Sisters Country on foot

There is simply no better way to enjoy the beauty of the Sisters Country than to lace up your boots and hit the trail. Hiking opportunities abound, from easy strolls to back country adventures.

Sisters Tie Trail: If you’re looking for a nice back country walk, take the Sisters Tie Trail. The trail makes a great hiking tune-up. It runs for a little over six miles from the north end of Pine Street to Indian Ford Campground along Highway 20, west of town. It’s not spectacular, but it’s a nice, easy jaunt in the woods.

Black Butte Lookout: This is a hike that every visitor should make at least once. It’s relatively easy if you’re in decent shape and affords spectacular views of the entire Sisters area.

It’s a moderate 3.8-mile hike from the trailhead to the lookout tower and back. However, most of the trail is on the south-facing slope and it gets hot in the summertime. Bring plenty of water. The breeze at the top will cool you off.

To get there, drive west on Highway 20 from Sisters to Forest Road 11 (Green Ridge Road). Turn right and pass Indian Ford Campground. Turn left at graveled Road 1110 and follow it to the trailhead.

Metolius River: If you’re looking for an easy hike that still takes you into some of the region’s most beautiful country, visit the Metolius River in Camp Sherman.

With trees clinging to mossy rocks along the riverbank, the Metolius River trail has the feel of the real Pacific Northwest.

To get there, take Highway 20 west to the Camp Sherman turnoff. Follow Road 14 to a fork in the road and bear right. Continue on approximately 7.5 miles and turn left at the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery signs and cross the bridge to the fish hatchery parking area.

Trails run up and downstream from the hatchery bridge. Upstream the river is roiling and wild and the trail is a little rougher, with some slippery rocks. Downstream, the river is more placid and the footing is better.

Either way you go, beauty abounds.

Black Crater: If you are after a magnificent Alpine experience without doing any technical climbing, Black Crater is the hike for you.

It’s a strenuous seven-mile round trip with some steep climbs; trekking poles can be a real plus. The reward is an unparalleled 360-degree panorama of the Three Sisters, the lava flows on the McKenzie Pass and a view that on a clear day stretches north all along the spine of the Cascade Range.

Bring plenty of water and dress in layers. It can be cold and windy on the summit even in the height of summer.

Take Highway 242 west about 10 or 11 miles to a spot in between mileposts 81 and 80 with a sign for the Black Crater Trailhead. The parking lot is not marked, so keep a sharp eye out.

Matthieu Lakes: Near Black Crater lie Matthieu Lakes. The six-mile loop trail that takes you to both lakes is a pleasant, moderate hike that mixes exploration of a dense forest with thrilling Alpine views.

Take the McKenzie Highway (242) about 14 miles west from Sisters. Turn left onto a gravel road toward Lava Lake Camp after milepost 78. Turn right at the horse use area, which is about a third of a mile off Highway 242 Lava Lake. The trail begins at the parking area.

Alder Springs: Alder Springs is close to being an all-season hike and it is one of the Sisters Country’s most rewarding. At about six miles round trip it’s rated “most difficult” due to a steep return trip out of the canyon and some rough, rock-strewn spots in the trail.

Wildflowers abound in the early- to mid-summer months and Whychus Creek creates an environment of lush vegetation. Be prepared to cross the creek. Water shoes and a small towel are a good idea and many hikers use a walking stick or a pair of trekking poles poles to retain balance in the swift-moving water.

To get there, take Highway 126 east from Sisters about six miles to Holmes Road. Turn left and stay on Holmes Road for about seven miles, and turn left again onto Road 6360. Watch for cattle in the road after the cattle guard at the top of the hill. Stay on the gravel road for a little more than three miles, to a right onto Road 6370. The road ends at the trailhead after another half mile.

The Sisters Ranger District has a handout listing many hikes in the Sisters Country and William Sullivan’s “100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades” is a wonderful resource.

The Sisters Country is a wonderful playground, but it’s best to treat it with respect so that you and your family don’t get more adventure than you bargained for.

Be sure you are prepared before going on any hike in the Sisters Country. Take a map and compass, even if you have a GPS. People get lost on the “simplest” hikes. Take your cell phone, but don’t count on being able to communicate with the outside world.

Bring along a first-aid kit, an emergency blanket and sufficient food and water to get you through if you are out longer than expected. Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Even in summertime, the weather can turn unexpectedly. Dress in layers.

Be sure to bring a camera. The images you’ll capture of the magnificent Sisters Country are something you’ll want to keep for a lifetime.

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