Following a great visit to Jefferson Park on Monday (post) I continued my solo vacation by revisiting a hike that we refer to as “The hike that shall not be named.” On October 14th, 2012, we (including our Son) had set off from the Obsidian Trail for what I thought was going to be 15-mile loop with epic views. A combination of me misunderstanding the route described in the guidebook and cloudy conditions it wound up being a largely viewless 18.6-mile trudge (post). Heather and I revisited a portion of that hike by visiting Four-in-One Cone in 2019 (post), but we had not been back to the Obsidian Trail.
I had my Central Cascades Wilderness Permit for the Obsidian Trailhead and set off ridiculously early (3am) to make the 2:30 hour drive.
The trailhead at 5:30am.
In addition to the Central Cascades Wilderness Permit a NW Forest Pass is required to park at the trailhead.
I set off on the trail which began in the trees before briefly passing through the 2017 Separation Fire scar.
A connector trail joins from the left shortly after leaving the hiker trailhead. This trail connects to the equestrian trailhead, and it theoretically connects to the Scott Trail. We had used this connecter for the hike that shall not be named, and I was planning on using it again today but more on that later.
Most of the beargrass was past but there were a few still in bloom.
Entering the Three Sisters Wilderness.
The initial section of the trail climbs gradually.
Entering the fire scar.
Sims Butte
The Middle Sister on the left and South Sister (post) to the right.
There had been some recent trail work done on the Obsidian Trail.
Just under 3.5-miles from the trailhead I arrived at a lava flow which the Obsidian Trail climbs over providing the loop’s first set of great views.
Partridgefoot
North and Middle Sister
Scott Mountain (post) on the left.
Belknap Crater (post), Mt. Washington, and Mt. Jefferson
Belknap Crater, Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson, and Little Belknap Crater
Buckwheat
North and Middle Sister as the trail began to descend to the White Branch.
White Branch crossing. I was able to rock hop and keep my feet dry.
On the far side of the White Branch is a junction with the Glacier Way Trail.
Lupine and a patch of snow on the far side of the White Branch.
Both of the trails lead to the Pacific Crest Trail 1.4-miles apart The Glacier Way meets the PCT near Sunshine, a large meadow, in 0.7-miles and the Obsidian Trail meets the PCT near Obsidian Falls in 1.7-miles. This allows for a nearly 12-mile lollipop loop. It is also where the hike that shall not be named went awry. Sullivan described a 15-mile loop using the PCT and Scott Trails, but I failed to pick up on needing to use the Glacier Way Trail in order to keep the milage to fifteen. Just as we’d done in 2012, I stuck to the Obsidian Trail only this time I knew what I was signing up for. The only thing I wasn’t sure of was how much snow might still be lingering in the area. I was carrying micro spikes and prepared to either turn back or bail on the Glacier Way Trail if need be.
Beyond the junction the Obsidian Trail climbed more steeply before reaching a series of meadows along the South Fork White Branch.
There was a lot of lupine in bloom along the trail.
There were quite a few patches of snow starting at 5800′ but most were easy to cross without needing the spikes.
More trail work.
I did put the spikes on to cross this patch since it was on a fairly steep hillside.
When the trail leveled out near the meadows start looking for obsidian in and along the trail.
Middle Sister from one of the meadows.
The same meadow in 2012.
Alpine false dandelion
Sub-alpine mariposa lily
Alpine wild buckwheat
Cobwebby paintbrush
South Fork White Branch
More patchy snow.
Second crossing of the South Fork White Branch in the meadows.
Western pasque flowers going to seed.
Western pasque flower still in bloom.
Heading back to the trees near Obsidian Creek.
The trail descended to a crossing of Obsidian Creek below Obsidian Falls then climbed to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail.
Obsidian Creek
The top of The Husband sticking up above the trees.
Jacob’s ladder
Junction with the PCT.
I turned left onto the PCT which switchbacked up above Obsidian Falls. I made the short detour down to the viewpoint below the waterfall.
Spur to the base of the falls on the left.
Obsidian Falls
Obsidian Falls from the PCT.
Above the waterfall the PCT levels out on a wide plateau with a view of the Middle Sister.
Looking back down Obsidian Creek.
The headwaters of Obsidian Creek.
Spring feeding the creek.
There were two large snowfields still covering the PCT along this section but given the terrain was flat and there were well established footprints they were fairly easy to cross.
The first snowfield passed one of several ponds on the plateau, this one being frozen.
Frozen Pond.
The same pond in October 2012.
The second snowfield crossing.
Roughly the same spot in 2012, note the small pond ahead.
