Black Crater is a “broken” cinder cone with a glacier-carved valley and quite possible the best views of the Three Sisters. The 7,251′ summit was once home to a fire lookout, and when you hike to the summit, you’ll understand why. You can see for miles up and down the Cascade Range.
Distance: 7.3 miles
Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate/Strenuous
Elevation gain: 2,260 ft
Dogs: Yes, on leash
When to go: Mid-July to late October
Download GPX
Getting to the Trailhead
The trailhead for Black Crater is about 12 miles west of Sisters on the McKenzie Highway 242 (three miles east of the pass). The trailhead parking is well-marked, and there is only one trail heading from the lot.
You can get driving directions to the Black Crater Trailhead via Google Maps here.
Hiking to the Summit of Black Crater
The trail begins at the southwest corner of the gravel parking lot. Take a moment to review the trailhead information board for the latest on rules for this area.
The first half of this route is well-forested, with hemlock, fir and pine. You will see signs of the origin of Black Crater as you pass volcanic debris. To the north, watch for glimpses through the trees of Mts. Washington and Jefferson.
At 2.3 miles you crest a small ridge and enter the glacier-carved valley for about another 0.5 miles. You’ll see open meadows and plentiful lupine.
At 2.8 miles, the trail begins climbing reaching the eastern flank and switchbacking through sparse forest. We encountered several patches of snow in mid-July, but nothing that required technical gear. Depending on snow conditions and the time of year, this may require traction or even snowshoes.
Wildflowers and butterflies line the eastern flank of Black Butte in July. It was quite beautiful.
The views north and east are stunning, and on a clear day, you can see across much of Central Oregon.
The final push to the top is a gentle, winding trail across a barren cinder plateau. On one side, the twisted limbs of scraggly whitebark pines provide a wind break; on the other, the crater cliffs fall away steeply.
The very top requires minor scrambling to reach.
One odd note: the very highest point buzzing with a thick swarm of big flies. A fellow hiker said these are always here, and neither of us could figure out why. If you know the answer, let us know in the comments below!
The summit provides great views of the Three Sisters, Mounts Washington, Jefferson and (if it’s really clear) even Mt. Hood. There used to be a fire lookout on the flat area near the summit, but only a few foundation remnants remain.
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To finish the hike, retrace your steps back down the same trail.
Black Crater Trail Map & Elevation Profile
Black Crater Tips & Resources
- A $5 Northwest Forest Pass or National Parks annual pass is required for trailhead parking.
- Bring water (I’d recommend a minimum of one liter), sun protection, and the other ten essentials. There are no creeks or springs along this trail.
Sisters Weather Forecast
Sisters is the nearest town and provides a rule of thumb for the weather. Note that the summit of Black Crater is over 4,000′ higher than Sisters, so the weather can be 40 degrees colder.
Originally hiked with Joan on July 15, 2017.
What a fantastic looking hike! I would love to bring my pup up there. Some great conflicting photos on the way up, but they look amazing. The Three Sisters in the distance looks like an even tougher climb. How are you tracking elevation? Do you use gear, or some type of app for that?
Thanks David!
Not sure what you mean about “conflicting photos”. Can you clarify?
As for tracking the elevation, I use GaiaGPS on my iPhone. In the past I used a dedicated Garmin GPS device, but GaiaGPS on my iPhone has proven to be as accurate and much easier to use. You can download map layers in advance, so you can use Airplane mode on your phone and conserve battery life.
The trees are almost all gone until the upper portion of the hike now due to the Milli fire in 2017. Take plenty of water and sunscreen as entire hike is exposed. Trail (what wasn’t under snow) was still in remarkably good condition and small flowers and plants are beginning to return.
Very true. I saw that last year when I hiked it. Still a beautiful hike though. Have you been up there this year? I read that the road to the trailhead doesn’t open until June 21st. I was thinking about maybe doing a bike-and-hike trip to go up earlier, but not sure if I’ll have time before then.
The orbiting insects were swarming around the summit when we hiked Black Crater Trail in 1979. My conjecture is that the insects shall inherit the earth! To be so close to and overwhelmed by the towering Three Sisters peaks was an experience I’d love to live again.