Updated February 2022
By Yan Bouranis, 2019 & 2021 Three Sisters Loop Hiker
The Three Sisters Loop is a 46-mile loop trail—one of the crown jewels of the Oregon Cascades. This logistically simple loop can be completed in 3-5 days.
Region: Pacific West (Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon)
Length: 46 miles (3-5 days)
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
- 7,000 cumulative feet of elevation gain
- Lots of sun exposure
- Trail rocky with sharp lava rocks
Logistical Difficulty: Easy
- Permits required
- Loop trail with no resupply
- Easy access to trailheads
Season: Summer
Elevation (average): ~6,000 feet
Total Elevation Gain: 7,000 feet
How to Get to the Three Sisters Loop
Nearest City: Sisters, Oregon (15 Miles)
The easiest places to start the Three Sisters Loop is from the Lava Camp Lake Trailhead on McKenzie Pass or from the Devils Lake or Green Lakes trailheads.
The trail can also be accessed from the Pole Creek trailhead and the Tam McArthur Rim trailhead. All trailheads require a Northwest Forest Pass to leave your vehicle. McKenzie Highway (OR 242) and Cascade Lakes Highway are both closed November to July; TripCheck is recommended to check the status of these roads.
Hiking the Three Sisters Loop
The Three Sisters Loop is the crown jewel of the Oregon High Cascades, circumnavigating the Three Sisters volcanoes with stunning views of Broken Top, Mount Washington, and Mount Jefferson. The Three Sisters Loop highlights the geological history of the Cascade Range as well as the modern impacts of climate change on the Pacific Northwest. The Lava Camp Lake trailhead on McKenzie Pass is situated on a 65- square-mile lava flow, more akin to the Moon than Earth. The Dee Wright Observatory is a worthwhile pit stop on the trip, with Mount Washington, Mount Jefferson, and even Mount Hood visible on a clear day.
We opted to hike the loop counterclockwise, leaving from Lava Camp Lake trailhead on the north side as it is easiest to access from the Willamette Valley. Leaving from Lava Camp Lake, take the Pacific Crest Trail southbound as the North Sister towers above you at 10,000 feet, almost double the height of all surrounding peaks. The trail eventually passes through the Obsidian Limited Entry Area, where flecks of glass-like obsidian litter the trail and the surrounding cliffs, eventually passing Obsidian Falls (which is beautiful and tasty!). Camping and departing the PCT in the obsidian zone is prohibited without an Obsidian Limited Entry Permit. Leaving the obsidian zone, the trail weaves in and out of the forest, crossing multiple seasonal streams along the way. Mesa Creek on the west side of South Sister has reliable water and nice campsites.
Continue to follow the PCT to the south side of South Sister onto the Wickiup Plains. At this point, the trail will depart the PCT to head east around Le Conte Crater on Le Conte Crater Trail. This trail will connect to Moraine Lake Trail, which will begin the climb toward Moraine Lake. At Moraine Lake, you can optionally choose to summit South Sister, a non-technical ascent of the third-tallest peak in Oregon. Moraine Lake is also where the South Sister Climber Trail from the Devils Lake trailhead will connect to the loop from the south.
Continue along Moraine Lake Trail until you reach Green Lakes Trail, which will bring you north along the east side of the Sisters. The Green Lakes area on the south side of South Sister is extremely popular for day hikers and campers, so unless you plan on camping early don’t anticipate getting a site. Green Lakes Trail will bring you between South Sister and Broken Top, a deformed relic of the region’s explosive past. The Green Lakes Trail continues north through the burn remnants of the 2012 Pole Creek Fire. Water on the east side of the Sisters is less reliable, with good camping sites and reliable water being found at Alder Creek. North of Alder Creek, head west on the Scott Pass Trail to climb Scott Pass and rejoin the PCT to head north back to McKenzie Pass.
When to Hike the Three Sisters Loop
Summer and early fall are the best times to hike the Three Sisters Loop. Snow is known to linger along the Cascade Crest late into June, making sections of the trail difficult to pass. Summer in Oregon is a magical time of year. Benefiting from the Mediterranean climate, hikers can expect clear skies without having to worry about rain. Being at a relatively high elevation, humidity is low and temperatures stay in the 70s and 80s, making it perfect hiking weather. Early fall can also be a beautiful time of year to visit, but be prepared to deal with more challenging conditions.
In recent years, there has been an uptake of wildfires in Central Oregon, so during late summer hiking views (and air quality) may be obstructed by the smoke. Rain in the valley quickly turns to snow in the Cascades and temperatures at night can dip into the 30s. Cascade Lakes and McKenzie Highways both close upon first snowfall, making accessing the trail difficult. A major benefit of hiking in the early fall is less crowds compared to the summer season.
