Scott Mountain Loop
Benson Lake to Hand Lake
Hike Details:
Mileage: 2.6 miles out and back w/ about 350 ft. elevation gain (to Benson Lake) OR 5 miles out and back w/ about 640 ft. elevation gain (to Tenas Lakes) OR 7.7 miles out and back w/ 1,340 ft. elevation gain (up to Mount Scott summit) OR 9.7 mile loop w/ 2,420 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: (up to Mount Scott summit) 3 hours 20 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph OR (the entire 9.7 mile loop) 4 hours 13 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Easy to difficult
Trail usage: High on summer weekends, low to medium on weekdays
General location: 21.7 miles west of Sisters - Willamette National Forest - Mt. Washington Wilderness
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is September, October and early November when the fall colors are beautiful and the mountains have a little bit of snow on them. During the fall there are also no mosquitoes and far less people).
Permits required: Free self issue wilderness permit Memorial Day - Oct. 31 & Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs, horses, camping
Approximate hike time: (up to Mount Scott summit) 3 hours 20 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph OR (the entire 9.7 mile loop) 4 hours 13 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Easy to difficult
Trail usage: High on summer weekends, low to medium on weekdays
General location: 21.7 miles west of Sisters - Willamette National Forest - Mt. Washington Wilderness
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is September, October and early November when the fall colors are beautiful and the mountains have a little bit of snow on them. During the fall there are also no mosquitoes and far less people).
Permits required: Free self issue wilderness permit Memorial Day - Oct. 31 & Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs, horses, camping
(Scott Lake Trailhead)
Description:
The Scott Lake area has a lot to offer, from fishing, kayaking, to horseback riding, hiking and camping/backpacking. The Benson Lake trailhead is the starting point for many hikes, so it is often very busy and filled with cars. The parking area is a little bit awkward, so make sure to not block anyone in when parking here.
From the trailhead you will take Benson Lake Trail #3502 through a beautiful forest. You are entering the Mt. Washington Wilderness here, so you will need to fill out a self-issue wilderness permit at the trailhead if you are hiking between Memorial day and October 31.
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(Benson Lake)
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You will hike a total of 1.3 miles to Benson Lake. Benson Lake is a stunning lake with a large cliff on the northern side and there are some backcountry camping options. After checking out Benson Lake, you will continue uphill for another 1.1 miles until you get to a trail split. If you want to check out Tenas Lakes (highly recommended), take a left for just a quarter of a mile. Tenas Lakes is a series of very small lakes with great views of the Three Sisters. There are some backcountry camping options here as well. This is the perfect place to take your kids on their first backpacking trip.
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(Tenas Lake frozen over)
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To head up to Scott Mountain, continue up the trail just another mile from the Tenas Lakes trail junction and turn left at a sign for Scott Mountain. This is where the trail really starts to gain some elevation. As the trail wraps around the northeast side of the mountain, you may encounter some snow drifts if you are hiking here early in the season (mid-June or even into early July) as this side of the mountain stays shaded. In the 0.6 miles that you climb to the top, you gain a total of 336 ft. of elevation. There are a few small switchbacks, and the last push to the summit is through a beautiful meadow dotted with wildflowers in the summertime.
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(Scott Mountain summit approach)
(McKenzie River valley)
The summit of Scott Mountain is large and open, and you can walk around to see all of the different views. To the west you will see the McKenzie River valley below, to the northeast you will see Mt. Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack and Mt. Washington and the entire landscape in between, which includes Sand Mountain and Hayrick Butte as well as a big lava flow and Black Crater. To the south you will see the Three Sisters so close that you feel like you can reach out and touch them.
(Mt. Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington)
(North Sister, Middle Sister, South Sister)
After enjoying the views up at Scott Mountain, hike the 0.6 miles back down to the trail junction and if you want to hike the loop, take the Scotty Way Trail #4345 to the left. This trail isn't used as much as the trail to Benson and Tenas Lakes and Scott Mountain, but this part of the loop is stunning. In the autumn the small huckleberry bushes turn a beautiful orange and red color which is a stunning contrast to the dark green pine trees. After 1.6 miles on Scotty Way Trail you will come to another trail split. To complete the loop, turn right onto Hand Lake Trail #3513.
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Continue along the Hand Lake Trail, which leads you past a large lava flow. Here the trail definitely becomes more sandy and it is very comfortable to walk on. After 1.9 miles you will see a trail on your left that leads to Hand Lake Shelter. Depending on the previous winter's snowfall, sometimes Hand Lake does dry up if you come here later in the season. (If you are hiking with little ones and want a nice short walk to go see Hand Land and the Shelter, you can start at Hand Lake Trailhead off of Hwy. 242 and it is roughly a 1 mile round trip hike).
(Hand Lake shelter)
(Hand Lake dries up later in the season during some years)
After checking out Hand Lake and Hand Lake Shelter you will continue on the Hand Lake Trail another 1.5 miles back to Scott Lake and the trailhead you parked your car at. This last bit of the hike is pretty flat and easy going, taking you through a sparse forest and some meadows.
Overall, this Scott and Benson Lake area has plenty to offer. Whether you want to horseback ride, see mountain-top views, or do a short backpacking trip in and camp at stunning alpine lakes, you will not be disappointed here. The trails are generally well maintained, especially after mid-July when all of the snow has melted. Keep in mind that after the snow melts, there will be a lot of mosquitoes in this area until about mid-August. If you have the luxury of choosing when you want to do this hike, it is highly recommended that you hike the loop in September or early October. During that time there will be no bugs, less visitors, and the colors of the foliage are incredibly stunning!
(Scott Lake and the Three Sisters)
Directions:
From Bend
- Drive US-97 north and take exit 135A to merge onto US-20 W toward Sisters for 19.4 miles. Turn left onto S Pine St. then at the next block turn right at the 1st cross street onto W Hood Ave. for 0.3 miles. Turn left onto OR-242 W for 20.4 miles. At a sign for Scott Lake turn right onto NF-260 and drive up this narrow rutted road for 0.7 miles to the trailhead at its end. (Total of 44.2 miles)
- Drive on OR-126 E for 6.8 miles, then Use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto OR-126 E/Main St. and continue on this road for a total of 48.4 miles. At a sign for Old McKenzie Scenic Byway turn right onto OR-242 E and take this very narrow and windy road uphill for 15.9 miles. At a sign for Scott Lake turn left onto NF-260 and drive up this narrow rutted road for 0.7 miles to the trailhead at its end. (Total of 73.8 miles)
- Drive on OR-22 E for 80 miles, then turn right toward US-20 W and then stay right for 3.1 miles. Turn left onto OR-126 E for 19.8 miles, and at a sign for Old McKenzie Scenic Byway turn left onto OR-242 E and take this very narrow and windy road uphill for 15.9 miles. At a sign for Scott Lake turn left onto NF-260 and drive up this narrow rutted road for 0.7 miles to the trailhead at its end. (Total of 123 miles)
- It is a total of 166 miles via Salem.
- It is a total of 237 miles via Eugene.
*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.
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.