Winopee Lake Trail, Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon

Blue skies! After a couple of weeks of smoke it was so nice to be out in the mountains on a gorgeous day. This trail tends to get cleared relatively early in the season, and every year I think about riding it, or one of the other trails in the area, and then I remember the mosquito population, so waiting until the last day of August was perfect. This area and Cultus Corral, the horse camp that is nearby, are less popular than neighboring Quinn Meadows, but there is plenty of riding to be had here.

To get there:
From Bend, drive south on Hwy 97 to exit 153 towards Sunriver.
Follow this road ( it eventually becomes Spring River Rd.) for almost 7 miles
and take a left on Forest Service Rd 40, following a sign that says Cultus Lake.
Continue on Rd. 40 for 15 miles until it ends, then take a left, go almost a mile and take a right
into the Cultus Lake area, which is Rd. 4635.
After about two miles take a left at the sign for the boat ramp. As you are turning you will see
a sign for the Winopee trailhead straight ahead, that is where you will start the ride, and although there is a parking area there, it is pretty small, and it is much better to park in the large paved boat trailer parking lot.

Cultus Lake has always been a favorite of mine for swimming, it's shallow and you can walk out really far. This year is the lowest I have ever seen the water level.

Cultus Lake.

Boat ramp parking area at Cultus Lake.

To find the trailhead ride west through the people campgrounds until you get to the end of the loop, then get onto the dirt road which runs parallel and ends at the official parking area.

Official trailhead parking area, a bit small for trailers unless you have it all to yourself.

Winopee Lake trailhead.

This easy, pretty much flat trail follows along beside Cultus Lake for awhile. Stay straight at the first trail junction you come to, at this point you will be on the Metolius Windigo Trail. Take a right at the second trail junction which is the one for Winopee. If a short detour interests you, you could do the 1/2 mile trail to Teddy Lakes when you come to it, otherwise stay left at that intersection.

A nice beach at Cultus Lake along the Winopee Lake trail.

After passing Corral Lakes turnoff, you will be on the Met Win briefly.

The turnoff to Winopee Lake.

A swampy lake along the way.

Eventually you will come to an old fur trappers cabin at Muskrat Lake. It's not looking so hot anymore, at one point backpackers used it, now it's probably better to camp elsewhere. If a shorter ride is what you want this is a good place to turn around, making the whole trip 10 miles.

The cabin at Muskrat Lake.

When you get to Winopee Lake, there is one more trail junction, stay left, ignoring the trail to Upper Snowshoe Lake. A short while later keep an eye out for an unmarked trail on the left, it will lead you to the top of a small hill and a camping spot overlooking the lake, which is a great place to have lunch.

Winopee Lake, good spot to have lunch.

My sweet girl.

From this point turning back makes the ride a total of 15 miles. Or there is the option of continuing on to the PCT and riding as long as you want in either direction.

Happy Trails!

GPS COORDINATES TO WINOPEE