Miller and Maidu Lakes

Maidu Lake

  • Easy (around Miller Lake)
  • 5.1-mile loop
  • 100 feet elevation gain
  • Open mid-June through October
  • Use: hikers, horses, bicycles


  • Moderate (around Maidu Lake)
  • 8.6 miles round-trip
  • 750 feet elevation gain
  • Open early July through October
  • Use: hikers, horses


The glaciers that once spanned the crest of the Cascade Range in the Ice Age left behind a broad, forested mountain pass north of Mt. Thielsen. Today hikers can cross this pass on a trail from Miller Lake, on the range’s eastern slope, to Maidu Lake, the source of the North Umpqua River. For a shorter hike from the same trailhead, try the 5.1-mile path around Miller Lake, a route popular with anglers. On either trip, be prepared for mosquitoes throughout July.

Access to the trailhead is via …

Other Hiking Options

For a look west down the huge U-shaped valley left by Maidu Lake’s vanished glacier, take the …

This chapter taken from the book 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon.