Three Sisters Loop Backpacking Guide

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Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links. This adds no cost to our readers and helps us keep our site up and running. Our reputation is our most important asset, which is why we only provide completely honest and unbiased recommendations.
A trail headed through a yellow meadow leading towards one of the Three Sisters Mountains

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

Last Updated: September 28, 2023

Three Sisters Loop Backpacking Guide

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!

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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
South and Middle Sister during the summer.

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

Best Time to Travel

Late July to October is usually a great time to travel to this area. August and September are particularly goodmonths 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.

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A backpacker hiking down a trail through a meadow on the Three Sisters Loop Trail

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A view of South Sister from across a tree-lined lake.

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

Distant views of the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, and Three Finger Jack

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Collins (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A backpacker reading a map of the Three Sisters with a headlamp

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.
The view down on a river surrounded by granite cliffs in the Three Sisters Wilderness

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A hiker giving a dog water with her Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A backpacker cooking a meal under the canopy of the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 tent in the Three Sister Wilderness

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

South Sister from the shore of a lake.

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A backpacker holding a dog in front of Mt. Bachelor;

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

The Zpacks Duplex Tent in front of a lake in the Three Sisters Wilderness.

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A backpacker blowing up his Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite sleeping pad

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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 StoveSnow 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.

Closeup of a backpacker wearing a pair of black Saucony Peregrine trail running shoes on a mountain ridge

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

A backpacker wearing the Montbell Plasma 1000 down jacket in the Three Sisters Wilderness

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

CLOTHING:

Here are some of our favorite hiking/backpacking clothing items from our Top Gear list.

A backpacker putting on her shoes in the door of her backpacking tent.

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Handley (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

Closeup of a backpacker's custom first aid kit in a Ziploc bag and the Swiss Army Classic multitool

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

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.

Additional Resources

If you found this post useful, click the little heart below to give me a digital high five (who doesn’t love a good high five?). If you’ve trekked this loop or have any questions, Please leave a comment below. You can also subscribe to my newsletter for more great content on the regular. Thanks!


Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links. This adds no cost to our readers and helps us keep our site up and running. Our reputation is our most important asset, which is why we only provide completely honest and unbiased recommendations.