We were hoping to get a backpacking trip in over the holiday weekend but the forecast called for rain/snow in the mountains starting Saturday night through the rest of the weekend so we opted instead for a day hike instead. The good news was that the forecast for Saturday was for partly to mostly sunny skies so we were hoping for some nice views. We’d chosen a hike to Round and Square Lakes near Three Fingered Jack and the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness which was the shortest of the drives (a little over 1 1/2 hours from Salem) that we had been considering. While we hadn’t been to Round Lake yet we had passed by Square Lake on a loop hike in 2012 (post). Earlier this year on our hike to Santiam Lake (post) we had retraced some the beginning of that loop. For this hike we would also be starting at the Pacific Crest Trailhead at Santiam Pass but would be retracing the final 4.5 miles of the 2012 loop between Booth Lake and the trailhead.
Both Reeder and Sullivan describe hikes to Round and Square Lakes but each of their descriptions are for out and back hikes starting at the Round Lake Trailhead which is closer to the Sisters/Bend area. Starting at Santiam Pass cut off some driving but it did add approximately 5 miles of hiking to our days total. We arrived at the trailhead just in time to catch a bit of color from the sunrise.
Black Crater (post)
After 0.2 miles we turned right at the junction with the Old Summit Trail.
The Old Summit Trail traverses a hillside above Highway 20 through snags left over from the 2003 B & B Complex (Bear and Booth Fires). The lack of larger trees provides plenty of views south to Black Crater, Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, Hayrick Butte and Hoodoo Butte. The over night clouds were quickly breaking up as we hiked revealing more and more of the mountains.
Black Crater and North Sister
Black Crater, the top of Broken Top, some of the Sisters, and part of Mt. Washington.
Hayrick and Hoodoo
Between Mt. Washington and Hayrick Butte is Scott Mountain (post).
Cache Mountain is the high point furthest to the left.
Broken Top and the Three Sisters
Mt. Washington
The Three Sisters. The summit of South Sister is between North and Middle Sister behind 9321′ Prouty Point.
Black Butte (post)
Near the 2 mile mark we entered the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. The wilderness sign provided a good reference for comparing how much taller the trees were this time versus in 2012.
A different angle from 2012.
Shortly after entering the wilderness we began descending toward Square Lake. Three Fingered Jack was somewhat hidden behind a cloud further to the north.
The only deer we spotted during the hike popped out of some brush below the trail for just a moment before disappearing back into it. As has been the case more often than not this year I did not have my camera at the ready so all I got was one of their white rumps.
One white rump with a black tail amid the ferns near the center of the photo (good luck).
The trail wrapped around the lake past a large campsite to a junction with the Round Lake trail approximately 2.5 miles from the trailhead.
The only paintbrush we would see all day.
The top of Mt. Washington is just visible on the other side of Square Lake.
At the junction we followed the pointer for the Round Lake Trail and continued along Square Lake.
Mt. Washington’s spire again.
A rainbow was trying to form to the west.
We soon left Square Lake and continued through the recovering forest.
Lodgepole pine seeds require fire in order to be released from their tight cones.
The Round Lake Trail is just about 2 miles long running between the junction and the Round Lake Trailhead to the east. Several maps show the trail passing near Long Lake Lake along the way. It does not but rather veers away form that lake. It may have been an older pre-fire alignment but Reeder mentions this discrepancy in the map and warns “don’t even bother trying to find it unless you’ve got lots of time and patience”. I’ll be honest and say this sounded like a little bit of a challenge so when we were able to spot the western end of Long Lake we decided to make an attempt for it.
Our first sighting of Long Lake (zoomed in).
Using our GPS and a paper map as backup we angled cross country toward the lake which quickly was hidden from sight. There were plenty of downed trees to climb over or around and one line of snowbrush to push through but we also were able to follow some game trails which helped us find ways through the obstacles. It was also evident that the area around the lake can be pretty wet and probably muddy meaning getting as close as we did probably wouldn’t be possible at other times.
We reached the western end of the lake after three tenths of a mile. It took less than 15 minutes but without a map and some route finding skills we wouldn’t advise it.
Ducks taking off from Long Lake.
