Gold Lake Trail

The Gold Lake Trail takes hikers and bikers through some beautiful forests within the Willamette National Forest, as well as a unique wetland/bog area within the Gold Lake Bog Research Natural Area.

The trail begins at the Gold Lake Campground Trailhead. It remains mostly flat for the first mile and a half as you pass through the Gold Lake Bog Research Natural Area. You’ll notice a diversity of wetland flora as you hike through. Toward the end of the Natural Area you’ll cross Ray Creek, a beautiful spot to take a rest and enjoy.

Just after this you’ll come to a junction with the Mt. Ray Trail. Stay right (straight). The Gold Hill Trail then begins to gradually climb. Be sure to keep an eye open for potential mountain bikers coming downhill with speed (the Gold Hill Trail is also a part of the much longer Oregon Timber Trail - a 670 mile mountain biking route across Oregon).

The remainder of the trail passes through lovely forested terrain and crosses a 4-way junction with the Bobby Lake Trail before coming to an end at Twin Peaks Trailhead off Waldo Road. From here you can return the way you came, or take the Bobby Lake Trail to the PCT, then the PCT to Maiden Peak Trail to form a roughly 10 mile loop that will finish back at Gold Lake.