Last Updated: September 28, 2023
If you’re the type of backpacker that’s into big views, lush forests, stunning peaks, and craggy volcanic landscapes (and who’s not!), then you’ll absolutely love the Three Sisters Loop. Here’s a quick guide on how to make the most of your trip. The Three Sisters Loop is an iconic 3-6 day backpacking trip set in the Cascade Range among some of Oregon’s prettiest peaks. This 50-mile loop circles the North, Middle, and South Sister volcanoes, providing a fantastic array of diverse terrain. Take this amazing journey and wander through rugged volcanic landscapes complete with expansive pumice fields, pristine melt lakes, quiet old-growth forests, newly recovering burn areas, peaceful wildflower meadows, and glossy obsidian streams. This is truly a trip that cannot be missed!
Highlights
- Sweeping Volcano Views
- Diverse Landscapes
- Gorgeous Lakes & Streams
- Wildflowers & Forests
- Well Maintained Trails
- Fascinating Rock Formations
- An Array of Excellent Side Trips
Lowlights
- Crowds
- Limited Camping Areas
- Limited Campfire Areas
- Seasonal Bugs, Snow, and Heat
Best Time to Travel
Late July to October is usually a great time to travel to this area. August and September are particularly good months for this route because of their reliable weather and snow-free trails, but that’s also when the weekend crowds will be the largest. Plan your trip to avoid the crowds if possible. Early season snow pack can be a limiting factor in this area and late seasons storms can cover trails with snow as well. So make sure to check weather forecasts and snow conditions before heading out on an early or late season trek.
Distance
The length of the inner loop is 46.3 miles, but when you factor a short hike in from a trailhead, your total distance will be around 50 miles. Lava Camp Trailhead (3 miles off the loop), Devils Lake Trailhead (1.5 miles), and Green Lakes Trailhead (2 miles) are common starting points for this trip.
Difficulty
This trip is a good fit for intermediate to experienced backpackers. The trails along this route are well maintained and well marked. Trails are also graded with switchbacks to avoid steep ups and downs as much as possible. Packing light will definitely help improve your experience while you’re covering miles on this trek. Check out my HD Tutorial Videos and Gear Guide for some great tips on how to comfortably reduce your pack weight.
Elevation
Nature isn’t flat and volcanoes are rugged, so you should still expect some decent climbs along this trek. Most of the climbs are only between 500 and 700 feet and they’re generally not too steep either, but there are a few bigger climbs as well.Your total elevation gain along this loop will be between 6,000 and 10,000 feet, depending on the side trips you choose to take.
Permits
Permits are required for this loop between June 15 and October 15. You can get one through the reservation system on recreation.gov. The Obsidian trailhead is a limited entry area, which means you’ll need to get a special permit if you plan on parking or camping in that part of the loop (you can pass through on the trail without a permit though). This should not be considered a limiting factor if you can’t get a permit for the time you plan to visit. Just use one of the other trailheads and plan to camp outside of the Obsidian limited entry area. There are tons of beautiful places to camp outside the Obsidian limited entry area.
Regulations
Leave No Trace backpacking is extremely important in this area because it is so popular. Know the rules and follow them to limit your impact. Camping is limited to established campsites at North and South Matthieu Lakes, Green Lakes, and Moraine Lake. Only camp in designated areas. No fires are allowed at many of the lakes in this area. This includes Camp, Chambers, Green, Moraine, Sisters Mirror, Eileen, Husband, Golden and others. As mentioned in the permits section, a permit is required to park or camp at the Obsidian Limited Entry Area. There are no specific regulations about bear canisters in this area, but you should still plan to properly store your food. Never feed any wild animals.
Maps & Guides
- Bend, Three Sisters Map – National Geographic Trails Illustrated
- Map Numbers 621 & 622 – by Green Trail Maps
- Backpacking Oregon – Wilderness Press. This book is a fantastic trip resource for those that live Oregon and enjoy the backcountry. I highly recommend picking up a copy. It’s well worth the small investment.
Side Trips
There are a number of fantastic side trip options along this loop that are highly recommended if you have the time. Among the most popular and beautiful are the trips to Camp Lake, the South Sister Summit, Sisters Mirror Lake, Husband Lake, Eileen Lake, and North Matthieu Lake. These side trips will not disappoint.
Water
Water is not scarce along this trek, but it’s not quite as plentiful as in many other Northwest backpacking locations. Plan your route accordingly and check on water conditions before your trip. Bring along a lightweight water filter – see my favorite here – and carry enough water to get you from one sure source to the next.
Food Storage
There are bears in the Three Sisters Wilderness, but seeing them is quite rare. It’s far more likely that chipmunks and mice will get into your food if you leave it unprotected. Bear canisters shouldn’t be considered necessary, but you should still protect your food from all wild animals.