Any thoughts of walking around the north side of the lake quickly vanished when we saw how dense the vegetation and downed trees were.
We did however return to the Round Lake Trail by bearing NE. It took a little over 21 minutes to find the trail just over a half mile from the lake.
This is one of the areas that we could see getting pretty muddy/wet.
Rainbow
The Round Lake Trail just on the other side of the downed tree.
Long Lake is back down that way somewhere.
We turned right and continued east on the Round Lake Trail.
Back on the Round Lake Trail.
Black Butte shedding the morning clouds.
The top of Three Fingered Jack behind some thin clouds.
Green Ridge (post) in the distance with a little smoke rising from the Metolious Basin where the Forest Service had ignited a prescribed burn over the preceding two days.
A better look at Three Fingered Jack.
First glimpse of Round Lake.
The trail descended to a small parking area at the trailhead next to the Wilderness Lakes Retreat.
We’d seen some maps showing a trail around the north side of the lake through the retreat to some camp sites on the eastern end but we weren’t sure if the retreat was private property or if it was okay to hike through so we opted to follow Forest Road 600 from the trailhead around the south side of the lake.
When we spotted a path heading down off the road we took it and made our way down to the lake shore.
The partial rainbow returned as we took a break at the lake.
We eventually pulled ourselves away from Round Lake and headed back toward Square Lake. We were feeling a little moisture in the air and based on the clouds ahead we were expecting to find ourselves in some misty fog at best by the time we made it back to the Old Summit Trail.
Starting to look kind of grey.
A mountain bluebird adding a splash of blue to the green backdrop.
Clouds over Square Lake.
A few scarlet gilia blossoms.
Instead of heading straight back onto the Old Summit Trail we turned right in order to revisit Booth Lake. From Square Lake the Old Summit Trail switchbacked uphill gaining 400′ in the next mile to a gap between a rock outcrop and a rocky hill. We remembered seeing a small lake amid the rocks over on the opposite hill and as we climbed this time we began thinking that it might be possible to get to the unnamed lake.
The unnamed lake is about halfway up the far hillside.
Black Butte and Long Lake from the trail.
Heading toward Three Fingered Jack we got back under blue skies.
Square Lake still under a clouds,
The unnamed lake that drew our attention.
Similar view from 2012.
We stopped momentarily at the gap discussing what route we would take if we did try and reach the lake. I was pretty certain I wanted to give it a shot but I decided to wait until we were headed back in case I changed my mind after reaching Booth Lake.
The trail at the gap. It was grey and cloudy to the west.
Still at the gap, it was blue skies to the east.
Beyond the gap the trail climbed just a bit arriving at its high point above Booth Lake in 0.3 miles.
There is Three Fingered Jack.
A good look at Green Ridge.
A lupine that was late to the party.
Booth Lake
Heather opted to stay at the high point instead of visiting the lake which was roughly 0.4 miles away and 150′ below. I shuffled down the trail and made my way to the familiar sandy lake shore.
It didn’t look that much different than it had in 2012.
I returned to Heather and we started back toward the gap. I was still planning on trying to reach the off trail lake but Heather was not. She had decided that she would only attempt it if the Three Sisters had been uncovered from the clouds. I went ahead of her and left the trail at the gap working my way up around rocks and over downed trees while climbing up a semi-steep slope. I trusted the deer tracks that I was trying to follow and sure enough made it to the little lake.
The trail cut on the far hillside.
The rock cliffs holding the water on the eastern side made for some easy walking and great views down to Square Lake.
Black Butte, Long Lake, and part of Square Lake.
Square Lake along with Broken Top and the Three Sisters (Mt. Washington was hiding in the clouds still).
Part of the rock ledge.
Three Fingered Jack had once again disappeared.
As I was admiring the view I thought was hearing things but as I was making my way back along the ledge I spotted Heather on a small hill on the opposite side of the lake. The Three Sisters had been visible so she stuck to her word and had followed me up.
Where’s Heather.
After satisfying our desire for adventure we returned to the trail and headed back to Square Lake where we made a quick stop at the campsite.
We spent the return hike watching the clouds almost clear from Mt. Washington just to reform over around its top.
View climbing away from Square Lake.
