Strawberry Lakes

Malheur National Forest
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 3 to 6 miles, with longer options
Elevation Gain: Moderate
Season: Late spring, summer, early fall.
Maps:  See Malheur National Forest web site for more info

About the Hike

Located in the stunning Strawberry Mountains in Eastern Oregon, this hike has it all for lake, waterfall, and rocky cliff lovers. The hike can be done as a day trek from the Strawberry Campground, or as part of a longer adventure if you choose to camp at one of the lakes (take along your fishing gear, as both lakes are stocked with trout).

Leaving from the Strawberry Campground, a well-traveled trail leads into the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness area. It’s about 1.3 miles to gorgeous Stawberry Lake, surrounded by colorful cliffs and forests of Western larch, spruce, firs, Douglas-fir, aspen and lodgepole pine. Follow the trail around the left side of the lake for the quickest route to the 40 foot Strawberry Creek Falls, another mile or so along. Continue past the falls to Little Strawberry Lake on a trail that winds across creeks, and through wild-onion smelling meadows. Little Strawberry Lake is a true gem –situated between a wet meadow and the base of a huge cliff. The hike is about 3 miles to Little Stawberry, for a round trip of 6 or miles (depending on how much exploring you do), moderate.

The Dirt

While this hike is within designated Wilderness, there are some pristine unroaded areas around the wilderness that are currently threatened by logging. The High Roberts Fire of 2002 burned within and south of the wilderness area. The Forest Service proposed to log 200 acres of burned forest adjacent to the wilderness within a roadless area. Fortunately, the action has been held up due to the work of conservation groups, but the damaging proposal could come back.

Getting There

From Prairie City (about 13 miles east of John Day on Highway 26), turn left on Main Street and follow the signs to Stawberry Camp. The drive is about 5 miles on pavement, 3.5 miles on good gravel, and another 2.5 miles less-maintained bumpy gravel road (total 11 miles) to the Strawberry Campground and the end of the road.