Burnt Lake Trail

One of my favorite lakes to do a light weight hike and camp trip. Bring a pack rod and a Crawdad trap. Lots of fish and crawdads in this lake. I’ve hike from both routes and prefer the route off of lolo pass.
If ya get real crazy do the burnt to cast trip and have a car on each side so you don’t have to hike back.
Go up on a 100 degree Portland day and you might get a chance to float around on your air mattress.
4 stars cause no camp fires.

Another scorcher in stumptown, another short day hike in the Mt Hood wilderness. After your kidneys & undercarriage have recovered from the cavernous ruts in the road to the trailhead, the trail to Burnt Lake undulates parallel to Burnt Creek, tantalizing you with rushing sounds of water coursing through rocks & turns. You won’t see the creek until you’re about ¹⁄₃ of the way through the hike, then it’s a series of awkward meetings with the bubbling creek submerging the trail. Lost count after the fifth time but my waterproof boats, erm boots, still remember…
Despite being named after a 1904 wildfire that swept it’s way through the wilderness leaving hollowed out charred boles of looming cedars in its wake the trail is almost completely wooded until you reach the lake itself providing welcome shade on hot summer days. The adventurous will likely want to explore the hollowed out trees but then, you might be walking in on someone’s living room…[grrrrr. rowr! aiiiiieeee!]
The trail has a steady ascent to an elevation gain of 3200 ft over 2.7 miles (5.4 miles roundtrip) if you stop at the lake. If you continue on to Zigzag lookout you’ll add another mile & 1500 ft elevation gain to your tally. Once you’ve crossed the creek a few times & made it thru the forest you’ll start getting your first breathtaking views of Mt Hood – just don’t fall off the trail while craning your neck backwards. I’m just sayin’. The lake itself is a placid lake strewn with alpine flowers in the summer. If you’re crazy enough to go in late spring like us you’ll be tromping over a mile or two of snow on your way to the lake which will have you wishing you brought your snowshoes with you as well as setting the scene for some quality time with some Advil when you get home. All set to the chorus of a snoring pooch [zzzZ. woo-​woo-​woof. zZzzz.].
Directions from PDX:
Go east on US26 till you reach Zigzag, OR. Turn left on East Lolo Pass Road. After 4.2 miles turn right onto Forest Road 1825 (you’ll pass a large parking area on the right just before the turnoff). Cross the the bridge & keep on FR1825 for 3.3 miles to the trailhead (you’ll pass Lost Creek campground along the way). Most of the forks are well marked except for the one just past the campground – veer to the right when given a choice. FYI: don’t forget to pick up a day use pass to display on your vehicle if you don’t already have a NW Forest pass. You can pick one up at Joe’s Donuts in Sandy, OR, or the Zigzag ranger station or online
as they’re not available at the trailhead.