Similar view in 2012.
2012
Finally clear!
Hayrick Butte and Hoodo as we neared the trailhead.
This hike was a lot of fun with some new sights and some familiar but different sights. I wound up doing 14.8 miles according to the GPS and although no climbs were particularly long the up and down nature of the hike provided approximately 2000′ of cumulative elevation gain. 
Sulphur Springs
Soap Creek near Sulphur Springs.
Sulphur Springs Road from the pullout.
Sulphur Springs Road Trailhead.
We stayed right at this junction with Road 761.
The Rocky Road Trail.
A good sized cedar along the trail.
Road 760 ahead.
Interesting patchwork of trees. We would have liked to have been able to see when each section had been harvested and replanted.
We couldn’t see much to the east due to the Sun’s position.
Mary’s Peak (
Road 7040 on the left.
Pointer for McCulloch Peak at the junction. We had come up from Road 700 on the right.
The rest of the 4-way junction. After visiting the peak we would head downhill following the pointer for Oak Creek.
Trail to the spur road.
Fading pearly everlasting.
We stayed left here which was the shorter route.
Madrone
Tree island at the junction with Road 680.
Nearing the trail junction.
Poison oak climbing trees.
Signs for the Uproute and Extendo Trails.
Road 680
A few larger trees in the forest.
A sea of green grass.
Horsetails
The 4-way junction.
Summit of Dimple Hill.
Mary’s Peak
Approaching the junction on Road 650.
Junco
Mt. Hood
Mt. Jefferson
The Three Sisters
The High Horse Trail and another trail heading uphill at the 4-way junction.
What we assume is the Bombs Away Trail on the left and the High Horse Trail on the right at the 4-way junction.
Left or right? More often than not both ended up in the same spot.
Road 640
Junction with the Alpha Trail.
Looking back at the Alpha Trail from Road 810.
Road 800 below Road 810.
Baker Creek Trail ahead on the right.
Mt. Bachelor
The Three Sisters and Broken Top
Mt. Bachelor via the Nikon.
Heather watching the show taken with the Canon.
The Three Sisters with the Canon.
Canon
Nikon
Mt. Bachelor (
Canon shortly before the Sun became visible.
Canon shortly before the Sun became visible.
The Three Sister just before sunrise with the Nikon.
The Three Sister just before sunrise with Heather’s phone.
Canon moments before sunrise. A line of wildfire smoke on the horizon gave it a red tint.
Canon
Canon catching the Sun.
Canon
The Three Sisters and Broken Top (Nikon)
South Sister (
Middle and North Sister (Nikon)
Broken Top (
Aline glow hitting the mountains. (Canon)
South Sister (Canon)
Middle and North Sister (Canon)
Broken Top (Canon)
Mt. Bachelor (Canon)
Mt. Scott to the left and Mt. Thielsen to the right.
Grouse
Chipmunk
Mt. Bachelor as we arrived back at the snow-park.
Sunlight on Haystack Butte in Washington.
Part of Moody Rapids.
Gum weed
The last petals on a blanket flower.
We saw several of these large beetles, all prepared to defend themselves.
Snow buckwheat
Chicory
Seagull
Mergansers
Sparrow
One blurry otter head and another partial otter on the right.
A bunch of tree branches, oh and an otter in the water.
At times there were multiple trails to choose from.
Rattlesnake Bend is up ahead but we stopped here for a bit to watch a heron getting breakfast.
A sparrow, possibly a Savannah sparrow.
The trail climbed higher on the hillside for a bit to avoid some thick vegetation below.
Rattlesnake Bend
Railroad tracks above the trail.
Looking back from Rattlesnake Bend near where we turned around.
Rattlesnake Rapids
Killdeer
An older channel?
Had to go back up to avoid the vegetation here.
Ground squirrel
Heron flying up river.
Old rock wall along the way.
Typical use trail.
Merganser
Aster
Osprey showing up the fishermen.
Finch
More birds near the spring.
Little yellow birds, maybe warblers?
One of the yellow birds on a blackberry plant.
Moody Rapids
Haystack Butte
A line of mergansers.
This squirrel was making an impressive amount of noise with its mouth full.
Passing around one of the lake’s arms.
