Oregon trails › Crater Lake / Southern Cascades

South Fork Wilderness Trail

Hiking trail · Crater Lake / Southern Cascades · Trailhead near Butte Falls, OR

9.9 mi15.9 kmRound trip

≈1,056 ft≈322 mElevation gain

5,673 ft1,729 mHigh point

4 hr 40 minEstimated time

Moderate4.9 mi / 8 km one way. Length and elevation gain are calculated from map data, so they're approximate.

High-clearance vehicle recommended: last about 0.7 mi (1.2 km) on FR 3700-720

Pass: Northwest Forest Pass (based on the land the trailhead is on)

Official listing: U.S. Forest Service, South Fork Wilderness (#986)

Trailhead: Middle South Fork Trailhead

Off South Fork Trailhead Road, near Butte Falls, OR

Coordinates: 42.57898, -122.28581

Directions

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Overview

South Fork Wilderness Trail is a round-trip hike of 9.9 mi / 15.9 km near Butte Falls, OR. Expect about 1,056 ft / 322 m of elevation gain, with a high point of 5,673 ft / 1,729 m. Difficulty: Moderate. At an average pace, plan on about 4 hr 40 min. High-elevation trail, usually snow-free from mid-July into October. Before then, expect snow and possible avalanche danger.

Elevation profile

Along the route: low 4,613 ft / 1,406 m · high 5,673 ft / 1,729 m

Nearby

South Fork TrailHiking trail · 1 mi / 1.6 km
Parker Meadows CampgroundCampground · 2.6 mi / 4.1 km
Smith RockPeak · 2.6 mi / 4.2 km
Blue RockPeak · 3 mi / 4.9 km

Sources

Route and map: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation: AWS Terrain Tiles.
Official trail listing: U.S. Forest Service.
Pass: based on the protected area that contains the trailhead.