The small pond today.
Obsidian
Little Brother ahead.
North Sister
At the northern end of the plateau the trail begins a descent into Sunshine, a large meadow along Glacier Creek.
User trail leading down to Glacier Creek. I did see one person down at the creek gathering water.
View from the junction with the user trail. If you look closely, you can see the person who was getting water near the trail crossing of the creek below.
There were more patches of snow to navigate as I made my way down to Sunshine on the PCT but nothing had been too bad, so I decided not to bail when I passed the Glacier Way Trail junction and continued down to Glacier Creek.
Belknap Crater and Mt. Washington were once again visible.
I ended up going around this one.
Sign at the junction.
A closed user trail that has been replaced by the one up above.
The PCT crossing Glacier Creek.
Paintbrush
Beyond Glacier Creek the Pacific Crest Trail did some ups and downs before arriving at Sawyer Bar, a crossing of the White Branch at a lava flow.
Leaving the Obsidian area.
I’d also left the maintained trail area. This was probably the worst obstacle of the day but there were a number of downed trees along this section of the PCT and later on the Scott Trail.
Lots of lupine again.
The PCT made a hard right turn to the east at the lava flow.
Belknap Crater, Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack and Mt. Jefferson
It had been a little hazy to the north all morning, and I had started getting a faint whiff of smoke every once in a while, after crossing Glacier Creek. Looking at the sky as I neared Sawyer Bar it was obvious that smoke from the Cram Fire over 60 miles away just NE of Madras was being blown into the area by the NE winds.
North Sister and Little Brother
Dropping down to Sawyer Bar. There was still a snowfield over the White Branch.
My arrival at Sawyer Bar was loudly announced by a resident yellow-bellied marmot.
After a brief stint in some sparse trees the trail entered the lava flow and headed for a narrow chute where it switched back relentlessly in the loose volcanic rock.
Collier Cone poking up ahead.
Paintbrush
Heading into the chute with the Sun above.
Penstemon
Sorrel
Looking back down from near the top.
Goldenrod
I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to climb up onto the rim of Collier Cone as we had in 2012 due to the presence of snow, but after reaching the top of the chute and seeing the use trail into the cone I could tell that it would be possible.
The high point of Collier Cone from the PCT.
Catchfly
North and Middle Sister from inside the cone. I was following use trails toward the low point along the rim to save myself some effort.
Looking back at the smoke from the Cram Fire flowing through Santiam Pass.
The opposite side of the cone.
North and Middle Sister from the rim. The glacial lake at the bottom is from melting snow and the shrinking Collier Glacier.
Middle Sister and Little Brother
The view was a little different in 2012.
The wind was whipping pretty strongly but I took advantage of a couple of large cinder rocks to take a seat, have some food, and change my socks before continuing.
Silvery raillardella
Dwarf alpinegold
Heading down to the PCT.
On last look back from the PCT.
I continued north on the PCT rounding Collier Cone’s ridge and then descending for almost a mile and a half to Scott Meadow.
I passed a hiker and her dog just before rounding the ridge here, the first I’d seen other than the person getting water from Glacier Creek.
After rounding the ridge I spotted the sketchiest snowfield of the entire hike, but having just seen the hiker and dog coming from that direction helped boost my confidence.
I put my micro spikes on for the second time today and carefully made my way across the soft melting snowfield. That was the last time the spikes felt necessary, but not the end of the snow patches.
Collier Cone, North Sister and Little Brother from the far side of another snow patch.
There was evidence of some glissading down this patch to the PCT below. I was able to avoid most of the snow by looping around it.
I just had to cross this short section in order to loop around the rest.
The creek along the trail here is not named on maps and is shown as seasonal.
The final snow patch along the PCT before Scott Meadow.
Almost to the meadow.
This would mark my fourth visit to this meadow. The first was of course in October 2012 and the third was in August 2019 on our Four-in-One Cone hike. In between those two hikes was a July 29th visit during our Matthieu Lakes hike (post). The 2013 hike had been the only one where there were any flowers to speak of blooming in the meadow. At that time it was primarily lupine with some scattered paintbrush, and a host of mosquitos. I had been expecting mosquitos all day, but whether it was timing, the breeze, or the DEET I had applied before setting off there had been almost no sign of them all morning and it was the same at the meadow.
I’m not sure my timing could have been much better for the flowers this year. It took me a bit to cover the 0.2-miles between the start of the meadow and the Scott Trail junction.
Paintbrush and cinquefoil
Western pasque flowers
Alpine speedwell
Lupine
Alpine false dandelions, speedwell, cinquefoil and possibly some pussytoes.
