Hike: No Name Lake & Bend Glacier, Blue River, OR

Getting There

Since I'd already hiked Smith Rock, I needed to find a final hike before heading back to Portland. I researched some trails out of Sisters, OR. I thought about checking out North Sister and the Dee Wright Observatory again.

But, my determination to get to No Name Lake kept gnawing at me. LOL. I'd started up the rough road on Tuesday before bailing and heading to the Lava Cast Forest, Newberry Crater, and the Lava Lands.

From Bend, take SW Century Drive toward Mt Bachelor, about 22.5 miles. Continue on Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway to the turn off for FS-4600. It's a rough, rutted road for about 0.5 miles to the Todd Lake trailhead. Keep going on NS-370.

The road gets really rough from here to end, about 5 miles. Definitely, slow going and thankful for a high(er) clearance vehicle. In hindsight, I'd rather drive on this kind of road than the washboard crap, kind of like the road to Coldwater Campground for Mt Adams South Summit trailhead.

I found a nearly full parking lot. Wow. And, many were not lifted trucks. I don't recall seeing a Prius but some flavor of Subaru (Crosstrek?). I found a spot.

I happened to strike up a conversation with a guy that was starting his hike about the same time as I was. I still wasn't sure about the route and asked if he knew if there was signage for No Name Lake. He said he wasn't sure. He mentioned he was meeting his buddy who was riding a bike from the Broken Top Brewery in Bend. He was a trail runner so disappeared ahead pretty quickly.

The Hike

Length: 6.17 mi
Elev. gain: 1,444 ft
Moving time: 2:44:44
Avg pace: 26:41
Calories: 1,451
Total time: 3:13:43

 

The guy I chatted with was a trail runner so disappeared ahead pretty quickly. Fortunately, a group of four were on their way back to the parking lot (I'd been on trail for just 5 mins) so I asked them about the trail to the lake. They assured me it was hard to miss.

I caught up to the guy again who was putting an arrow for his buddy pointing to Broken Top and where the No Name Lake trail split off.

I took a lot of photos on the way up by these are sort of in reverse order starting with my arrival the lake.

About half way up, the trail crested and I was sure I'd reached the lake. I tried to recall the photos I'd seen to match what I was seeing. I laughed when I realized it was not it. I still had a ways to go. I'm kind of glad it took a bit more effort to get there.

This is a rather mild trail, elevation gain speaking. The trail hooks around the berm on the left of next photo. There is a narrow ascent up a trail. I paused to let a couple come down. The guy stepped on a loose rock and slipped. I made a dumb remark "those little ones make roller skates". (huh huh). It was my turn to go up.

I reached the rim and was amazed to be at the level of the lake.

 

I found a trail that skirted the lake. I expected it to just go around but found a section climbed up to the rim on the west end. Fuck ya! There was a couple in paddle boats and a dog. The woman was using a snowboard as a paddle. I filed that information away and continued on my way.

 I found epic views of Three Sisters.

 

 

After I made it back to the start point of the lake loop. I'd looked for the trail near the glacier but realized it was snow only. I'd left my microspikes in the car. I noticed that couple was on a patch of the glacier, snowboarding down a bit. Epic.

I started back down the trail. I still had a long drive home to Portland. And a trail and rough road ahead of me. I couldn't help but take more photos of this amazing environment, particularly Broken Top, the remaining part of a massive ancient volcano.