Bend, OR: South Sister Loop

Circumnavigate South Sister, a snowy volcanic crater patched with glaciers and old lava fields, as you connect alpine lakes on this 29.9-mile camping loop.

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Trail Facts

  • Distance: 45.6

Waypoints

SSL002

Location: 44.1634140014648, -121.708396911621

Cross log bridge, then turn L @ T

SSL003

Location: 44.1165504455566, -121.704803466797

R @ fork to Green Lakes. Keep quiet?the creek-riddled land ahead in Three Sisters Wilderness is a wildlife haven

SSL004

Location: 44.0822906494141, -121.727798461914

Veer R around S Green Lake, then swing S on Green Lakes Trail

SSL005

Location: 44.0540618896484, -121.740196228027

Turn L @ T and climb to Moraine Lake, fore-
ground for South Sister, 3rd highest Oregon peak at 10,358 ft.

SSL006

Location: 44.0598907470703, -121.764297485352

Stay L, passing two summit trails on R. Tip: Basecamp near here for early, nontechnical summit attempt

SSL007

Location: 44.0599517822266, -121.80899810791

Turn R onto Pacifi c Crest Trail

SSL008

Location: 44.0794906616211, -121.818000793457

Cross icicle-cold Mesa Creek; soak feet in glacier-fed stream

SSL010

Location: 44.1166610717773, -121.80249786377

Keep bushwhacking from small lake SE 1 mi., then merge with trail

SSL011

Location: 44.1191368103027, -121.782295227051

Follow intermittent trail through rocky washout; keep hiking E, then skirt S side of Chambers Lakes

SSL012

Location: 44.133171081543, -121.76000213623

Pass Camp Lake; good camp spot. Go to lake?s NE corner to find trail

SSL001

Location: 44.1831283569336, -121.70539855957

Begin hiking S from parking lot

SSL009

Location: 44.1132011413574, -121.810104370117

From small, pristine lake, bushwhack R, roughly following dry bed of Separation Creek

SSL013

Location: 44.1478576660156, -121.73738861084

Cross silty runoff from Hayden Glacier and end loop @ WPT 2. Turn L; return to trailhead

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