Summit Lake

A beautiful and reflective lake in Mount Hood National Forest.

Lake Name: Summit Lake Lake Coordinates: 45.0316, -121.7883 Lake Elevation: 4179′ Access: Drive up Note: The campground was closed when I went due to COVID-19, but I was able to access the lake from the side of the road.

Location: Near Forest Road 42 in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon, U.S.A.

Administration: Mount Hood National Forest

Ranger District: Clackamas River Ranger District Date Accessed: 6-17-20

The turn off road (FS 141) for Summit Lake was a bit intimidating and deceiving. It was a steep hill and part of it was washed out on one side. It was doable, but I was a bit concerned what the rest of the road was going to be like.

The remainder of the road ended up not being that bad. It had potholes and some good bumps, but nothing I wasn’t used to driving on. The road descended downhill to the lake. It looked like there had recently been some logging in the area and it looked like the lake might not be very pretty.

Where I parked

As I got closer to the laker, there were some very large potholes across the road filled with water. I was pleasantly surprised to see a pretty lake. The campground was right past the lake. It was closed due to COVID-19 so I turned around and went back down the road to the other side of the lake where there was a place I could park on the side of the road.

The lake was only a few feet from the road, so I was easily able to walk right up to the edge. It was tranquil and very quiet. The only thing I heard was the creaking of some trees in the breeze and the occasional bird chirping. The water was so still it reflected the shoreline trees and the sky like a mirror. I took pictures, but then just stood there taking it all in. I saw something floating on the water, but it was far enough away I couldn’t tell what it was.

I didn’t wander into the campground and it didn’t look like there was any sort of trail around the lake, not even an animal path.

Resources

• Forest Service – Campground

How to get there (from Estacada, OR)

Location

Map

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