Four Days on the Loop: Oregon's Three Sisters Wilderness
One loop, three volcanoes, lakes & lava, in the Oregon Cascades.
Four days backpacking the Three Sisters Loop Trail around the Oregon Cascades volcanoes: Green Lakes, Obsidian Falls, the Chambers Lakes, Camp Lake, Moraine Lake, and an optional South Sister summit.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”
14 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Three Sisters: every stop pinned in order.
Green Lakes, Camp Lake, Obsidian & Moraine · Oregon Cascades
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
Three Sisters in photos: 5 of the stops.
Plan and book your 4 days in Three Sisters, one step at a time
How 4 days in Three Sisters split up
Plan 4 days for Three Sisters. Total distance: ~48–50 mi. Difficulty: Strenuous. Permit: Required. The Three Sisters Wilderness wraps around three glaciated volcanoes, North, Middle, and South Sister, in the heart of the Oregon Cascades just west of Bend. It is a landscape of obsidian flows, alpine meadows, glacier-fed lakes, and volcanic plains, stitched together by a piece of the Pacific Crest Trail and a web of connector trails.
Day 1: Trailhead to Green Lakes · into the wilderness
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: Around Broken Top to Camp Lake & the Chambers Lakes
3 stops · Day two
Day 3: Optional South Sister summit & on to Obsidian Falls
3 stops · Day three
Day 4: Across the volcanic plains to Moraine Lake & out
4 stops · Day four
Trailhead to Green Lakes · into the wilderness
Start from Bend, the hub for the Three Sisters Wilderness, about 30 minutes from Redmond (RDM) or roughly 3 hours from Portland (PDX). Pick up last supplies, confirm your Central Cascades Wilderness Permit, and drive up the Cascade Lakes Highway to the trailhead. Most loop hikers begin near the Devils Lake or Green Lakes trailhead, climbing into the wilderness with the peaks ahead.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive from
~30 min from Redmond · last supplies · DriveBend is the hub for the Three Sisters Wilderness, about 30 minutes from Redmond (RDM) or roughly 3 hours from Portland (PDX). Pick up last supplies, confirm your Central Cascades Wilderness Permit, and drive up the Cascade Lakes Highway to your trailhead. Download offline maps before you lose signal.
Central Cascades Wilderness PermitRequired · limited quota · recreation.gov · customA Central Cascades Wilderness Permit is required for every overnight trip, and the Obsidian and Green Lakes areas are limited-entry. Reserve on recreation.gov as early as the window allows, because prime dates and entry points sell out instantly. Print or save your permit before you head into the wilderness.
Official info →- Hike to Green Lakes
Turquoise basin below Broken Top · HikeHike up toward Green Lakes, a chain of turquoise glacier-fed pools set in a high basin directly between South Sister and Broken Top. It is one of the most photographed spots in the Oregon Cascades and makes a stunning first camp. Find a legal site well back from the water and treat from the lake inlets.
Camp at Green LakesBackcountry camp · bear hang · customMake your first camp at Green Lakes, in a legal designated site set well back from the shoreline. Hang or canister your food, treat water from the inlets, and keep a clean camp. The basin sees heavy use, so use existing sites and follow Leave No Trace.
Around Broken Top to Camp Lake & the Chambers Lakes
Climb out of the Green Lakes basin and contour around the flank of Broken Top, the eroded volcano that anchors the eastern side of the wilderness. The trail crosses volcanic plains and alpine meadows with the Sisters towering above, then connects north toward the high country between Middle and South Sister.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Contour around Broken TopVolcanic plains & meadows · HikeClimb out of the Green Lakes basin and contour around the flank of Broken Top, the eroded volcano that anchors the eastern side of the wilderness. The trail crosses volcanic plains and alpine meadows with the Sisters towering above, then connects north toward the high country between Middle and South Sister.
- Camp Lake & the Chambers Lakes
Glacial tarns between the peaks · ViewpointWork up to Camp Lake and the Chambers Lakes, a string of stark glacial tarns set in a moraine basin high between Middle and South Sister. It is one of the most dramatic stretches on the loop, exposed and alpine, with South Sister rising straight overhead.
High alpine camp at Camp LakeExposed · cold nights · stake well · customCamp high at Camp Lake in the exposed moraine basin between the peaks. Pick a sheltered site, stake your tent well for wind, and be ready for cold nights at elevation. Treat the glacier-fed water and let any silt settle before filtering.
Optional South Sister summit & on to Obsidian Falls
Strong hikers with good weather can branch off for the South Sister summit (10,358 feet, about 12 miles round trip from the standard climbers route), the highest of the three and a non-technical walk-up that is still a serious, high-altitude effort. No permit is needed to stand on top, but the same trailhead permit and overnight quota apply, so plan it into your loop. Skip it in bad weather, the summit is fully exposed.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- South Sister summit (optional)
10,358 ft · ~12 mi RT · weather permitting · HikeStrong hikers with good weather can branch off for the South Sister summit, 10,358 feet and about 12 miles round trip from the standard climbers route. It is a non-technical walk-up but a serious, fully exposed high-altitude effort. No permit is needed to summit, but the trailhead permit and overnight quota apply. Skip it in bad weather.
