Patjens Lakes
Easy 6-mile loop
400 feet elevation gain
Open late June through October
Use: hikers, horses
Hidden in the high lodgepole pine forests south of Santiam Pass, these small lakes reflect rugged, spire-topped Mt. Washington. The easy loop trail here also passes a remote beach of Big Lake, where you can wash off the trail dust with a refreshing swim. Mosquitoes are a problem the first half of July.
To find the trailhead, drive ...