Sky Lakes Hiking
On A Klamath Vacation

The best time for Sky Lakes hiking on one of the Wilderness Trails is in late June after the snow has melted. The hiking season ends with the snow storms in October. The least crowded time to go is during the weekdays, and on the weekends the trails can get busier. On holiday weekends it can get crowded.

The weather can be unpredictable at times. The temperature range is between the 40’s and 50’s at night to the 80’s in the day. Mosquitoes are thick until August but are not much of a problem the rest of the hiking season. There can be an occasional thunderstorm and it has been known to snow every month of the year.

The lakes are stocked with fish every year with Brook Trout, Lake Trout, and Rainbow Trout. Northwest Trail Passes are not required on any of the trail heads except Mt. McLoughlin and it costs $5 for a day pass. Campfire permits are not required, however, in fire season no campfires are allowed. Check with the Winema National Forest Service before going on your hike.

Trail	Length	Difficulty	Season	Elevation
Badger Lake	5.2 miles	Easy	June-October	5750-6000'
Cherry Creek	5.3 miles	Strenuous	June-October	4600-6000'
Cold Springs	2.7 miles	Easy	June-October	5840-6000'
Divide	2.9 miles	More Difficult	July-October	6000-6600'
Donna Lake	0.8 miles	Easy	July-October	5960-6000'
Isherwood	1.4 miles	Easy	June-October	6000-6040'
Mt. McLoughlin	5.5 miles	Very Strenuous	July-September	5600-9495'
Nannie Creek	4.3 miles	Moderate	June-October	6000-6200'
Pacific Crest	37.5 miles	Difficult	July-October	5000-7500'
Sevenmile	3.5 miles	Moderate	July-October	5600-5800'
Sky Lakes	6.8 miles	Moderate	June-October	5900-6000'
Snow Lakes	2.3 miles	Moderate	July-October	6000-6600'
South Rock Creek	1.6 miles	Easy	June-October	5840-6000'
Summit	0.2 miles	Easy	June-October	5000-5000'
Twin Ponds	2.5 miles	Easy	June-October	5750-6000'

The following rules are enforced in the Sky Lakes hiking Wilderness –

• Group size is limited to 8 people and 12 animals
• Camp at least 100 feet from lakeshores, streams, or springs. If you have horses or pack animals camp at least 200 feet away
• Pack and saddle stock should stay at least 200 feet away from all water sources unless on established trails
• Stay out of areas marked as ‘restoration sites'
• Bicycles, motorcycles, and other mechanized equipment are prohibited within the wilderness and on the premises of wilderness trails that are outside the boundary

Winter activities, including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, are becoming more popular in the lower elevations of the wilderness trails. This area is a favorite of many between Thanksgiving and Christmas to select their favorite Christmas tree.

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For more information, please contact:

Klamath Ranger District
2819 Dahlia Street
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
541-885-3400

Note: The above information for this page based from the USDA booklet “Wilderness Trails on the Klamath Ranger District” available at no charge from the address above.




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