Baldy Lake

  • Easy (from Road 7345)
  • 2.4 miles round trip
  • 400 feet elevation gain
  • Open July through October
  • Use: hikers, horses


  • Difficult (from Road 73)
  • 12.6 miles round trip
  • 1600 feet elevation gain

In an amphitheater of granite cliffs below Mount Ireland, blue-green Baldy Lake is deep enough both for swimmers and for large brook trout. Spire-topped firs circle the lake, while the shore itself sports a grassy fringe of wildflowers. Campsites abound at this scenic wilderness lake, but they’re rarely full, and here’s why: To reach the lake you have to choose between a short trail with very poor road access, or a very long trail with good road access.

For the easy drive but the …

This chapter taken from the book 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Eastern Oregon.