Tumble Lake Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
| This page is marked as a Closed Hike. Some or all of this hike has been closed by a governing body and hikers may be liable for fines or even arrest. At least part of this route may be dangerous and hard to follow, or it may cross areas with sensitive plant life or wildlife habitat. Trailkeepers of Oregon does not endorse or recommend hiking this route. When restrictions are lifted, this notice will be removed. |
- Start point: Tumble Lake Trailhead
- End point: Tumble Lake
- Hike type: Out and Back
- Distance: 4.0 miles round trip
- Elevation gain: 1100 feet
- High point: 4,490 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: June- November
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Hike Description
NOTICE: Trails in this area were affected by the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire. Please check current closures in the Willamette National Forest before planning an outing.
This quiet and remote lake hidden in a high valley above Detroit Lake is a perfect family day hike or overnight getaway. Rugged prominences rear above Tumble Lake, and its old-growth grove of Alaska yellow-cedar is worth the hike in itself.
From the trailhead, the first few steps of the hike start steeply up a short embankment, but once you clear the ridgeline, it will be a gently rolling easterly walk past an interesting rock pinnacle and a nice viewpoint down to the lake. After about a half mile, you will reach the Tumble Ridge-Tumble Lake Trail Junction. Turn right to head south down into the Tumble Lake basin (going straight leads to Dome Rock). The first downhill portion consists of forested switchbacks, and then a short section of the trail requires some scrambling within a rugged rocky stream bed. You will then traverse cross two steep open meadows which will be in bloom late June through August. As you flatten out into the basin, you will begin seeing the shaggy forest of Alaska yellow-cedar, dripping with lichen. Prolific huckleberry bushes fill the understory. Several shaded campsites are available at the lake edge.
Once you arrive at the lake, continue on a faint user trail south and follow the lake outlet stream to some mossy rock ledges that give the viewpoint of Detroit Lake seen in the photo to the right. Here you will see the water disappearing over the cliff edge to form Tumble Falls.
If you would like to add on the side trip to Dome Rock, hike back to the Tumble Ridge-Tumble Lake Trail Junction and turn south. After half a mile you'll reach the junction with the spur trail to Dome Rock and turn left. After another half mile of climbing you will reach the summit, a former lookout site with 360-degree views. The hike to both Tumble Lake and Dome Rock is a total of 5.3 miles with 1,500 feet elevation gain.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Green Trails Maps: Detroit, OR #556 and Battle Ax, OR #524
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Willamette National Forest: Detroit Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Willamette National Forest
- Pacific Northwest Recreation Map Series: Willamette Cascades
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount Hood
- Adventure Maps: Mount Jefferson, Bull of the Woods & Opal Creek Wilderness Trail Map
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Tumble Lake Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Tumble Lake Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades by William L. Sullivan
- 101 Hikes in the Majestic Mount Jefferson Region by Matt Reeder
- Oregon Hiking by Sean Patrick Hill
More Links
- Tumble Lake Trail #3379 (USFS)
- "Steep backpacking trip rewards at sparkling Tumble Lake near Detroit" (Statesman Journal)
- "Take the easier, backdoor hike to Dome Rock, Tumble Lake above Detroit" (Statesman Journal)
- Dome Rock and Tumble Lake Hike (Share Oregon)
- Hiking into Tumble lake, upper trail head (backyardmeat)
- Tumble Lake Trail (All Trails)
- Tumble Lake (Cascade Ramblings)
- Tumble Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)
Contributors
- CFM (creator)