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Strawberry Lake Loop Hike

From Oregon Hikers Field Guide

Strawberry Lake, Strawberry Mt. Wilderness (bobcat)
Lewis' monkey flower (Erythranthe lewisii) Strawberry Lake (bobcat)
Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum) in the marshes at the south end of Strawberry Lake (bobcat)
The loop around Strawberry Lake (bobcat) Courtesy: Caltopo
  • Start point: Strawberry Basin Trailhead
  • Ending point: Strawberry Lake
  • Hike type: Lollipop loop
  • Distance: 4.1 miles
  • Elevation gain: 590 feet
  • High point: 6,310 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Seasons: Summer into Fall
  • Family Friendly: Yes
  • Backpackable: Yes
  • Crowded: Yes

Contents

Hike Description

The short hike up and around Strawberry Lake is a perfect outing for families. A loop is in order if only to offer great views to the craggy fastnesses to the south. Others may choose a 1.7 mile backpack to set up camp at the south end of the lake and from there explore different destinations in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness as day hikes. For longer hikes, see the Little Strawberry Lake Hike, Strawberry Mountain Hike and Slide Lake Hike.

At the kiosk at the parking area, fill out your wilderness permit, and then hike up the Strawberry Basin Trail #375 in a coniferous woodland carpeted with huckleberry bushes. You'll enter wilderness only about 200 yards from the trailhead. The tread continues up this slope under grand fir, western larch, and ponderosa and lodgepole pine, and then makes a couple of wide switchbacks. About a mile from the trailhead, come to the first Strawberry Basin-Slide Basin Trail Junction and keep right. After traversing along a slope, hike above the remains of the landslide that created Strawberry Lake to keep right again at the second Strawberry Basin-Slide Basin Trail Junction. Next, stay left at the Strawberry Basin-Strawberry Lake Trail North Junction to head along the east shore of Strawberry Lake. Shortly come to another trail junction: go right here to take the trail which hugs the shore. There are a number of popular campsites tucked into the woods here on the left side of the trail. You'll get views across Strawberry Lake to the rocky ridges on its west side: the ridges conceal any vista towards Strawberry Mountain, which lies behind.

At the marshy south shore of Strawberry Lake, arrive at the Strawberry Basin-Strawberry Lake Trail South Junction. Make a right here to follow the tour around the eastern lakeshore, which offers vistas towards the high ridge to the south, including the Rabbit Ears and Indian Spring Butte. The trail crosses the lake outlet, which is actually invisible as the lake water drains under the now vegetated landslide debris, and arrives at the Strawberry Basin-Strawberry Lake Trail North Junction. Here, you can go left to return to the trailhead.


Fees, Regulations, etc.

  • Restrooms at trailhead
  • Fee campground at trailhead
  • Self-issued wilderness permit

Maps

  • Maps: Hike Finder
  • Strawberry Lake Trail #375 (USFS)
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Strawberry Mountain and Monument Rock Wilderness
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management: Southern Blue Mountains
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Malheur National Forest

Trip Reports

Related Discussions / Q&A

Guidebooks that cover this destination

  • 100 Hikes: Eastern Oregon by William L. Sullivan
  • Oregon Favorites: Trails & Tales by William L. Sullivan
  • Atlas of Oregon Wilderness by William L. Sullivan
  • Oregon's Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide by Chandra LeGue
  • Hiking Oregon by Lizann Dunegan
  • Hiking Oregon's Geology by Ellen Morris Bishop
  • Eastern Oregon Wilderness Areas by Donna Ikenberry Aitkenhead
  • Oregon's Wilderness Areas by George Wuerthner
  • Hiking Central Oregon & Beyond by Virginia Meissner
  • Oregon Hiking by Sean Patrick Hill
  • Pacific Northwest Hiking by Scott Leonard & Sean Patrick Hill
  • Canine Oregon by Lizann Dunegan

More Links


Page Contributors

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Oregon Hikers Field Guide is built as a collaborative effort by its user community. While we make every effort to fact-check, information found here should be considered anecdotal. You should cross-check against other references before planning a hike. Trail routing and conditions are subject to change. Please contact us if you notice errors on this page.

Hiking is a potentially risky activity, and the entire risk for users of this field guide is assumed by the user, and in no event shall Trailkeepers of Oregon be liable for any injury or damages suffered as a result of relying on content in this field guide. All content posted on the field guide becomes the property of Trailkeepers of Oregon, and may not be used without permission.