Three Sisters Loop Terrain
The terrain of the Three Sisters Loop is fairly standard for the High Cascades of Central Oregon, ranging from barren lava rock to more heavily wooded areas. On the west side of the sisters, you can expect the trail to weave in and out of forests, crossing meadows, and old lava rocks and flows. The lava rock, in particular, can be fairly sharp, so it’s good to watch your footing and hiking poles are recommended to help keep balance. On the south side of South Sister, you will cross the Wickiup Plains which, as the name implies, has high amounts of exposure to the sun. The east side of the Sisters is considerably more arid and largely travels through the burn-scar of the Pole Creek Fire. Expect dusty conditions and lots of sun exposure. The trail is well marked and easy to follow.
Logistics: Camping, Permits, Land Management, Water
Camping and Permits: A Central Cascades Wilderness permit is needed between Memorial Day Weekend and November beginning in 2021. Permits for the full season are typically available beginning in early April and then are available 1 week in advance for the rest of the season. Each day, the 1 week advance permits open at 7am. For weekend trips, the permits will usually sell out within the first 5 minutes so be prepared to act quickly. While hiking the trail, you must have a paper copy of the permit on you at all times to present to a ranger if requested.
Camping on the west side of the Sisters along the PCT corridor is dispersed, with no camping allowed in the obsidian zone. In Green Lakes Basin and around Moraine Lake on the south side of the loop, camping is limited to designated locations on a first-come, first-served basis. This area is extremely popular with day hikers and campers so it may be difficult to find a spot on the weekends. Along the east side of Sisters dispersed camping is allowed.
Wilderness Restrictions: The Three Sisters Loop is entirely within the Three Sisters Wilderness, thus wilderness restrictions apply. On top of standard wilderness restrictions, campfires are prohibited above 5,700 feet and fire bans are typically enacted during fire season (July to November). Due to the popularity of the Green Lakes Basin and South Sister area, dogs are required to be on leash July 15 through Sep. 15 within one-eighth of a mile of trails.
Water: While the Mediterranean climate of Oregon makes for lovely hiking conditions, it can present challenges with water. Expect seasonal streams to be flowing early in the season as snow melts off the Sisters, with these sources drying up as the summer goes on. Water is more reliable on the southern end of the loop with Mesa Creek, Moraine Lakes, and Green Lakes all being reliable water sources. Water is less reliable on the north side of the loop; Alder Creek and Soap Creek on the east side and Obsidian Falls on the west side both offer reliable water.
Know Before You Go
Permits: Permits are required through the Central Cascades Permit System. Full season permits go on sale during early April and permits can be purchased daily at 7am for 1 week in advance. Quotas for permits can be found here.
Snow: During years with heavy snowpack (I’m looking at you La Nina) expect snow to linger around the Cascade Crest into July. While this snow certainly won’t be impassable, it can take some of the fun out of things. The Cascades Lakes and McKenzie Highways will be closed until most of the snow has melted making it impossible to access the trailheads on the north and south sides of the loop.
Crowds: Especially during the summer, the Green Lakes area around South Sister can be very busy, making it difficult to obtain a camping site. The permit system aims to alleviate this issue but finding a campsite, especially later in the day or as a group, may be challenging in these areas.
Bonus Adventures
The Three Sisters Wilderness is a playground for adventure-seekers looking to explore all the beauty Central Oregon has to offer. From Green Lakes and Moraine Lakes, hikers can summit South Sister, the third tallest peak in Oregon. This summit is non-technical, but snow is known to linger around the summit through late July.
The last mile to the summit is entirely loose lava rock and sand making for an arduous ascent and a challenging descent. Additionally, there are no water sources above Moraine Lake adding an additional logistical challenge to the summit.
From the Green Lakes Basin, the Broken Top Trail can be followed to No Name Lake beneath the summit of Broken Top. From here, adventurers can either return to Green Lakes the way they came or navigate a ridgewalk to the Tam McArthur Rim. From the Tam McArthur Rim, the Tam McArthur Rim Trail can be followed to Three Creek Lake and from there the Metolius-Windigo Trail will return hikers to the Three Sisters Loop at Park Meadow.
This side trip adds 19 miles and 3,000 feet of elevation gain to the trip, three miles of which are an off-trail ridgewalk.
Resources
Central Cascades Wilderness Permits
Yan Bouranis is based out of Corvallis, Oregon, and is an avid backpacker and hiker. He enjoys spending time in the Central Coast Range of Oregon and the Oregon Cascades, but his favorite area is the Klamath and Siskiyou mountains of Northern California. Beyond spending time outdoors, Yan has a passion for science and health and is currently pursuing a PhD in Nutrition at Oregon State University.
