Set between the volcanoes of South Sister and Broken Top, the Green Lakes are one of the Oregon Cascades most beautiful chains of mountain lakes. Reached via a moderate trail, the lakes themselves are a fairly easy day hike. When I visited this region in July of 2022, this hike to the Green Lakes and then looping back through the Three Sisters Wilderness was one that I had circled for quite a while!
Miles/Elevation:
13.1 miles
1,656 feet vertical gain
About Deschutes National Forest:
Stretching through large parts of the Oregon Cascade Mountains, Deschutes National Forest includes 1.8 millions acres of land on the range’s east side. Established in 1908, Deschutes now receives upward of 3 million visitors per year.
Visitors now come to Deschutes to experience its world class outdoor recreation. Deschutes includes 5 wilderness areas, and along with the hundreds of miles of hiking trails, this place is an amazing place to hike or backpack. Deschutes includes a number of peaks that are classic mountaineering goals, and skiing and snowboarding are hugely popular in winter.
In part due to the popularity of this area, some trailheads and wilderness areas require permits to use and access, even for day hikes. This is true for this hike, but there are also many others around the forest that require them as well. Check the official NFS page for more information.
Getting To The Trailhead:
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The closest city to the trailhead is Bend, Oregon, which is reached easiest via Highway 97 or Highway 20. In Bend, take SW Century Drive southwest out of the city. This will eventually turn into the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway.
Continue on the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway for about 30 miles as you pass Mt Bachelor. Roughly 30 miles outside of Bend, you will reach the trailhead. It is called the Green Lakes Trailhead, and is located right off the side of the highway. There is a paved parking lot just off the road.
Day use permits are required here during peak season.
Tips:
- Be ready for snow into July.
- Day use permits are required during peak season.
- It doesn’t really matter which direction you hike. I went clockwise, but I could see an argument for either way.
The Green Lakes Loop:
To The Green Lakes:
Since this is a loop hike, you do have a choice of which way you start with. I decided to take the Green Lakes Trail #17 to the Green Lakes to start with. This is the shortest route to reach the lakes themselves, and I figured why not get there quick!
This trail follows Fall Creek on its way to the lakes, and while this area is very wooded, the hiking is very good. Fall Creek has a series of cascading waterfalls spread out over the course of the first few miles of the hike. While none of these waterfalls are massive, they are all scenic and make the hiking interesting!
Right near the trailhead, you’ll cross a bridge over Fall Creek, and from there the climbing begins. There really isn’t that much climbing anywhere on this trail, and where there is climbing it’s not that steep. However, from the trailhead to the Green Lakes there is about 1,100 feet of vertical gain, plus another 500 or so feet later on in the day.
The ascending is very gradual throughout, and that 1,100 feet to the lakes occurs over about 4.5 miles. You’ll never be overly stressed on the climbs! The trail quality is also very nice as well, with wide packed dirt paths. This all combines for some very quick progress.
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As you near the lakes, the views will begin to open up. The highlight of this hike are the clear looks at South Sister, the largest volcano in the region. And while the best views of South Sister come at the lakes, you will get some pretty nice looks as you begin the final approach!
Once you’ve crested the final climb before the lakes, you will have a large open, somewhat barren, area laid out in front of you. There are a series of use trails crisscrossing this area, but continue straight to reach the main Green Lake.
The best vantage point of the lake is on a small peninsula protruding out into the main body of the lake. On the left, South Sister absolutely dominates the skyline, rising 4,000 feet above your head. The volcano was still largely snow covered in mid-July. Come later in the summer though and you’ll see a much drier mountain!
This is bear country so make sure you’re bear safe!
On the right, Broken Top and it’s complicated, shattered, summit rises high above. I had hiked to No Name Lake the day prior which has some incredible views of Broken Top, so for me the highlight was South Sister! It’s pretty sweet sitting right between these two iconic peaks though!