California tortoiseshell
Bog laurel
The meadow through the years.
October 14,2012
July 29, 2013
August 14, 2019
Today
The junction with the Scott Trail.
I turned left onto the Scott Trail and followed it up an open hillside.
Yapoah Crater to the left.
After making the climb the trail gradually descended to a cinder field near Four-in-One Cone.
Pussy paws
Four-in-One Cone
A user trail leads up the cone and despite the lack of views we had made the 0.4-mile detour along the top. That detour had been the last straw for our son who didn’t realize that it wasn’t part of the loop needed to get back to the car. When he got to the top and found out it was just an out-and-back side trail he was not at all happy with me. I didn’t make the side trip this time given the increasing smoke on the horizon and the fact that Heather and I had gotten to enjoy the view in 2019.
Looking back at the side trail after passing it.
The view from the trail below Four-in-One Cone isn’t too bad.
Beyond Four-in-One Cone the Scott Trail briefly continues through the cinder field before skirting the tree line next to a lava flow.
North Sister and an increasingly hazy sky.
The Scott Trail eventually crosses over the lava flow then enters the forest as it descends toward the McKenzie Highway.
Sign reminding visitors there are no campfires allowed above 5700′.
There were more snow patches in the forest but nothing much on the trail itself. A bigger issue was the amount of blowdown along the trail; however, I did pass a trail crew working their way up the trail.
Fritillary on valerian
Queen’s cup
Lousewort
Rosy spirea
Fading Washington lilies.
Strawberry blossoms
Larkspur
I had been watching for the connector trail and keeping my eye on the GPS, but somehow I completely missed it. I did pass a decommissioned trail with a closed for rehabilitation sign. In 2012 there had been a sign at the junction but by 2019 the sign was missing but the trail was obvious.
The connector trail on the right coming from the opposite direction that I was headed.
The Forest Service page for the Obsidian Trailhead still lists the Obsidian Tie Trail and as providing access to the Scott Trail which leads me to believe I just didn’t notice it, but it’s also possible that it has been decommissioned and the trail that I had passed after just setting off is now just a connector to the Obsidian Equestrian Trailhead.
Missing the connector wasn’t the end of the world as the Scott Trail crosses the McKenzie Highway a little over a quarter mile from the tie trail (or former tie trail).
It was when I reached this meadow that I knew I’d missed the turn.
Looking across the meadow.
Shooting stars
The highway from the wilderness sign.
I popped out onto the highway and turned left for a 0.6-mile road walk to the Obsidian Trailhead.
Historical marker for the 1862 Scott Road.
It was another third of a mile to my car along the gravel road to the trailhead.
I saved myself a little over a mile by not retracing our side trip across Four-in-One Cone, but missing the connector trail added almost a third of a mile so instead of an 18.6-mile loop like 2012 my GPS came in at 17.8-miles. Skipping Four-in-One-Cone also shaved off a little over 100′ of elevation gain leaving today just under 3400′ of cumulative gain.
Not sure why the Garmin map shows the PCT going along the rim of Collier Cone. It looks as though there is a use trail around the rim, but it certainly is not the PCT.
This was an excellent hike with spectacular views and some nice wildflowers. I was pushing the timing as far as snow goes, but this year has been warm and dry enough that it was passable (with micro spikes) this early. The lack of mosquitos was a huge blessing.
The only bummer was the arrival of the smoke from what has become a very serious fire. As of my writing this on July 16, 2025, the fire is over 64,000 acres with zero containment. Many people have had to evacuate, and many others are on standby to do so. Our prayers go out to them and to the responders doing everything they can to get the blaze under control.
Flickr: Obsidian Loop
Arnica
Arnica
Spirea, tiger lilies, columbine, valerian, and cinquefoil.
Clearly the trail has been realigned based on where the map shows it is and where our track shows we were.
There was a lot of white-stemmed frasera blooming which was exciting because we had been too early for the bloom when we were in the area Memorial Day Weekend (
Please note that this campground is one of several that the Forest Service has contracted private concessionaires to manage and there is a $10.00/day parking fee for day-use. An annual NW Forest Pass is accepted in lieu of the fee but a single day NW Forest Pass and some interagency passes may not be. There is conflicting information online through the Forest Service website and what is posted at the trailhead.
Signage at the trailhead still shows that a variety of passes are honored there but the link for the campground provided above only lists the annual NW Forest Pass as accepted.
Clockwise provides the gentlest climbing for the loop which is the direction we were hiking so I went left.