One of several bridges over creeks.
Mergansers
The view next to the bench.
The view from the bench.
Going around another arm.
A checker-mallow
Aster
Forest as we neared the campground again.
Arriving back at the ramp.
The first part of the trail passed through a stand of trees.
View to the west along the South Fork Walla Walla River canyon.
Loved the top of this tree.
Another view, there was just a hint of smoke in the air giving the hillsides a blue tint which is where the name “Blue Mountains” comes from. Apparently smoke has been a common occurrence here for a long time.
There was a lot more Fall color along this trail.
Paintbrush
Cone flower
Aster amid some thimbleberry leaves.
Vine maple
Looking down toward the Sheep Creek.
Finally found the river.
There was a 6 to 8′ waterfall along Sheep Creek but no way to get a clear view of it through the thick vegetation on a steep hillside.
Two types of clover.
Footbridge over the South Fork Walla Walla River.
Reser Creek on the left joining the South Fork Walla Walla River just upstream from the bridge.
There were just enough exposed rocks for me to work my way downstream from the bridge to Sheep Creek.
A couple of the larch trees were just starting to turn color for the fall.
A scarlet gilia blossom waiting to fall off.
A final view back over the canyon with the crooked tree.
The guard station.
The only “parking spot” open near the actual trailhead.
There was a lot of cone flower along the trail.
It had rained the night before but most of the moisture had already dried up or evaporated.
There were just a few flowers hanging on.
There was also a nice variety of mushrooms.
Paintbrush
One of the small streams.
Self-heal
There weren’t many views along the trail but this one was nice.
Pearly everlasting
Ghost pipe 
This was one of the smallest frogs we’ve seen. When I first saw it jump I mistook it for a grasshopper.
South Fork Wenaha River
One of two snakes we came across, both the harmless types.
South Fork Wenaha River
Fall colors along the trail.
Milk Creek with the Wenaha River Trail continuing on the far side.
Milk Creek joining the South Fork Wenaha River.
Elderberry near Milk Creek
Snowberry
Might be an aven?
Coral fungus
Aster
A lone arnica still blooming.
There were no signs for the obvious trail.
Entering the 
Typical vegetation and trees on the ridge.
We rediscovered tread as we dropped to a saddle near Janet Lake.
Sign at the saddle between Peggy and Janet Lakes.
Sleepy ducks
I believe Oregon Hikers calls this one “Cindy Lake”.
The small saddle we’d been aiming for.
Heather down to the right between a couple of trees.
Me getting close to the top.
The top of the ridge.
Mt. Adams in some clouds.
Mt. St. Helens behind a line of clouds.
Gifford Peak (
Chipmunk
Mt. Jefferson was also visible to the right of Mt. Hood. Unfortunately so was the smoke being produced by the Bull Complex Fire which destroyed the historic Bull of the Woods Lookout (
Autumn is on the way, bring on the rain please.
Mt. Adams
Looking toward Mt. St. Helens
The peaks in the Trapper Creek Wilderness (
Cliffs on Berry Mountain
Mt. Hood as we headed downhill.
Red Mountain and its lookout tower.
This beargrass is way off schedule.
Mt. Adams from a viewpoint along the way.
Not sure if someone forced the door open too or not.
View of Mt. Adams beyond Indian Heaven.
Photo taken from the doorway, it looked like nothing had been vandalized.
Mt. St. Helens still hiding behind that line of clouds.
Mt. Adams with a few clouds passing by.
Mt. Hood with smoke from the Bull Complex behind.
Indian Heaven Wilderness sign on Red Mountain with Mt. Adams in the background.
Race Track Lake on the left.
Hardhack
Footbridge over Falls Creek.
Falls Creek
Butterfly near Falls Creek.
Sign at the final trail junction near FR 65.
The view from the trees surrounding our campsite as we prepared to leave.
Mt. St. Helens catching some morning light.
Mt. Rainier without a whole bunch of smoke.
We snagged a few black caps along the road to as a post breakfast snack.
FR 2551
The very top of Mt. St. Helens from FR 2551.
Sullivan had labeled this stretch with the word slide which had caused a little apprehension in deciding to try this return route but despite the obvious slide(s) that had occurred here the road was in decent shape.
