Jefferson Lake
Jefferson Lake Trail is a 9.2 miles trail in Deschutes National Forest, Oregon. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Mount Jefferson Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Deschutes National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 44.5827, -121.6776 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 44.6118, -121.7910 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 9.2 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 4001 |
| Forest | Deschutes National Forest (unit 0601) |
| States | Oregon |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Mount Jefferson Wilderness WildernessFS · the whole line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
No season published · listed none Wilderness restrictions apply in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. Pamelia Lake – No camping within 100 feet of high-water mark of lake or any other water source Campfires are prohibited above 5,700 feet and within these lake basins: Marion Lake Ann Lake Table Lake Mo | 0 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- WildfireBench
19 mi from the trail midpoint · 67,071 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireAustin
30 mi from the trail midpoint · 12,881 acres · 87% contained
- WildfireThe Narrows
40 mi from the trail midpoint · 305 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireGrasshopper
45 mi from the trail midpoint · 93,996 acres · 98% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Jefferson Lake Trail?
9.2 miles, the sum of the 2 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Deschutes National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Jefferson Lake Trail?
hiking and horse and pack stock. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Jefferson Lake Trail start?
The line begins at 44.5827, -121.6776 and ends at 44.6118, -121.7910. The nearest recorded trailhead is Jefferson Lake Trailhead, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Jefferson Lake Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Mount Jefferson Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Jefferson Lake Trail?
Sheep Springs Horse Camp (0.3 mi), Candle Creek Campground (2.5 mi) and Lower Bridge Campground (3.3 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Jefferson Lake Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Jefferson Lake Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Jefferson Lake Trail?
Deschutes National Forest, Forest Service unit 0601. The trail is in Oregon.
Is there a fire near the Jefferson Lake Trail?
4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Bench at 19 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named JEFFERSON LAKE in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0601. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.