Mt. Adams between the trees.
Larkspur
Rosy pussytoes
The pullout only has room for two cars, a third might be able to squeeze in but it would be tight. DO NOT drive past the gate if it happens to be open as motor vehicle use by the public is not allowed beyond the gate.
A section of intact forest.
False lily-of-the-valley
Chipmunk
Salmonberry
Another junco
Mt. Rainier
Dandelion (non-native) in the penstemon. There were surprisingly few non-native wildflowers which was nice.
Looking back after having made it onto the ridge. The loop route is the road seen on the right cutting along the hillside, not the roadbed straight ahead going up the knoll.
Lomatium
The Tygh Creek Trail across FR 27 from the Tygh Creek Trailhead.
The only two trees down that needed to be climbed under/over.
Tygh Creek
Distance + low light + moving animal = blurry photo.
The skunk had been at the far end of this section of trail which was lined with lupine.
The little stinker had a pretty cute face.
The trail is to the right in this photo.
Paintbrush, balsamroot, and a strawberry blossom.
Ball Point
Rough eyelashweed
When a trail looks steep in a photo that tells you something.
More paintbrush and balsamroot.
Townsend’s solitaire
Buckwheat
My goal, the turn around point, was up on the crest of that ridge ahead.
Lupine, balsamroot, and a death camas.
Dogwood tree among the ponderosa pines.
Mahala mat
Getting close to the ridge and still steep.
The trail got less steep near the ridge.
Gordon Butte to the right. Broken Top, the Three Sisters, and Mt. Jefferson would also have been visible if not for the clouds.
Level trail on the ridge!
Looking ahead at the trees atop the “small” ridge.
Sandwort
Oregon sunshine
Wildflowers on the “small” ridge.
Almost to the crest.
The clouds here are hiding Mt. Hood which should be visible behind the ridge. What is visible is Flag Point (
Looking toward Mt. Jefferson.
Parts of Mt. Jefferson peeking out through the clouds.
I’d seen a couple whitestem frasera going up but coming down I realized just how many there actually were, although none of the plants were quite blooming yet.
Groundsel
Broken Top and some of the Three Sisters were visible on the way down.
Tam McArthur Rim (
I missed this whole patch of silvercrown earlier.
Pine Hollow Reservoir and Central Oregon.
Elkhorn clarkia aka ragged robin.
Threadleaf phacelia
Paintbrush with Ball Point in the background.
Vetch
Penstemon
Bastard toadflax
Back in the forest near Tygh Creek.
Tygh Creek
Squirrel
Starflower
Coral fungus
The trailhead in sight.
The Tygh Creek track along with a portion of Saturday’s hike on the School Canyon Trail at the bottom.
Phacelia
Fleabane
Thistle
Madia
Fiddleneck and lupine
The first of several deer we spotted during the day.
The distinctive cliffs behind the lupine are across the river from the parking area so we were almost always able to tell where we had parked.
This jeep track would veer to the left to pass between the smaller hills and cliffs ahead.
Western meadowlarks could be heard throughout the hike.
The view south.
Desert yellow fleabane
The view west.
Mt. Hood peaking over the canyon rim to the NW.
Mt. Hood
Butterfly on yarrow
Grasses and wildflowers added color to the landscape.
The route became very faint at times.
Balsamroot
Looking back at the route so far.
View from the trail after passing between the hills and cliffs.
An old fence.
Mt. Hood and Lookout Mountain (
Buckwheat
Rough eyelashweed
Paintbrush
Another stretch of faint tread.
It was often easier to see the road ahead than below our feet.
Balsamroot and lupine
Grand collomia and lupine.
Spreading dogbane
Digging in.
Small water trough (empty).
View from the water trough.
Haven’t identified this bird yet.
Looking back at the route again.
Mt. Hood again.
Ochre ringlet. There were hundreds of butterflies.
Looking at the climb ahead. At this point most of the rest of the hike would be in direct sunlight, and it was already getting warm.
Buck
Buck number two.
We had to get pretty high up before we could see Washington’s Mt. Adams and even once it was in view the lighting made it hard to make out.
Mt. Adams
The newer barbed wire fence at the public land boundary. This is around 3.5-miles from the parking area.
Hawksbeard
The fence went up and down steeply so that meant we got to as well.
Crow
Fritillary
Cattle trail
Western kingbirds
A milkvetch
Another butterfly on balsamroot.
Stag Point is the high triangular point along the plateau in the foreground.
Zoom in on Stag Point. (The lone post on top gives it away.)
First and only brief view of the top of Mt. Jefferson.