- Obsidian Falls & the obsidian flows
Limited-entry Obsidian area · ViewpointContinue around the peaks onto the obsidian country and descend to Obsidian Falls in the limited-entry Obsidian area, where a waterfall pours over a flank of black volcanic glass. The obsidian flows glitter underfoot. The Obsidian area has its own quota, so make sure your permit covers it.
Official info → - Camp in the Obsidian area
Designated sites only · bear hang · customCamp in a designated spot in the Obsidian area, treat your water, and keep a clean camp for the night. This is a heavily protected, limited-entry zone, so use only existing designated sites, hang your food, and pack out everything you bring in.
Across the volcanic plains to Moraine Lake & out
Close the loop on the final day, traversing lava fields, forest, and the volcanic plains on the south side of the peaks back toward your trailhead. The trail rolls past meadows and ponds with the Sisters slowly shifting behind you, a quieter, more wooded contrast to the high alpine basins of the middle days.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Traverse the volcanic plainsLava, forest & meadows · HikeClose the loop traversing lava fields, forest, and the volcanic plains on the south side of the peaks back toward your trailhead. The trail rolls past meadows and ponds with the Sisters slowly shifting behind you, a quieter, more wooded contrast to the high alpine basins of the middle days.
- Moraine Lake
Glacial-moraine tarn below South Sister · ViewpointMake your last stop Moraine Lake, a popular tarn in a glacial moraine just below South Sister, before the final descent to the cars. Top off your water at the last reliable source, and be ready to share the trail with day hikers as you drop out of the wilderness.
Ian Poellet / CC BY-SA 3.0Back in BendTrip ends · a bed in Bend or Sisters if you fly out tomorrow · ViewpointDrive back down the Cascade Lakes Highway to Bend, the hub for the wilderness, about 30 minutes from Redmond (RDM) or roughly 3 hours from Portland (PDX). Base in Bend or Sisters for the night, celebrate the loop with food and a soak, and make the morning drive to the airport far easier.
Guided lava tube cave tour · Wanderlust Tours3 hr · 2 hr underground · 4.7 from 20 reviews · afternoon departures · activityYou spent four days walking over the lava the Three Sisters poured out; this afternoon you go underneath it. Wanderlust Tours is the only guide company permitted in these lava tube caves outside Bend, so this is not a cave you can walk into on your own. Two hours underground with helmets, lights and a naturalist, then back in town for dinner.
Book this →
Sort where you sleep each night
Most nights on this trip are in a tent. Reserve any campsite the route needs, and the room either side of it if you want one.
Tell us your dates and we will do the calling: the rooms either side, and the guided days in between. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookCentral Cascades Wilderness overnight permit opens on its own calendar
Covers the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson and Mount Washington wildernesses. Booked per entry trailhead, not per destination.
| Permit | Required: Central Cascades Wilderness overnight permit Official page |
|---|---|
| Application window | about 40% of each trailhead’s daily quota is released on the first Tuesday in April at 7:00 AM PDT, and the other 60% opens exactly 7 days before the trip date. Permits are required 15 June to 15 October. |
| Odds of drawing | The April release goes fast for Green Lakes and the Obsidian area. The rolling 7-day window is much softer and most trips are got that way. |
| If your application is denied | Wait for the 7-day window, which releases 60% of the quota and is how most people actually get in. Failing that, move to a quieter trailhead: the quota is per trailhead, not per wilderness. |
| Trip starts from | Bend, OR, flying into Redmond Municipal (RDM) |
What to pack for Three Sisters
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping out 3 nights
For the drive to the trailhead
Specific to Three Sisters
What we actually learned on the loop.
You need a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit
Every overnight trip in the Three Sisters Wilderness requires a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit, and the Obsidian and Green Lakes areas are limited-entry zones. Quota permits release on recreation.gov and prime dates and entry points sell out instantly, so reserve as early as the window allows.
Go late July through September
Snow lingers in the high passes well into July, mosquitoes peak in early summer, and fresh snow can return by late September. Late summer gives you the most reliable trail conditions, but always check the latest reports with the Deschutes National Forest before you go.
Treat all your water
There is no potable water on the loop. Filter or treat from lakes and streams, and let silty glacial melt settle before filtering. Plan your camps around reliable water, because some stretches across the volcanic plains run dry.
Carry a bear hang and camp legally
Hang or canister your food and camp the required distance back from water. The high basins like Green Lakes, Camp Lake, and the Obsidian area see heavy use, so use existing sites, pack out everything, and follow Leave No Trace.