Trailheads
The most common trailheads to start this loop hike are listed below. All of them are fantastic places to start this hike. You can’t really go wrong.
- Lava Camp Lake Trailhead – Just East of McKenzie Pass – Closest to Portland – 3 hours 10 min from Portland.
- Obsidian Trailhead – Permit Required
- Devils Lake Trailhead
- Green Lakes Trailhead
Backpacking Gear
We prefer lightweight backpacking because it’s more comfortable and it allows us to cover more ground with less effort. For recommendations on our favorite lightweight backpacking equipment, check out the CleverHiker Gear Guide and Top Picks page.
WHAT TO PACK
TENT
We used the Zpacks Duplex tent on this trip. We love its combination of incredibly low weight and livability and that’s why it’s one of our top picks on our best lightweight backpacking tents list.
BACKPACK
We used the Gossamer Gear Gorilla backpack on this trek. It’s lightweight, convenient, comfortable, and make our list of the best lightweight backpacking packs.
SLEEPING BAG
We used the Enlightened Equipment Revelation quilt on this backpacking trip. It’s lightweight, incredibly warm, and make our list of the best backpacking sleeping bags.
SLEEPING PAD
We both used the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT sleeping pad on this trip. It’s light, comfortable, warm, and made our list of the best backpacking sleeping pads.
COOKING SYSTEM
We used the BRS Stove, Snow Peak Mini Solo Cookset, and TOAKS Long Handle Spoon on this trek, all of which make our top picks gear list and best lightweight stove list.
WATER PURIFIER
We used the SteriPEN Ultra as our main purification method on this trip. It’s lightweight, works fast, and doesn’t require any pumping/squeezing or chemicals. Check out our best water purifiers list for our other top recommendations.
SHOES OR BOOTS
We wore Saucony Peregrine trail runners (men’s and women’s) on this trail and they were excellent. If you prefer boots, make sure they’re lightweight and break them in really well before your trip. Here’s why we prefer hiking in trail running shoes: 5 Reasons to Ditch Your Hiking Boots.
HEADLAMP
A small headlamp like the Petzl Actik CORE is an affordable, bright, and lightweight option.
FOOD
When backpacking the Three Sisters Loop you’ll have to carry all your food. For some suggestions on common backpacking food options, check out our backpacking food video.
FOOD STORAGE
For this trip, we brought an Ursack, to keep the critters out of our food. There are no food storage requirements for this area, but you should always store your food properly in the backcountry. Bear canisters and Ursacks are the most effective storage methods and the easiest to use.
CLOTHING:
Here are some of our favorite hiking/backpacking clothing items from our Top Gear list.
- 1 Rain jacket shell: Patagonia Torrentshell 3L / Montbell Versalite
- 1 Pair rain pants: Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic
- 1 Down jacket: Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Parka Men’s / Women’s
- 1 Fleece jacket: Extra warmth under your down jacket that will be warmer when damp and better to hike in.
- 1 Pair hiking pants
- 1 Pair hiking shorts: Nike dri fit running shorts
- 1-2 Hiking t-shirts: Nike dri fit t-shirts
- 1 Long-sleeve shirt: Nike dri fit quarter zip
- 1-3 Pair underwear: ExOfficio boxer briefs or or ExOfficio women’s briefs
- 2-3 Pair socks (add thin sock liners if using boots): Balega running socks for warm weather & SmartWool mountaineer socks for snow.
- 1 Pair long john bottoms: long john top optional for nighttime use.
- 1 Warm hat
- 1 Sun hat
- 1 Pair gloves or mittens
MAP & COMPASS
We used the Map Numbers 621 & 622 – by Green Trail. In addition, we always hike with a compass.
FIRST AID KIT
Always bring a small personalized first aid kit. We used the AMK Ultralight/Watertight .7 and added extras, like painkillers and personal medications.
SUN PROTECTION
Sunglasses (polarized recommended), sunscreen, and spf lip balm are an absolute must.
POCKET KNIFE
We brought along a small Swiss Army Knife, which came in handy here and there.
OTHER ITEMS:
- Small towel: the REI Multi Towel Mini is great.
- Cash and ID
- Permits
- Personal toiletries
- Hand sanitizer: Always apply after using the bathroom and before eating.
- Wet wipes: These can be useful for cleaning up after hiking. INSECT REPELLANT: At higher elevations insects weren’t a problem for us at all. For lower elevations, treat your clothing with Permethrin spray pre-trip and use a little Picaridin lotion on exposed skin.
- Camera: The Sony RX100 is our go-to camera for lightweight backpacking.
