Silver King Lake via Whetstone Ridge Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Whetstone Trailhead
- End point: Silver King Lake
- Hike Type: In and out
- Distance: 10.2 miles
- High Point: 4,535 feet
- Elevation gain: 2215 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Summer to mid-fall
- Family Friendly: No
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: No
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Hike Description
Silver King Lake resides in a small bowl below the peak of the same name at the head of the long valley created by the Hot Springs Fork of the Collawash River. The Bagby Hot Springs Trail is one way to reach the lake. The approach described here, giving you a ridge hike with viewpoints in places, begins at the Whetstone Trailhead. Both the lake and the mountain are named after one of Bull of the Woods' numerous small mining operations.
From the trailhead, the Whetstone Trail #546 drops down from the entrance to the parking area through rhododendrons, huckleberries, bear-grass, and second-growth silver fir, Douglas-fir, and mountain hemlock. Reach a wilderness sign-in box. Then, about 100 yards farther on, the trail enters shady old growth with some lovely trees: big Douglas-firs, western hemlock and silver fir. Pass the Bull of the Woods Wilderness sign. The trail rises and switchbacks three times past more large conifers. Then there’s a level traverse where you encounter a huge Douglas-fir and cross the bottom of a talus slope with its squeaking pikas. See a willow and alder lined tarn to the left and rocky cliffs above. The trail makes six shortish switchbacks upward and then levels at a small tarn. It then crosses a small creek and rises to the Whetstone-Whetstone Mountain Trail West Junction, the latter being the Willamette National Forest's Trail #3369. From here, there is the optional diversion, of about two miles round-trip, to the summit of Whetstone Mountain (see the Whetstone Mountain Hike).
To continue on towards Silver King Lake, go left down Trail 546, which shares this section of the ridge with the 3369 trail. Silver fir, Alaska yellow-cedar, mountain hemlock, noble fir and Douglas-fir forest this wide ridge crest. The trail drops gently through rhododendrons. Pass some large noble firs and come to the Whetstone-Whetstone Mountain Trail East Junction, where Trail #3369 peels off down the slope in shady forest. Keep left on Trail #546.
The trail makes a traverse in Douglas-fir, silver fir and western hemlock forest and then heads up before dropping rather steeply. Ascend again along the forested ridge crest, and then undulate through bear-grass, rhododendrons and huckleberries. You can get glimpses of Silver King Mountain through the trees. Mountain hemlock and noble fir begin to dominate. Pass a campsite on the right and then head up, switchbacking four times up a more open slope cloaked with common juniper, pinemat manzanita, and snow brush. There are views of Battle Ax and Mount Jefferson. The trail drops and makes a traverse along a brushy saddle. Pass below a rocky prominence and traverse an open boulder slope supporting clumps of vine maple, cascara and thimbleberry. Skeletal snags stand like candles. Reach an open saddle and the Whetstone-Bagby Hot Springs Trail Junction. Down to the left, the Bagby Hot Springs Trail #544 leads to Silver King Lake.
The trail drops down the steep slope in mountain hemlock forest with sickle-top louseworts blooming all along the path in late summer. Then, there’s a switchback and the trail traverses down a lush hillside with large hemlocks, silver fir and Douglas-fir. Switchback two more times and pass more big western hemlocks. Six more switchbacks take you to the bottom of a boulder slope with its alarm-calling pikas. Swish through huckleberry and vine maple bushes before reentering the woods. From the Bagby Hot Springs-Silver King Lake Trail Junction, a trail heads up a steep, forested incline to a campsite and the shore of Silver King Lake. You will find serene scene with newts languidly gliding below the lake surface and dragonflies darting along the shore.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Green Trails Maps: Bull of the Woods, OR #524SX
- Green Trails Maps: Battle Ax, OR #524
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness, Bull of the Woods Wilderness, Opal Creek Wilderness, Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area
- Geo-Graphics: Bull of the Woods and Opal Creek Wilderness Map
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Clackamas River Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Hood National Forest
- Adventure Maps: Mount Jefferson, Bull of the Woods & Opal Creek Wilderness Trail Map
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount Hood
Regulations or Restrictions, etc.
- Self-issued wilderness permit
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Silver King Lake via Whetstone Ridge Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Silver King Lake via Whetstone Ridge Hike
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Guidebooks that cover this hike
- 105 Virtual Hikes of the Mt. Hood National Forest by Northwest Hiker
- 50 Hiking Trails: Portland & Northwest Oregon by Don & Roberta Lowe
- 100 Classic Hikes in Oregon by Douglas Lorain
- Off the Beaten Trail by Matt Reeder
- A Hiker's Guide to Oregon's Hidden Wilderness (Central Cascades Conservation Council)
More Links
- Whetstone Trail #546 (Mt. Hood National Forest)
- Whetstone Trail #546 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service)
- Whetstone Mountain Trail 546 (Trail Advocates)
- Silver King Lake via Whetstone Ridge Hike (Northwest HIker)
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)