Although a fire did some damage in the summer of 2017, the camp was spared and the trails are open and useable, although some of them are not quite as pretty as before.
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| Mountain views from Rd. 1520 on Trout Creek Butte. |
Whispering Pine has nine spots with log corrals, (the corrals have since been updated to steel) a bathroom, a garbage can, and stock water from the creek, but no potable water. Site #3 has a pull through, but the rest are back- in. You can fit larger rigs into a few of the spots but the loop road and the sites have short wood posts lining them, which makes maneuvering a little challenging. There is a large dumpster for manure, just outside of the camp. It is $16.00 per night and you can make a reservation on Recreation.gov. Since there is no gate, you can camp there in the off season as well. Although there is no day use area, there is room to park along the road.
To get there: From Sisters, follow Hwy 242 west for 5.5 miles, then turn left on Rd. 1018, (there will be a sign for Whispering Pine), drive just over 4 miles on mostly gravel and at the next sign turn left and the camp is just across the creek on the left.
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| Whispering Pine Horse Camp |
There are a few options for rides in this area, and one is to attempt to get up to Black Crater Lake which is a treat if you can make it. Sometimes the road and trail are cleared and sometimes they are not. I rode up to it once many years ago, and hiked in another time more recently.
Update: As of 2022 the road and trail are clear, and horse friendly.
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| Black Crater, pic from before the fire. |
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| Black Crater, pic from after the fire. |
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| Mt. Jefferson views from the road going up to Black Crater Lake. |
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| Black Crater Lake. |
You can also loop along forest service roads over to
Sisters Cow Camp and back.
Most of this area was not in the fire zone, but there are burned patches here and there along Trout Creek Butte.
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| Heading towards Sisters Cow Camp. |
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| Sisters Cow Camp. |
Trout Creek Butte is just east of camp with a lot of roads to follow and also some non designated trails that horse people have made over the years. You can do a pretty long ride up and over, or around the whole butte, although there aren't any views once you reach the top.
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| On Trout Creek Butte, burned patches here and there. |
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| View of Trout Creek Butte from the south. |
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| Views of Mt. Jefferson and Black Butte from Rd 1520 on Trout Creek Butte. |
A really pretty ride is on the Green lakes Trail heading towards Pole Creek. But to get there you have to ride into the area that got hit the worst by the fire which involves some possible danger. There are sinkholes from where roots and trees used to be, dead trees that could fall, and unstable soil, so ride at your own risk. Once past all of that, you will be right next to North Sister and you can ride as far as you want south.
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| On the Millican Crater Trail. |
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| New signs at the junction for the Trout Creek Tie Trail. |
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| On the Green Lakes Trail. |
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| At the Scott Pass Trailhead. |
Saved the best for last....If the Millican Crater Trail gets cleared all the way to Lava Camp, you can do a 15.5 mile loop using it, the PCT, and the Scott Pass Trail. You will pass both South and North Matthieu Lakes along the way.
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| South Matthieu Lake. |
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| North Matthieu Lake. |
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| At Scott Pass. |
Happy Trails!
GPS COORDINATES TO WHISPERING PINE
