Frog Lake Buttes Loop Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Frog Lake Day-use Trailhead
or
- Start point: Frog Lake Trailhead
- End Point: Frog Lake Buttes
- Trail Log:
- Hike Type: Loop
- Distance: 7.4 miles
- Elevation gain: 1,745 feet
- High Point: 5,294 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Summer into Fall
- Family Friendly: Yes, for older kids
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: Around Frog Lake and Lower Twin Lake
Contents |
Description
This very popular summer hike and backpack becomes a big ski/snowshoe outing in the winter. Thus, on weekends at almost any time of the year, don't expect solitude! That said, you'll be hiking through old growth montane forest to a pair of mountain lakes that are backlit by the snowy peak of Mount Hood. The area is part of the 2009-designated Mt. Hood National Recreation Area, which makes it close to an official wilderness except that mountain bikes are permitted on the trails. If you don't want to do the double loop around both lakes, it's only a four-mile round trip to Lower Twin Lake, and you can add another mile to hike around it.
Lodgepole pine, cedar, hemlock, silver fir and Douglas-fir ring Frog Lake, whose shore is rimmed by willow and huckleberry. There’s a magnificent view of Mount Hood from the south end of the lake. Take the use trail on the east side of the lake. At the end of Frog Lake, there’s a campfire circle; from here, head left to the campground loop. Go right on the road and pick up the trailhead for the Frog Lake Trail #530 opposite the restrooms after Campsite #24. Head up and cross FR 2610 (For those not having a Northwest Forest Pass, there's a parking pullout 20 yards to the left of this crossing). This is Douglas-fir, silver fir, hemlock woodland with mountain hemlock appearing a little higher up. Enter a clearcut with a great view of Mount Jefferson to the south. Chinquapin, bear-grass and huckleberries dominate here. Keep rising, and then traverse as the trail runs below a road, the FR 220 spur, which leads to the top of Frog Lake Buttes. The trail heads up in silver fir/ mountain hemlock forest with lots of huckleberries. At the ridgetop, come to the Frog Lake Buttes-Frog Lake Trail Junction.
Turn right here, and head up on three lazy switchbacks; then wind up under larger silver firs. Make a fairly level traverse up to an old road track. Here, go right into an open area of lupine and huckleberry. Originally, this area had been clearcut, but now young noble fir, silver fir and mountain hemlock are growing to about 20’. There’s a Cingular tower at the Frog Lake Buttes summit and only a partial view of Mount Hood through the trees.
Head back down to the Frog Lake Buttes-Frog Lake Trail Junction, and keep straight for Lower Twin Lake. The trail drops down the side of a ridge through a dense undergrowth of huckleberry bushes. Silver fir, mountain hemlock, Douglas-fir and some western white pine form the canopy. Gradually descend and then hike on the level among silver fir, noble fir and Douglas-fir. Reach the Frog Lake Buttes-Lower Twin Lake Trail Junction, at the shore of Lower Twin Lake and go right. Come to a large campsite at the end of the lake. Find the trail heading up to the Twin Lakes (Barlow)-Lower Twin Lake Trail Junction
Go left at the junction, hiking up the side of a ridge following blue diamonds on trees. Pass a large large noble fir and reach the ridge and the Pacific Crest-Twin Lakes Trail Junction. Traverse down and switchback at a large hemlock. Come to a junction where the sign is missing and go left. You can see the Frog Lake Sno-Park through the trees on the right. Cross the paved road leading to the campground: the trail runs between this road and Highway 26. Pass through a clearing and then drop to the campground road and go right. Keep to the lower, paved road and go right for the Frog Lake day-use area.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Northwest Forest Pass required at Frog Lake Day-use Trailhead or Frog Lake Sno-Park
- Restrooms and picnic tables at these two trailheads
Maps
- Green Trails Maps: Mt. Wilson, OR #494
- Discover Your Northwest: Mt. Hood National Forest North: Trail Map & Hiking Guide
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Hood River Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Hood National Forest
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount Hood
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Frog Lake Buttes Loop Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Frog Lake Buttes Loop Hike
- Twin Lakes Snowshoe 4/4
Guidebooks that cover this destination
- 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland by Paul Gerald
- Afoot & Afield: Portland/Vancouver by Douglas Lorain
- Portland Hikes by Art Bernstein & Andrew Jackman
- Oregon: The Creaky Knees Guide by Seabury Blair, Jr.
- 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington by William L. Sullivan
- One Night Wilderness: Portland by Douglas Lorain
- 70 Hiking Trails: Northern Oregon Cascades by Don & Roberta Lowe
- 62 Hiking Trails: Northern Oregon Cascades by Don & Roberta Lowe
- 100 Oregon Hiking Trails by Don & Roberta Lowe
- Oregon Hiking by Sean Patrick Hill
- Day and Section Hikes: Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon by Paul Gerald
- Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon & Washington by Jeffrey P. Schaffer & Andy Selters
- Snowshoe Routes - Oregon by Shea Anderson
- Pacific Northwest Hiking by Scott Leonard & Megan McMorris
More Links
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)