Treat South Sister as a serious side climb
The South Sister summit is non-technical but tops 10,000 feet and is fully exposed, about 12 miles round trip. No permit is needed to summit, but the trailhead permit and overnight quota still apply. Start before dawn and turn around if weather builds.
Base in Bend or Sisters
There is no lodging on the loop, so base in Bend or Sisters the nights before and after. Bend is the main hub, about 30 minutes from Redmond (RDM) or roughly 3 hours from Portland (PDX). Stock up on fuel, food, and any last gear in town.
Sharp obsidian is hard on boots and tents
Long stretches of the loop cross fields of razor-sharp obsidian and lava rock that can slash a thin tent floor and shred soft soles. Wear durable, thick-lugged leather or heavy synthetic boots rather than minimalist mesh trail runners, and pitch your tent only on established dirt clearings, never straight on the volcanic glass. A footprint or ground cloth is cheap insurance for your tent floor.
Three Sisters: questions before you go
Three Sisters loop: the questions people ask most.
The classic Three Sisters Loop is roughly 48 to 50 miles all the way around the three volcanoes, using a section of the Pacific Crest Trail plus connector trails. Most backpackers do it in 3 to 5 days. This itinerary spreads it over 4 days with camps at Green Lakes, the Camp Lake and Chambers Lakes basin, and the Obsidian area, plus an optional South Sister summit side climb.
Yes. A Central Cascades Wilderness Permit is required for every overnight trip in the Three Sisters Wilderness, and the Obsidian and Green Lakes areas are limited-entry zones with their own quotas. Permits are reserved on recreation.gov, the quota is limited, and prime dates and entry points sell out the moment the window opens, so book early.
Late July through September is the window. Snow lingers in the high passes well into July, mosquitoes peak in early summer, and fresh snow can return by late September. Late summer gives the most reliable trail and weather. Always check the latest conditions with the Deschutes National Forest before your trip.
No permit is required to stand on the South Sister summit itself, but you still need a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit for the trailhead and any overnight stay, and that quota applies. South Sister is 10,358 feet and a non-technical walk-up, about 12 miles round trip from the standard climbers route, but it is strenuous and fully exposed, so go only in good weather.
The loop strings together Green Lakes beneath Broken Top, the volcanic plains around the eastern peaks, Camp Lake and the Chambers Lakes high between Middle and South Sister, the obsidian flows and Obsidian Falls, and Moraine Lake below South Sister. Strong hikers can add the South Sister summit. It is one of the best alpine backpacking loops in the Oregon Cascades.
Bend, Oregon is the hub, with several trailheads up the Cascade Lakes Highway. Many loop hikers start near the Devils Lake or Green Lakes trailhead, though your exact entry point depends on which Central Cascades Wilderness Permit you can reserve. Bend is about 30 minutes from Redmond (RDM) or roughly 3 hours from Portland (PDX).
There is plenty of natural water at the lakes and streams, but none of it is potable, so filter or treat everything. Let silty glacial melt settle before filtering. Some stretches across the volcanic plains run dry, so plan your camps around reliable sources and top off before long waterless sections.
There is no lodging on the loop itself, so base in Bend or Sisters the nights before and after. Bend is the main hub with the most options for food, gear, and a post-hike soak; Sisters is a smaller, quieter gateway closer to the northern trailheads. Reserve a room early in peak summer, since both towns are busy.
Application window: about 40% of each trailhead’s daily quota is released on the first Tuesday in April at 7:00 AM PDT, and the other 60% opens exactly 7 days before the trip date. Permits are required 15 June to 15 October..
The April release goes fast for Green Lakes and the Obsidian area. The rolling 7-day window is much softer and most trips are got that way.
Wait for the 7-day window, which releases 60% of the quota and is how most people actually get in. Failing that, move to a quieter trailhead: the quota is per trailhead, not per wilderness.
Bend, OR is the gateway town, flying into Redmond Municipal (RDM).
Tell us your dates and we ask a local guide who works this area what they can do on your days and what it costs. If nobody is free, we tell you. Asking is free: no card, no deposit, and nothing is held until you say yes.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 4-day route. Same 13 stops.
- 3 nights, sites along the route
- Free
- Guided lava tube cave tour · Wanderlust Tours
- $280
- A private local guide, campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked September 2026
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What adventurers say about us.
All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
"We did this as a couple's trip and it was perfect. Yulia adapted everything to us, our pace, our interests, our photo obsession. The mountain views were unreal."
"Phenomenal experience. Yulia has deep local knowledge and a real passion for the outdoors. She went out of her way to show us the hidden gems tourists never see. Will remember this forever."
"I've done a few guided hikes and this was by far the best. Yulia is warm, funny, and genuinely expert. The trail she chose had the most insane wildflower bloom, we got so lucky."
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You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.
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