Seven Lakes Trail

Seven Lakes Trail This 11 mile out and back just gets you to the first of seven lakes.

Driving

–This is an hour and 20 minutes from the 5 freeway at the #31 Medford Exit. Take Crater Lake Drive north towards Crater Lake. Get on the expressway between the airport and the business district. When that ends, turn left onto Route 62. When you have traveled 15 miles from the freeway, before you reach Shady Cove, you will turn right on Butte Falls Road towards, you guessed it, Butte Falls.

About 16 miles from here to Butte Falls which you will drive right through and quickly afterwards turn left on Butte Falls Prospect Road.

And about 20 miles from here to the trail head. The road winds a lot however a significant right turn on lodgepole pops up after a few miles. Then the Forest Service road numbers start to get murky and things start splitting off to the left and right and you will leave the paved road for a semi gravel road of 3780 by continuing straight when the asphalt road turns left (the video is super helpful for this section so I highly recommend watching it).

Parking

– After driving for 20 miles you will come across the first legitimate parking area with horse hitches and signage. Park to the left and the trailhead is to the right at the beginning of the lot.

The Trail

– It is a steady uphill for more than 4 miles to start. At about 3 miles you will pass a pond on your right and you’ll think, “I am a god! First lake in record time!” Sorry… just a pond. As you crest the ridge and start heading down toward the Seven Lakes, you really won’t have satisfying views. Although we didn’t pop over to Alta Lake on this hike, at the well signed intersection you should head in that direction for a few hundred yards just for some fantastic views of the valley.

Now back on the trail down to South Lake. Less than a mile and you’ve arrived. To truly experience all 7 lakes you need to backpack in – set up camp – stay a couple nights – and explore. That’s my plan next summer. Maybe I’ll see you there!