Pansy Lake Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Pansy Lake Trailhead
- End point: Pansy Lake
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Out-and-back
- Distance: 2.4 miles roundtrip"milesroundtrip" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.
- Elevation gain: 500 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: late Spring-early Fall
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: Yes
Contents |
Hike Description
The short trail to Pansy Lake is hands down the best family hike in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness Area. The trail climbs steadily but never steeply a mile to a beautiful lake tucked into a basin below Pansy Mountain and Bull of the Woods. For those with more energy (or more energetic children), you can continue up to the summit of Bull of the Woods, the peak from which the wilderness area derives its name.
The trail begins in an old-growth forest and climbs slowly away from Pansy Creek and out of Pansy Basin. At a trail junction 0.8 mile from the trailhead, keep left on the new routing of the Pansy Lake Trail; going right takes you down the old routing of the trail into Pansy Basin and up steeply to Pansy Lake. The trail passes above a side creek's waterfall shortly afterwards and passes another junction with the Dickey Lake trail before reaching yet another junction near the lake. Going right will take you around the lake to a number of excellent campsites; going straight takes you up to a junction with the Mother Lode Trail and eventually the summit of Bull of the Woods.
While in the area, there is much to do. You can look around the lake on an unmarked but easy (albeit brushy at times) trail. You can also search the area for the old mine shaft built by Robert Bagby in the late 19th Century. You could also return via a loop by heading down into Pansy Basin, though this loop is not recommended unless you are a skilled trailfinder. Dickey Lake is another possibility. As with any hike, be sure to carry adequate maps or a detailed guidebook if you plan on making any such excursion.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
Regulations or Restrictions, etc.
Located in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness Area, all restrictions apply. Northwest Forest Pass required.
Trip Reports
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Related Discussions / Q&A
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Guidebooks that cover this hike
- 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington - Third Edition, by William L. Sullivan
More Links
- For the Mount Hood National Forest info sheet, check out the entry at Trail Advocates.
- There is also a virtual hike entry over at NW Hiker.
Contributors
- Mattisnotfrench (creator)