Oregon · Trail 4014

Old Summit

Old Summit Trail is a 10.8-mile 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 end44.4269° N, 121.8466° W · Directions ↗
Other end44.5200° N, 121.8113° W · 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 6 segments.

The trail

Length10.8 miles
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers4014
ForestDeschutes National Forest (unit 0601)
StatesOregon
Detail publishedmanagement 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.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Old Summit Trail20°30°40°50°60°January: 10.84 inches of precipitationFebruary: 7.79 inches of precipitationMarch: 7.76 inches of precipitationApril: 6.03 inches of precipitationMay: 4.01 inches of precipitationJune: 2.81 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.66 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.77 inches of precipitationSeptember: 2.28 inches of precipitationOctober: 5.88 inches of precipitationNovember: 9.98 inches of precipitationDecember: 11.58 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.6°F averageFebruary: 32.1°F averageMarch: 34.7°F averageApril: 38.8°F averageMay: 46.2°F averageJune: 51.5°F averageJuly: 59.2°F averageAugust: 59.1°F averageSeptember: 53.8°F averageOctober: 44.3°F averageNovember: 35.0°F averageDecember: 29.8°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Santiam Junction, 7 miles from the trail midpoint at 3,750 feet, station USC00357554 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 70 inches a year. The station sits about 1,500 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed 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

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

Jack Lake Trailhead
No season published
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 Motorized and mechanical equipment (including bicycles and drones) are prohibited in the Wilderness Groups must be under 12 people and 12 head of stock Build campfires at least 100 feet away from water Pack in / Pack out! “Take only pictures, leave only footprints” — please refrain from cutting, damaging, or gathering vegetation or other forest items (e.g. rocks, artifacts, etc.) Please bury human waste 6-8 inches deep and at least 200 feet away from water
under 0.1 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.

Trails nearby

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

  • Prescribed
    Triple Butte Rx

    29 mi from the trail midpoint · 40 acres

  • Prescribed
    Slow Dxp/Lemiti Piles Rx - West

    31 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Spike Timber Sale Piles Rx - West

    33 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Newberry Piles 2026 Rx

    38 mi from the trail midpoint

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Guidebooks for Oregon

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon and Washington
    Andy Selters, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Oregon's Ancient Forests
    Chandra LeGue, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Backpacking Oregon
    Douglas Lorain, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best dog hikes Oregon
    FalconGuides (Publisher), 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best hikes near Portland, Oregon
    Fred Barstad, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Old Summit Trail?

The Forest Service records 10.8 miles under this name in Deschutes National Forest, the sum of 6 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Old Summit Trail?

Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. 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 Old Summit Trail start?

The line begins at 44.4269° N, 121.8466° W and ends at 44.5200° N, 121.8113° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Jack Lake Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Old Summit Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Mount Jefferson Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Mount Jefferson Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Old Summit Trail?

Lost Lake - Willamette (3.3 mi), Link Creek (3.5 mi) and Big Lake (3.6 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Old Summit 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 Old Summit Trail?

The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Old Summit Trail?

Deschutes National Forest, Forest Service unit 0601. The trail is in Oregon.

Source: Deschutes National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Old Summit Trail?

The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Triple Butte Rx at 29 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 6 segments named Old Summit 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.