Not sure what kinds of birds were in this tree but there were a lot of them.
FR 25 at the end of a long straight away.
The Boundary Trail crosses FR 25 near the road sign ahead. The picture was taken from FR 2551 at FR 25.
Paintbrush
Buckwheat
We could hear a waterfall in the valley below.
The top of the waterfall.
Penstemon and pearly everlasting.
Looking back over our shoulders to Meta Lake.
Mt. Adams also from over our shoulders.
Aster
Switchback at the Independence Ridge Trail junction.
Heading down to the stream bed.
Penstemon
Monkeyflower
Norway Pass (the low saddle to the right) from the trail.
Orange agoseris
Approaching the pass.
Mt. Adams and Meta Lake from the trail.
Mt. St. Helens from the viewpoint.
Pearly everlasting
Penstemon
Paintbrush
Mt. St. Helens
Mt. St. Helens and Spirit Lake from the end of the trail.
Coldwater Peak (
The Dome
Mt. Margaret
Mount Teragram
Mt. St. Helens.
Mt. Adams
Mt. Rainier
The Johnston Ridge Observatory was visible across Spirit Lake on a far hillside.
It’s often hard to tell if you’re seeing dust from rockfall or steam from one of the vents.
Butterfly on ragwort
Butterfly on pearly everlasting
Lupine in the pearly everlasting
Golden-mantled ground squirrel
Might be Oregon sunshine
Penstemon
Paintbrush and dwarf lupine
Pearly everlasting
The Loowit Trail junction.
Spirit Lake from the junction.
In the gully.
Another gully to cross.
Big Spring is in the willow thicket.
The stream flowing over the Loowit Trail.
A pink monkeyflower at the spring.
Looking back at the willows and Big Spring.
Coldwater Peak to the right.
The Sugar Bowl lava dome.
Spirit Lake from the trail.
The first goats we spotted are on this ridge above the lone tree.
The Loowit Trail crossing two gullies in a short stretch, one red one black.
Dropping into the second gully.
From the second gully we could see quite a few more goats on the ridge.
Approaching the junction with the side trail to Loowit Falls.
Sign for Loowit Falls.
Loowit Falls (right side of the photo) was visible for much of the half mile.
Looking back at Coldwater Peak and Spirit Lake. (The top of Mt. Rainier is barely visible peaking over the top of the ridges.)
Spirit Lake from the viewpoint.
Paintbrush
Dwarf lupine
Mt. St. Helens from the Willow Springs Trail.
Heading toward Spirit Lake.
The Dome above Spirit Lake
Vehicles ahead in the research parking area.
Mt. Adams to the left.
Mt. Adams
Look out for snakes, not the poisonous kind just don’t want to step on them.
Some sort of sulphur butterfly on pearly everalsting.
Salmonberries
Blueberries
Huckleberries
Mushrooms (the flowers of Fall)
I was really surprised to still be able to make out the remains of the petals on these trillium.
These bunchberries with a few petals left were near the trillium above.
Candyflower
These thimbleberries weren’t ripe but a short distance further were a lot of ripe ones. I thought I might have to hike back and retrieve Heather from them.
A brief glimpse of Mt. Rainier from the ridge the trail was following, it looked like a lot of the smoke had blown away.
Aster
Elk Creek
Pink monkeyflower along Elk Creek
Lupine
The trail near Badger Lake was particularly torn up and there were several signs posted admonishing motorcyclists to stop driving off trail.
Torn up hillside near the lake, it only takes one or two idiots to cause a lot of damage (the same goes for hikers/mountain bikers).
The little puddle in the foreground is not the lake, it is further back.
This mushrooms was at least as wide as a salad plate.
A columbine
Mt. St. Helens was hard to make out with the combination of haze and Sun position.
Looking south toward Mt. Hood (I could make it out with the naked eye.)
Mt. Hood in the haze.
Mt. Rainier
Mt. Rainier
Mt. Adams
The Goat Rocks were also hard to make out due to the smoke.
Western pasque flowers, aka hippies on a stick, below the summit.
The last of the sunlight hitting Badger Peak.
wanderingyuncks 
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