Rosary Lakes and Maiden Peak
Maiden Peak ski shelter
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
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 : Central Oregon Cascades