Sun-Lava
Sun-Lava Trail is a 5.3 miles trail in Deschutes National Forest, Oregon. The Forest Service rates it trail class 5, fully developed. It is open to hiking and mountain biking.
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 | 43.9096, -121.3592 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 43.9138, -121.4367 · 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 | 5.3 miles, of which 5.3 miles evaluated accessible |
| Trail class | 5, fully developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | asphalt |
| Typical tread width | 96-120 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | At least one segment meets Forest Service accessibility guidelines |
| Special management area | NM - NATIONAL MONUMENT |
| Trail numbers | 3940 |
| 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 |
| Mountain biking | Allowed 05/01 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.
Trailheads
No season published · listed none · <p>Fully accessible paved path. Graveled accessible interpretive trail. Accessible restrooms. Gravel accessible picnic site.</p> | 0.2 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
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
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
- WildfireCoyote
47 mi from the trail midpoint · 17,460 acres · 99% contained
- WildfireBench
49 mi from the trail midpoint · 67,071 acres · 90% 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 Sun-Lava Trail?
5.3 miles, the sum of the 2 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Deschutes National Forest. 5.3 miles of that are evaluated as accessible.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Sun-Lava Trail?
hiking and mountain biking. 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 Sun-Lava Trail start?
The line begins at 43.9096, -121.3592 and ends at 43.9138, -121.4367. The nearest recorded trailhead is Benham Falls East Day Use / Trailhead, 0.2 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Sun-Lava Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Sun-Lava Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
How developed is the Sun-Lava Trail?
Trail class 5, which the Forest Service describes as fully 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 Sun-Lava Trail?
The typical tread is 96-120 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Sun-Lava Trail accessible?
The Forest Service has evaluated 5.3 miles of this trail as meeting its accessibility guidelines. The surface is asphalt.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Sun-Lava Trail?
Deschutes National Forest, Forest Service unit 0601. The trail is in Oregon.
Is there a fire near the Sun-Lava Trail?
2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Coyote at 47 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named SUN-LAVA 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.