Posts with tag 'Places to See in Central Oregon'

What's in the October 2025 Bend Premier Newsletter?

• Lower Mortgage Rates are Making a Difference
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Get Spooky While Saving: Budget-Friendly Halloween Decor Ideas
• Carl Lake is a Little Known Hike
• 3 Advantages of Buying a Newly Built Home Today

The Hike to Carl Lake is Little Known

Many in Central Oregon know of the hike to Three Fingered Jack via Canyon Meadow. This trailhead to this hike is accessed from Jack Lake which is at the end of Forest Service Road 1234 in the Mt Jefferson Wilderness. Forest Service Road 1234 splits off Forest Service Road 1230 roughly two miles off paved Jack Lake Road. If instead of turning on 1234 to the Jack Lake Trailhead, people wanting a different experience can continue on 1230 for seven miles to reach the Cabot Lake (Carl Lake) trailhead (the last two miles of this road is rough). 

The first mile and a half of this hike is through the recovering burned forest of the B & B complex fire of 2003, but after that, the hike is in old growth forest. Two miles in the trail passes an overgrown and uncleared spur that can take hikers to Cabot Lake, a lovely forest lake. The trail has numerous blueberry bushes and in the fall, interesting mushrooms. After a series of switchbacks climbing a ridge, the trail levels out and passes three small unnamed lakes until at five miles the trail reaches Carl Lake.

Carl Lake is a lovely, deep blue, glaciated, trout filled alpine lake. There are also many camping spots dotted around the lake for those who wish to spend some time enjoying the area. For those wishing more hiking challenges, past the south side of the lake is a trail that goes to Shirley Lake and beyond it, climbs to reach the Pacific Crest Trail. Two tenths of a mile south on the PCT is a spur trail trail west that hikers can use to summit South Cinder Cone. For those who do, the views toward Mt. Jefferson to the north and Three Fingered Jack to the south are truly outstanding. 

Day hikers can enjoy the entire trip from the trailhead up South Cinder Cone and back in 14.28 miles and see very few if any people.

What's in the September 2025 Bend Premier Newsletter?

• It's a Mixed Market for Bend Home Sales
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Why September is the Best Month to Paint Your Home's Exterior
• Jefferson Park Has Had 2 Fires in 8 Years
• What You Need to Know About Concessions

The Obsidian Trail is a Favorite Central Oregon Hike

Before the National Forest Service required passes in 2021 for the most popular Central Oregon hikes, the Obsidian Trail had such a huge demand that trail passes were in place for many years earlier. The Obsidian Trail takes hikers from the trailhead off the seasonal McKenzie Pass Highway 242 up to the Pacific Crest Trail and through an area known for the obsidian rock that covers the ground. Before reaching the rock, hikers pass through wooded forest, climb lava flows, travel by Obsidian Falls and then reach the relatively flat land of the obsidian area.

There is a beautiful view point overlooking the climbing trail which some may take to summit Middle Sister. It is a logical place to stop and enjoy a snack or lunch before proceeding on to an area known as Sunshine which was a place many Pacific Crest Trail hikers or those planning to summit Middle Sister early morning would spend the night. Currently that location is undergoing restoration and not available for camping.

All in all, for those who wish to hike the loop from the Obsidian Trailhead, travel to Sunshine and return via Glacier Way (a side path that joins with the Pacific Crest Trail and avoids Obsidian Falls), the entire trek will cover about 11.5 miles and have over 2100 feet of elevation gain.

Leave the Path to Find Little Seen Tarn Lakes Above Green Lakes

There are hidden treasures in the Three Sisters Wilderness which can be found for those willing to leave the path and follow a compass or GPS to locate them. In particular, there are several beautiful tarn lakes located roughly a half mile off the Green Lakes trail which connects the Green Lakes valley with Park Meadow over the pass between South Sister and Broken Top. There is no path to these lakes, but people good with following a downloaded map can find them. The first four lakes can mirror views of South Sister and their general location can provide views toward Golden Lake as well.

Past the four lakes walking toward Broken Top, hikers can follow a general topography line on a map and find the other two tarn lakes located just below Broken Top. These two lakes can more easily be accessed by following the path next to the creek which flows into Golden Lake. Both of these tarn lakes are located in a cirque bordered by a moraine. On the lower lake, the beautiful blue water was flowing over the top of the moraine forming a waterfall flowing into the creek below in early August 2025. At other times, the water which flows into the creek comes out of a spring at the base of the moraine. At the upper lake, sometimes the voices of people on the top of the ridge overlooking Broken Top's No Name Lake can be heard, although they are not seen due to obstruction from topography and vegetation. 

The more direct route back to the trail is following the path down the creek to Golden Lake and from there, rejoining the Green Lakes Trail. Hikers can either return to Green Lakes over the pass or travel northeast to Park Meadow and from there to the Park Meadow trail head near Three Creeks. This second option will involve hiking through over 4.5 miles of burned forest, however. Both methods can be done in a long day, those coming from Green Lakes hiking over 18 miles and those coming from Park Meadow close to 17 miles. Others could pack in camping supplies and better explore and enjoy the day in the area.