Jefferson Park via Park Ridge Hike

From Portland Hikers Field Guide

Describe destination image here

A rock cairn marks the trail near the crest of Park Ridge. Note the snowfield in the background; you have to cross that to get to the top of the ridge. (mattisnotfrench)

Start point: Park Ridge Trailhead
Ending Point: Jefferson Park
Trail Log: Trail Log
Distance: 11.2 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 2500 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Seasons: July - September
Family Friendly: No
Backpackable: Yes
Crowded: Very

1 Hike Description
2 Maps
3 Fees, Regulations, etc.
4 Trip Reports
5 Related Discussions / Q&A
6 Guidebooks that cover this hike
7 More Links
8 Contributors

Hike Description

After having driven here on one of the worst access roads in this part of Oregon, you'll no doubt be wondering if this hike is worth the trouble it took getting there. It most definitely is. If you are only going to Park Ridge, you'll be treated at the top with an impossibly great view of Mount Jefferson, and should you choose to continue on down to Jefferson Park, you'll discover an alpine wonderland of gorgeous lakes and meadows filled with wildflowers, with Mt. Jefferson filling the sky above you. Once you've been to Jefferson Park, you'll want to keep going back-it's that fantastic.

The trail (the Pacific Crest Trail, actually) begins skirting Breitenbush Lake at an elevation of 5,500 feet. Not surprisingly, snow lingers here well into July. Continue through meadows and increasingly open terrain, passing a pond, until you are completely above the timberline. As you approach the ascent of the ridge, pay close attention to the trail and to the cairns that mark the way. There are a few sections in which it is very easy to lose the trail. As you near the crest of Park Ridge, cross one or multiple (depending on the time of year) snowfields and reclaim the trail, which at this point is very dusty and only occasionally well-defined. Finally, crest Park Ridge and look at the incredible sight in front of you: Mt. Jefferson dominating the view, just 4 or so miles to the south of you. On a nice day (and you really shouldn't do this hike on a rainy day, unless your sole interest is solitude), the top of Park Ridge is a fantastic spot to stop for lunch, and to sit and soak in the impossibly great view of Mt. Jefferson.

To continue to Jefferson Park, follow the obvious trail in front of you downhill for two miles of stupendous scenery to Russell Lake, where you will be greeted by masses of dayhikers, backpackers and professional photographers who hiked one of the other two trails into Jefferson Park. The scenery is stunning. Numerous lakes dot the meadow-filled alpine wonderland while Mt. Jefferson towers over the scene, dominating the skyline. The area is very crowded and some parts have been set aside for restoration. However, you can find solitude if you avoid Scout, Bays, and Russell Lakes (in other words, if you venture off the PCT) and search out one of the many small lakes through the area. It would be very easy to spend several days in the area exploring, and after arriving, you may be wishing you'd brought a backpack, took the week off from work, and/or brought more supplies and took more time off work. It's just that great.

As mentioned, there are two other trails into Jefferson Park: the first, and shortest, leaves from the Whitewater Trailhead east of Detroit and climbs 1800 feet in 5.1 miles to reach Scout and Bays Lakes; the second leaves from the South Breitenbush Trailhead northeast of Detroit and climbs 2800 feet in 6.2 miles through beautiful meadows to meet the PCT near Russell Lake. Both are recommended, though I prefer the South Breitenbush River trail.