Four Days on the Loop:
Oregon's Three Sisters Wilderness
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.
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One loop, three volcanoes, lakes & lava, in the Oregon Cascades.
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.
This 4-day route follows the classic Three Sisters Loop Trail, roughly 48 to 50 miles all the way around the peaks. You will pass Green Lakes beneath Broken Top, the Chambers Lakes and Camp Lake high between Middle and South Sister, the obsidian flows and Obsidian Falls, and finish along the lava and forest back toward Moraine Lake. Strong hikers can add the non-technical South Sister summit (10,358 feet, about 12 miles round trip) as a side climb.
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. Carry a bear hang, treat all your water, and reserve your Central Cascades Wilderness Permit early, the overnight quota for this area fills fast.
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. Quota permits release on recreation.gov and the best dates and entry points sell out the moment the window opens, so reserve early. There is no lodging on the loop itself, so base in Bend or Sisters the nights before and after.
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.
Hike 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, hang your food, and treat water from the lake inlets for the night.
- Required for all overnight trips · limited quota · reserve early
- Turquoise basin between South Sister & Broken Top · first camp
- Treat all waterFilter or treat from lake inlets · no potable water on the loop
- Camp at Green LakesLegal site set back from the water · bear hang your food
- Reserve your Central Cascades Wilderness Permit on recreation.gov as early as you can. The overnight quota and the Green Lakes and Obsidian entry points fill the day they release.
- Camp at least the required distance back from lakes and streams, and hang or canister your food. This is bear country and the high basins see heavy use.
- Snow can linger in the high passes into July and mosquitoes peak in early summer, so late July through September is the sweet spot for this loop.
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.
Work up to Camp Lake and the Chambers Lakes, a string of stark glacial tarns set in a moraine basin high between the two southern peaks. It is one of the most dramatic camps on the loop, exposed and alpine, with South Sister rising straight overhead. Pick a sheltered site, anchor for wind, and be ready for cold nights at elevation.
- Volcanic plains & meadows under the eroded volcano
- Glacial tarns high between Middle & South Sister
- High alpine campExposed moraine basin · pick a sheltered site · cold nights
- Refill from glacier-fed waterTreat everything · silty glacial melt clears if you let it settle
- Camp Lake and the Chambers Lakes sit high and exposed. Carry a warm sleeping bag and stake your tent well, because wind funnels through the basin.
- Glacial melt can run silty. Let your water settle before filtering, and clean your filter often so it does not clog at altitude.
- This is a good launch point for the South Sister summit. If you are summiting, get an alpine start and watch the weather closely above treeline.
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.
Continue north and west around the peaks onto the obsidian country, descending to Obsidian Falls in the limited-entry Obsidian area, where a waterfall pours over a flank of black volcanic glass. The obsidian flows here glitter underfoot. Camp in a designated spot in the Obsidian area, treat your water, and keep a clean camp for the night.
- 10,358 ft · ~12 mi RT · non-technical but strenuous · skip in bad weather
- Limited-entry Obsidian area · waterfall over volcanic glass
- Day-use and overnight quota · permit zone within the loop
- Camp in the Obsidian areaDesignated sites only · clean camp · bear hang
- The South Sister summit is a non-technical walk-up but it tops out above 10,000 feet and is fully exposed. Start before dawn and turn around if storms build.
- The Obsidian area is a limited-entry zone within the wilderness with its own quota, so make sure your permit covers it and camp only in designated spots.
- Watch your footing on the obsidian flows. The volcanic glass is sharp and loose, and it is rough on boots and bare hands.
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.
Make your last stop Moraine Lake, a popular tarn in a glacial moraine just below South Sister, before the final descent to the cars. Getting home: drive back down the Cascade Lakes Highway to Bend, then it is about 30 minutes to Redmond (RDM) or roughly 3 hours to Portland (PDX). Celebrate the loop with food and a soak in Bend before you head out.
- Lava fields, forest & meadows on the south side of the peaks
- Glacial-moraine tarn below South Sister · last stop before the cars
- Getting home: Bend, then RDM or PDXCascade Lakes Hwy to Bend · RDM ~30 min · PDX ~3 hr
- Recover in Bend or SistersBase in town for the night before flying home
- The last day crosses lava and volcanic plains that can run hot and dry in the afternoon, so top off your water at the last reliable source before the final stretch.
- Moraine Lake and the lower trailheads are busy with day hikers. Be ready to share the trail as you descend out of the wilderness.
- Book a night in Bend or Sisters after the loop. A real bed, a hot meal, and a soak make the drive to Redmond or Portland the next morning far easier.
Now build your Three Sisters trip.
You have seen all four days. Open the free drag-and-drop planner and tune it for your dates, your pace, your permit entry point, and whether you base in Bend or Sisters before and after the loop.
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.
Everything you'll actually want to know.
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Three Sisters loop route.
Trailheads and mileages, the Central Cascades Wilderness Permit, camp spots at Green Lakes, Camp Lake, and Obsidian, the optional South Sister summit, water sources, and drive times from Redmond and Portland.
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