Multi-Lake Hike in Olallie Lake Scenic Area
A hike to multiple lakes from Lower Lake Campground in Olallie Lake Scenic Area.
Access: Trail
Distance: 5.05 miles (round trip)
Elevation Range: 4725' to 5102'
Ascent/Descent: +700 ft/-704 ft
Trail Type: In and out
Outing Type: Day hike
Permits/Fees: None
Notes: The Olallie Lake Scenic Area was heavily effected by the 2020 fires. This hike includes sections of extensively burnt forest.
Location: In Olallie Lake Scenic Area in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon, U.S.A.
Administration: Mount Hood National Forest
Ranger District: Clackamas River Ranger District
Area: Olallie Lake Scenic Area
Date Accessed: August 20, 2024
Lakes (with mileage from Lower Lake Trailhead)
Lower Lake @ mile 0.3
Middle Lake @ mile 1.2
Lake 44.8199, -121.8179 @ mile 1.4
Lake 44.8188, -121.8238Â @ mile 1.85
Fork Lake @ mile 2.1
Sheep Lake @ mile 2.3
Wall Lake @ mile 2.55
We started our hike around 2 pm in the afternoon after exploring more of the Olallie Lake Scenic Area by car. I decided to do an in-and-out hike instead of trying to create a loop. The trail initially went uphill very briefly and then descended downhill to Lower Lake. The area was extensively burned, but the trail was easy to see and follow.
Lake Name: Lower Lake
Lake Coordinates: 44.8257, -121.8057
Lake Elevation: 4750'
Fire Damage: Extensive
Lower Lake was really beautiful. The water had a turquoise hue and was quite large. The trail travels down the east side of the lake, with huckleberry bushes and burnt trees lining it. The trail was a bit eroded on and off due to the fire, but it was easy to follow and safely traverse (in my opinion). We came across the only other two people we saw on our hike in this section, an older couple picking some huckleberries along the trail. The trail passed by what used to be a campsite, which had lots of burned trees around it. We followed the trail as it led away from the lake and came to a trail intersection.
We took the Lodgepole Trail #706 to the southwest (right). There were lots of huckleberries around. The trail started to ascend uphill and went into an extensively burned section. We were able to follow the trail, but occasionally, it was a bit hard to make out. We looked for the trail leading off to Gifford Lake, but it wasn't visible. It appears it would require bushwhacking to get to it, and I decided I just wanted to take it easy, so we continued down the Lodgepole Trail.
Lake Name: Middle Lake
Lake Coordinates: 44.8207, -121.8143
Lake Elevation: 5072'
Fire Damage: Mixed - moderate to extensive
After following the trail that continued to ascend in elevation, we came to the next lake, Middle Lake. There were actually some green trees along it; it was a mix of burned and unburned areas, with the trail in both directions passing through heavily burned areas. I really liked the shape of this lake; I almost wanted to try swimming in it but decided not to.
Lake Name: Lake 44.8199, -121.8179
Lake Coordinates: 44.8199, -121.8179
Lake Elevation: 5115'
Fire Damage: Extensive
The trail continued through a burned forest, and we came across an unnamed body of water (Lake 44.8199, -121.8179). It was meadowy with tall grass and water. This lake appeared as though it might be seasonal, and it doesn't always show up on different maps. It was a nice little oasis from all the burnt forest surrounding it.
Lake Name: Lake 44.8188, -121.8238
Lake Coordinates: 44.8188, -121.8238
Lake Elevation: 4919'
Fire Damage: None
The trail started to descend gradually and then descended more rapidly down a rocky path. We entered an unburnt forest. Once the trail leveled out, we soon came across another unnamed lake. There were more clouds in the sky that were moving rapidly. It was starting to get a bit windier. This lake had a pond/watering hole type of feel to it; it was on the smaller side.
Lake Name: Fork Lake
Lake Coordinates: 44.8177, -121.8269
Lake Elevation: 4915'
Fire Damage: Nominal
We soon came to another trail intersection, and we took the Red Lake Trail #719 to the west. The forest was still mostly unburned. Very shortly after the intersection, we came across Fork Lake. The lake was visible through the trees along the trail, and I took a short spur trail to the shore of the lake. I liked this lake because there was a rock towards the center of it just barely above the water. It was a mid-sized lake. There was even a cute little sign with the lake's name on it along the trail.
Lake Name: Sheep Lake
Lake Coordinates: 44.8184, -121.8311
Lake Elevation: 4864'
Fire Damage: Mixed - mostly unburnt, with some extensively burnt sections towards the southwest side of the lake.
The trail gradually descended and was flat through this section. The forest was mostly not burnt. At Sheep Lake, I took a spur trail to the lake's edge. It was a decent-sized lake with a mix of unburnt and burnt forest. In one picture I took, you could see a line between the burnt and unburnt areas. On the west side of the lake, there appeared to potentially be some campsites. I didn't go explore to see for sure, though.
While hiking past Sheep Lake, we passed the trail turnoff to Potato Butte; the trail was obvious. I'll have to come back another time to climb the peak. My knee was really bothering me, so I decided not to do it today.
Lake Name: Wall Lake
Lake Coordinates: 44.8177, -121.8348
Lake Elevation: 4833'
Note: Some maps show this lake's name is "Wolf." I'm calling it Wall since the Forest Service maps shows it under that name.
Fire Damage: Mixed - half and half burnt/unburnt.
The trail started to descend after passing Sheep Lake. There were some downed trees across the trail that we were easily able to navigate. The forest was burnt leading up to Wall Lake, but it had lots of green underbrush and some green trees. We bushwhacked to the lake's edge to take pictures on the east side of the lake. This lake once again had a mixture of burnt and unburnt forest surrounding it. We decided to turn around at this point and hiked back out the way we came in. We ended up taking it slow due to my knee injury from a previous outing this summer. It was a pretty hike, the wind was picking up as we hiked out, and we continued to munch on huckleberries along the trail.
I was pleasantly surprised by the visibility of the trail and the fact that there were some unburned sections we got to hike through. I definitely want to come back and explore more of the area. There are different risks when hiking through a burnt forest. I actually enjoy exploring a variety of forests, even those that have been burnt. It's cool to see the traces of life popping through and finding the beauty within it. The hike was a nice end to my birthday, and I was excited to have a yummy meal when we got home.
Coordinates
Trailhead: 44.82344, -121.79813
Lower Lake: 44.8257, -121.8057
Middle Lake: 44.8207, -121.8143
Lake 44.8199, -121.81793: 44.8199, -121.8179
Lake 44.8188, -121.8238: 44.8188, -121.8238
Fork Lake: 44.8177, -121.8269
Sheep Lake: 44.8184, -121.8311
Red Lake Trail #719 intersection & Potato Butte Trail #718 intersection:
Wall Lake: 44.8177, -121.8348
Resources
How to get there (from Estacada, OR)
Location
Map
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