Fourmile Lake Campground, located just east of Mt. McLoughlin on the shore of its namesake lake, offers good horse camping facilities and access to the scenic trails at the south end of the Sky Lakes Wilderness.
If this beautiful area was near the heavily-populated Willamette Valley instead of midway between Klamath Falls and Medford, people would stand in line to experience it.
The Riding
Instead, the Sky Lakes Wilderness offers very nice riding with plenty of solitude. Visitors will enjoy excellent trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail, that lead to a multitude of lakes.
The Badger Lake Trail
The Badger Lake Trail takes you along the shore of Fourmile Lake to Badger Lake and Long Lake, and offers great views of Mt. McLoughlin across Fourmile Lake.
The PCT Loop
The PCT Loop is a beautiful 13.5-mile ride that offers pretty lake views without much elevation change.
The Blue Canyon Loop
The 15.5-mile Blue Canyon Loop is rockier and steeper than the PCT loop, but it passes more lakes and has more views from the ridges it traverses.
The Twin Ponds Trail
The Twin Ponds Trail offers a short but fun 5-mile ride to Summit Lake, Squaw Lake, and Norris and Orris Ponds.
The Rye Spur Trail
The Rye Spur Trail takes you outside the wilderness along Rye Spur ridge to a large rock outcropping that offers expansive views of Klamath Lake and the forest to the south.
There’s plenty of riding at Fourmile Lake to fill a long weekend, so load up your horse and your camping gear, and give it a try!
The Camping
Fourmile Lake Campground has 9 sites for horses (three with corrals, and all allow highlining), plus 20 other campsites for people only. The campground has a vault toilet, potable water from a hand pump, and day-use parking for several trailers.
More Information
Fourmile Lake Campground and its nearby trails are covered in Riding Southern Oregon Horse Trails, by Kim McCarrel, available at www.NWHorseTrails.com. Happy Trails!