Mt. Jefferson
The newer fence turned left at the corner.
Onion
This rocky gully was a little tricky to cross.
Checkerspot
Old stone structure along the fence.
Western meadowlark
Lark sparrow
Probably cattle bones.
Checkerspot on fiddleneck.
Balsamroot and Mt. Hood from the road.
Phlox
Indra swallowtail
Checkerspot
Another checkerspot
A blue or copper of some sort.
Oregon sunshine
Skipper
Colorful rocks
Looking back up along the switchback section.
Gate along the road at the end of the switchbacks.
Allumroot
Cusick’s sunflowers and desert yellow fleabane.
Cusick’s sunflowers
Looking back up the road toward the snake.
The still coiled snake to the right of the track.
The fainter jeep track split off here to the right. It’s really hard to see it in the photo but was a little more obvious in person.
The goal was to aim for the knoll ahead then find two junipers that were relatively close together and descend between them.
Looking back up from the jeep track.
The view upriver with a private house.
Going between the two junipers.
Looking back up at the two junipers.
It’s a checkerboard of public and private land along the road. While this portion of the road is open to hikers, public fishing along the riverbank is limited to the public land portions. No trespassing signs line the road in the private sections.
Heather spotted this rattlesnake off the side of the road. We couldn’t tell if it was still alive and didn’t really want to find out.
One of the few bits of shade along the road walk.
Probably some sort of flycatcher.
There were a lot of osprey along the river.
There were also quite a few Bullock’s orioles.
Mock orange along the river.
Mallard
Bindweed
Another unknown bird and an angler in the river.
Cliff swallow
Dove
More osprey
Portland Deschutes Club Gatekeepers House
Geese
Common merganser
Yarrow covered hillside.
Rock formations above the road.
The distinctive cliffs on the opposite side of the river from the parking area.
Arriving back at the parking area.
Yellow is our track from 2023.
We headed off through the trees here.
Mt. Jefferson and Olallie Butte (
Gordon Butte in the foreground.
Balsamroot and oak trees.
Buckwheat and balsamroot
Whitestem frasera with Mt. Jefferson in the background.
Rough eyelashweed
Paintbrush
We picked up a faint path, not sure if it was a game or use trail.
Lupine and ponderosa pines.
The trailhead is on the opposite side of FR 2710 from the trail.
Sign at the start of the Little Badger Trail.
Badger Creek Wilderness sign next to Little Badger Creek.
Groundsel
Woodland stars
Little Badger Creek
Fairy slipper
American vetch
Bastard toadflax
Duskywing on sagebrush false dandelion.
Balsamroot
Bee coming in for a landing on phacelia.
Sticky cinquefoil
Western wood-pewee
Madia
Brown elfin (and another pollinator) on Oregon sunshine.
Starflower
Mahala mat along the trail.
Duskywing on blue-eyed Mary
Largeleaf sandwort along the trail.
Skunk cabbage
Red-flowering currant
Duskywing on arnica
Silvercrown
Oregon grape
Last of the trillium.
Plumed solomonseal
What’s left of the cabin.
Little Badger Creek at the cabin site.
Anemone
There was a short climb before reaching the spur trail.
Spur trail to the mine.
The old mine. We did not go in as wildlife do sometimes use it for shelter.
Ballhead waterleaf near the mine.
Western tanager
A stand of oaks ahead.
Balsamroot along the trail.
Paintbrush
Buckwheat
Juniper trees
Threadleaf phacelia
Signpost ahead for the trail junction.
Wildflowers along the trail.
The spur trail on the left to the Helispot.
Penstemon
Pine Hollow Reservoir in Central Oregon.
Woodland star
This was the most significant obstacle we had to navigate on the entire loop.
Yarrow
A dogwood on top of the rocks and penstemon below.
First view of Ball Point.
Penstemon
From the ridge we could faintly make out Broken Top and the Three Sisters.
The Three Sisters on the right and Broken Top with Tam McArthur Rim (
Pen Point across the Tygh Creek Valley.
Passing through the 2009 Ball Point Fire scar.
Pen Point toward the center and the taller Hootnanny Point to the right.
Death camas
View east as we came around Ball Point.
Desert yellow fleabane.
Prairie smoke aka Old Man’s Whiskers
Heather coming down the ridge.
I think this is a western racer.
Looking up at the ridge.
A clarkia
Lewis’ woodpecker
Lizard
On last view of Mt. Jefferson
Ball Point
Butterfly on whitestem frasera
Signs at the trailhead.
Orange is the road + cross country portion.
wanderingyuncks 
