Revision as of 23:25, 26 August 2020

Duffy Butte and Duffy Lake (Cheryl Hill)

• Start point: Duffy Lake Trailhead
• End point: Duffy Lake
• Trail Log: Trail Log
• Hike Type: Out-and-back
• Distance: 6.8 miles
• High point: 4,800 feet
• Elevation gain: 800 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Seasons: June-November
• Family Friendly: Yes
• Backpackable: Yes
• Crowded: Yes

Hike Description

This easy family-friendly hike accesses a pretty lake in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. The trail is very popular with both hikers and equestrians so it is dusty and you'll want to watch for horse droppings. Come in August or September to avoid the mosquitoes. This hike also describes extensions to Santiam Lake, Mowich Lake, and the Eight Lakes Basin.

After filling out a wilderness permit at the trailhead, set off through the trees. After 0.1mi you'll pass a trail on the left that leads to Big Meadows Horse Camp. As you hike, notice the big Douglas fir and hemlock in this shady forest.

At 1.5 miles you'll pass a junction with the Turpentine Trail on the left. This trail heads north toward Turpentine Peak. You'll stay straight, crossing the North Santiam River at 2.6 miles. By the middle of summer this river is dry so the crossing is easy, but in early summer you may have to wade across.

At 3.1 miles pass the junction with the Lava Lakes Trail on the right, and shortly thereafter at 3.4 miles the official trail makes a hard right and heads off to the right towards Mowich Lake and Santiam Lake (see below). User trails heading straight and to the left head to campsites and Duffy Lake. Duffy Butte - covered in silver snags that are the remnants of the 2003 B&B Complex Fires - towers over the opposite shore. If you hike around to the left to the far west end of the lake you will be able to see Three Fingered Jack.

If you are camping here remember that campfires must be at least 100 feet away from the lake (although by late summer campfires may be banned entirely if conditions are dry enough; be sure to check before your trip). The Forest Service asks that you only camp in designated campsites (although they do not provide a map or tell you how many such sites there are.) Make sure to properly secure your food. Gray jays and golden-mantled ground squirrels are common here and will steal your food. The lake is very popular with both day hikers and backpackers. Help minimize your impact by sticking to established trails and packing out all trash.

You can return the way you came, but this hike can also be extended several ways.

FURTHER EXPLORATIONS

Back on the main trail you will hike along the length of Duffy Lake with side trails on the left leading to more campsites. Cross the lake's outlet, dry in late summer. At the four-mile mark you will reach a junction. If you turn right and hike half a mile to a junction with the Dixie Lakes Trail and another 0.6mi beyond that, you will reach beautiful Santiam Lake.

Alternatively you can turn left on the Blue Lake Trail and head to Mowich Lake. The trail passes through a pretty meadow where asters bloom in late summer. The trail starts climbing, enters part of the burn area, then re-enters the forest. One mile from the junction a side trail on the left heads downhill to the southern end of Mowich Lake. Across the lake at the north end is Red Butte. Much of the forest surrounding this lake burned in 2003, but not all of it. Back on the main trail user trails lead to a few campsites in the trees.

If you wish to keep going you will leave the forest behind and enter the burn again where millions of new trees are growing amongst the snags. 5.9 miles from the trailhead you will reach a junction with the Dixie Lakes Trail on the right. This trail heads towards Santiam Lake. Staying straight on the Blue Lake Trail you will pass tiny Alice Lake at 6.2 miles. If you continue another 0.8mi you will descend 200 feet to the junction with the Bowerman Lake Trail in the Eight Lakes Basin. Staying to the left for another 0.8mi will take you through burned forest above Jorn Lake and up to Blue Lake, which is totally surrounded by burned trees.

If you turn right at the junction you can follow the Bowerman Lake Trail to visit three other lakes in the basin. Right away side trails on your left lead down to the unburned southern shore of Jorn Lake where there are some good campsites. Further along the trail are Bowerman Lake and - half a mile from the junction - Little Bowerman Lake. The trail continues further to meet up with the Minto Pass Trail, but that section is no longer maintained and has a lot of blowdown.

Regardless of your explorations in the area, return the way you came. Backpackers may wish to utilize the other trails in this area to further explore the wilderness.

Fees, Regulations, etc.

• $5 parking fee or Northwest Forest Pass.
• A wilderness self-issue permit (available at trailhead) is required.

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder
• Duffy Lake Trail #3427 (USFS)

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Duffy Lake Hike

• Duffy Lake + surprise Goat sighting 8/21/2020

Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Duffy Lake Hike

Guidebooks that cover this destination

• 101 Hikes in the Majestic Mount Jefferson Region by Matt Reeder
• 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades by William L. Sullivan

More Links

• Duffy Lake Trail #3427 (USFS)

Contributors

• justpeachy (creator)