Rosary Lakes and Maiden Peak
Rosary lakes in summer
- Easy (PCT to Rosary Lakes)
- 5.4 miles round trip
- 600 feet elevation gain
- Open late June to early November
- Use: hikers, horses
- Easy (gondola to Rosary Lakes)
- 5.9-mile loop
- No elevation gain
- Open late June into September
- Use: hikers
- Difficult (gondola to Maiden Peak)
- 15.9-mile loop
- 2100 feet elevation gain
- Open mid-July into September
Rosary Lakes in winter
Blue beads on a mountain’s necklace, the Rosary Lakes sparkle in a high basin beside Maiden Peak. The classic hike to these very popular lakes climbs the Pacific Crest Trail from Willamette Pass. On weekends you can take a fun shortcut by riding the nearby ski area’s summer gondola up Eagle Peak and returning past the lakes on a loop, entirely downhill. For a challenge, tackle a longer loop to the summit of Maiden Peak itself, passing a charming log cabin and Maiden Lake along the way.
For the classic hike, turn off Willamette Highway . . .
If you’re interested in climbing Maiden Peak, be warned …
This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Central Oregon Cascades.
Eagle Peak gondola in summer