quite a popular destination for snowshoers and skiers alike, because it's a good length, it offers a challenge with some elevation gain and the views are incredible. 

(on top of a ridge with 360 degree views)

(Booth Lake and Green Ridge)

(view of Black Butte)

(Three Fingered Jack from the ridge)

(view of Highway 20, Hoodoo, Hayrick Butte and Mount Washington)

If you're feeling extremely adventurous, you can head northwest to Craig Lake, which is approximately 5 miles roundtrip, but this route can differ wildly depending on how you are heading there. The most direct route can be a little bit difficult to navigate due to steep side hill terrain, thick stands of young trees that are growing big enough to not get covered by snow during the winter, and then navigating the steep approach up to the lake. This excursion is not for the faint of heart, and you should only do this if you are extremely familiar with the area and are confident in your snowshoeing abilities on steep terrain.  

(Three Fingered Jack)

(steep ascent to Craig Lake)

(Craig Lake in January)

Another short but sweet trek you can do from Santiam Sno-Park is a 2 mile round trip to the west to go see the historic Santiam ski lodge and over to the top of Hogg Rock to get some awesome views.
Santiam Sno-Park has a lot of incredible route options if you feel comfortable snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the backcountry. If you don't feel comfortable going into the backcountry, you can go to Santiam Sno-Park to enjoy the sledding hill with the kids, or just meander up the first hill from the parking lot to enjoy some Central Oregon sunshine and the awesome mountain views.

(Three Fingered Jack)

Directions:

From Bend

• Drive on US-97 north then take exit 135A to merge onto US-20 west toward Sisters for 19.9 miles. At the traffic circle in Sisters, take the 2nd exit and continue on US-20 west for another 20 miles. Then turn right at a sign for Santiam Sno-Park. (Total of 43.1 miles)

From Eugene

• Take OR-126 east toward Springfield. At a traffic light use the two left lanes to turn left, following signs to continue on OR-126 for another 72.6 miles. Shortly after Clear Lake Resort, take a slight right onto US-20 east for 8.5 miles and then turn left at a sign for Santiam Sno-Park. (Total of 85.4 miles)

From Salem

• Take OR-22 east toward Detroit Lake/Bend for a total of 80.2 miles, then take a slight left onto US-20 east for 5.1 miles and then turn left at a sign for Santiam Sno-Park. (Total of 88.9 miles)

From Portland

• Total of 133 miles via Salem.

From Medford

• Total of 217 miles via Bend/Sisters.

​*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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