The Sky Lakes Wilderness is home to a beautiful 40 mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail. It begins just north of Lake of the Woods Highway (near Fish Lake) and ends at the southern boundary of Crater Lake National Park. Highlights include Mount McLoughlin, Devil’s Peak, and optional side trips to numerous alpine lakes.
This section begins by climbing past Mount McLoughlin. An optional side trail leads up to the summit of this impressive volcano, a worthwhile destination for peak baggers.
Continuing onward, the PCT stays tucked within the beautiful forest. There are options to visit serval lakes along way, unfortunately none of them are directly on the PCT. The easiest to reach include Island Lake, Red Lake, or Deer Lake.
The PCT begins to climb out of the forest around Luther Mountain and continues to gain elevation up to Shale Butte, Lucifer and Devils Peak. This stretch of trail is spectacular, with great views.
The summit of Devils Peak is a short side hike away and well worth it for 360 degree summit views.
A big descent then awaits. Another optional side trail leads to Grass, Middle or Cliff Lakes.
The trail passes through some burn area before arriving at the boundary of Crater Lake National Park. This marks the end of the Sky Lakes Wilderness segment of the PCT. A few more miles on either the PCT or the Pumice Flat Trail leads to Crater Lake Highway, a logical ending point for this hike.
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