The Camp Lake Trail is a spectacular high-elevation Central Oregon trail that offers a truly memorable horseback experience. This ride will take you through old growth forest, past fractured rock outcroppings, across a glacier-fed creek, and above timberline to a pretty lake surrounded by the Three Sisters.
The close-up views of Middle Sister’s glaciers are a bonus.
The Ride
The ride begins at Pole Creek Trailhead, located about 12 miles southwest of Sisters. You’ll follow the Pole Creek Trail, the Green Lakes Trail, and the Camp Lake Trail to reach Camp Lake.
Most of the ride is moderate, with reasonable elevation gains as the trail travels through the forest. However, as you approach the lake, the trail becomes steep, rocky, and narrow.
About 4.5 miles into the ride you’ll cross the North Fork of Whychus Creek. The creek is fast-flowing, and so filled with glacial silt that you can’t see the bottom. Crossing it is an interesting experience.
As you ride, please send a mental thank-you to the hard-working volunteers who use crosscut saws to clear the fallen trees that block this Wilderness trail.
Learn More
You’ll find more information about the trail to Camp Lake in Riding Central Oregon Horse Trails, by Kim McCarrel, available at www.nwhorsetrails.com.