The Broken Top Trail #10:
After enjoying the view and having breakfast at the Green Lakes, I set out to finish the loop. I still had around 9 miles left to hike, so the day was far from over!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when you’re hiking!
I backtracked to the crest of the climb above the lakes, and then turned left onto the Broken Top Trail #10. I quickly passed another of the Green Lakes, this one very small, and then headed into the trees.
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Very quickly I was encountering snow. This leg of the loop is the highest elevation, so it holds onto snow longer than the other parts of the loop. Add on to that the shade from the trees and there was still feet of snow in places. It was annoying to have to walk over and through the large snow patches, but it didn’t really impede my progress too much. Just led to some damp shoes!
Make sure you check out nearby No Name Lake!
The best part of this leg of the hike, and one of the reasons this hike is awesome, are the panoramic views you’ll be treated to up here. This isn’t a hike where there’s lots of uneventful walking, then a nice lake, then lots of uneventful walking. There are tons of spots where you’ll have window-like views of Mt Bachelor, and in spots, you can even see way out in the distance to the volcanoes to the south!
The Soda Creek Trail #11:
Eventually after beginning to descend, you will reach an intersection. The Broken Top Trail continues straight, but you’ll need to take a right to continue on the Soda Creek Trail #11 to head back towards the trailhead. After a few creek crossings, take another right to stay on the Soda Creek Trail once again.
From here, you will begin the final large descent down to Soda Creek which then runs back towards the trailhead. The views at the top of the descent are still awesome as you look over the Oregon Cascades, but the most noteworthy thing on this descent are the flowers.
The hillside you’ll be hiking through is covered in grassy meadows, and when I hiked here in July, the flowers were in bloom! The smell in the air was sweet, and the buzzing of bees and other pollinators was abundant! Add in some great views and it was a wonderful descent!
At the bottom, you’ll reenter the forest and cross Crater Creek. There are a number of creek crossings on this loop, but this one is by far the most interesting. There was a small bridge built over it with dead logs and branches, but it’s pretty sketchy. As I crossed, one of the logs I was standing on rolled, and my right foot slid off and went into the creek.
Luckily for me, the bridge was only a foot or so above the water and the creek was only a foot or so deep, otherwise it could have been a very nasty spill! I was left with a wet right foot, but honestly I would just walk through the creek and get both feet wet if I were to redo it. A slip like that is dangerous, and I was lucky that nothing was hurt and the creek was so shallow.
You will then hike past a large open meadow down in the valley. This meadow was also beautiful, but the trail skirts the side of it rather than passing through it. Beyond the meadow, you’re back in the forest all the way to the trailhead. The final mile and a half is uneventful and flat, and before you know it you’ll be back at the parking lot!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 9/10
This hike may never be truly spectacular, but it’s really good from start to finish. Sure the first few miles are through the woods with little for views, but there are tons of waterfalls in those first few miles. Maybe there is no insane wow moment, but the lakes are beautiful, there are great views of South Sister, Broken Top, and Mt Bachelor, and it’s just consistently pretty. This is a really good hike top to bottom!
Pros:
- Great views
- Waterfalls
- Excellent trail quality
Cons:
- Some stretches of boring hiking
- Lots of water crossings
Alternative Hikes:
When To Hike The Green Lakes Loop:
The hardest limit on hiking in the Cascades is snow. This mountain range receives massive quantities of snow each winter, and this snow limits the hiking season at high elevations. If you are ok with snowshoes, microspikes, crampons, or other snow gear, you can go pretty much whenever you want!
If you prefer not to hike in the snow, then the season is roughly July through September. Expect at least some trace remains of snow through the first half of July, and be ready for early snowstorms in September. The absolute ideal time to hike here would probably be late August to avoid snow, but for the greatest wildflower blooms, July would be best.
Links For Further Reading:
Green Lakes and Soda Creek Loop | Map, Guide – Oregon | AllTrails
Deschutes National Forest – Green Lakes/Soda Creek Trailhead
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