With so many incredible trails and destinations to visit in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, one of the best ways to experience it is with a multi-day loop that tours the wilderness area's highlights. Starting from below Strawberry Lake, a loop trail will take you by Strawberry Falls, High Lake, and Slide Lake. Short spur trails also lead to Little Strawberry Lake and to Strawberry Mountain's summit at 9,033 feet, two destinations not to be missed if you want to get a full appreciation of this remarkable area.
One of the most remarkable features of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness is its isolation. Although the major access is only 11 miles outside of Prairie City, the nearest true population center is well over 100 miles away. The area comprises over 69,000 acres and has over 100 miles of hiking trails. Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, deer, black bears and mountain lions are just a sampling of large mammals that make a home in the area.
The trail wanders through pine, fir, and larch, and it gets more exposed at higher elevations. Parts of the southern portion of the loop pass through areas where forest fires have left skeleton-like trees, which means there is plenty of sun exposure. Luckily, these areas only make up a short part of the trail. The shores of Little Strawberry Lake, Little Slide Lake, and High Lake sit at the base of high cliffs and scree fields, where you'll have a good chance of seeing mountain goats combing the rock slopes above.
Visiting Strawberry Mountain Wilderness is best in late September to early October. You'll want to avoid the last traces of snowfall that can last into August and the mosquitoes that are inevitable at higher elevations, especially one with seven alpine lakes. You can fish in each of the lakes, camp at backcountry sites found readily along the way, and if you're lucky, get a few places to camp all to yourself.
The loop can be started from below Strawberry Lake or from the other side near High Lake. Starting from Strawberry Lake is highly recommended. The access road to the trailhead is much easier to travel, and you'll get the majority of the elevation gain out of the way on the first day as opposed to leaving a major hill to climb for the last day. Parking is free at both trailheads. Come prepared for variable weather, even if you are visiting in the summer. Campsites at High Lake are over 7,000 feet in elevation, and it will get very cool at night, even on hot summer days.
Comments
Next day dropped pack and hiked up to the summit. Poles were handy for balance over softball-sized rocks. Great views at the top! Then headed down the trail towards High Lake. Views were amazing and wildflowers were impressive for most of the trail. After coming to a dirt road and Roads End TH, walk up the road to High Lake TH and prepare for a long, steep downhill hike to a forest lake that burned around 2002. There are 3 nice campsites and 3 subpar ones; all were full the Saturday night I was there. Water was warm and fish were jumping. Mosquitoes weren't bad. Saw 5 mountain goats early morning on the cliffs above the lake, a young buck sleeping in the forest, many woodpeckers and listened to coyotes at night.
Next day was a long climb out and over a ridge towards Slide Lake. I lost the trail in a rock slide amid downed trees and ended up following someone else's make-shift attempt down a forested slope until I thankfully ran into the correct trail. Watch carefully for the unsigned trail to Slide on the right. Slide Lake was empty Sunday afternoon; I noticed a few nice campsites around the lake and spring. A fellow hiker recommended checking out Little Slide Lake but I opted not to.
On the way back to Strawberry TH you are presented with an unsigned (from this direction) fork into 2 trails. I took the higher one, which turned out to be the hiker trail. The other goes low and is a horse trail. I wish I had chosen the lower trail because the hiker trail was sketchy; loose scree that is very narrow in places with a steep slope down one side and eroded hillside stream beds that made for harrowing crossing for someone with a shorter step length. I was glad when that section was over! The remainder of the hike had some views of Eastern Oregon and the forested canyon nearby before the trail drops into a forest to the TH. Beautiful country.
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