Benson Lake
Easy (to Benson Lake)
2.8 miles round trip
400 feet elevation gain
Open July through October
Use: hikers, horses
Moderate (to Scott Mountain)
8.2 miles round trip
1300 feet elevation gain
Open mid-July through October
Difficult (return via Hand Lake)
9.7-mile loop
1300 feet elevation gain
The hike to beautifully blue, cliff-rimmed Benson Lake is short enough for children, yet can be lengthened if you’d like more exercise. Just 1.1 miles further up the trail you can explore the somewhat less heavily visited Tenas Lakes—half a dozen swimmable pools scattered among huckleberry meadows and forests. Or you can continue another 1.6 miles to the wildflowers and mountain views at Scott Mountain’s former lookout site. Expect mosquitoes the last half of July.
Start by driving …
This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes : Central Oregon Cascades