The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

There are three kinds of "real" Sisters hikers: those who have hiked up to Tam McArthur Rim, those who will hike it, and those who are up there right now while you're just sitting there reading about it. Looking up to the mountains from Sisters, Tam McArthur Rim is the high ridge visible below and to the left of Broken Top.

Three Creek Lake is one of those places we routinely share with visitors from out of town and is the jumping-off point for this hike. The lake is easy enough to find. Just follow - you probably had this figured out - Three Creek Lake Road. Road access to the lake is sometimes snow-free by the Fourth of July. Sometimes not. Since the trail is on the north-facing slope of the rim, snow will linger on the trail even after the road has opened. The Forest Service Ranger Station in Sisters will tell you if the trail is open.

The trail starts its ascent from the left side of the road near the southeast corner of the lake. It ascends steeply for the first quarter of a mile before the pitch becomes a bit more moderate. The total distance, one way, is 2 to 2.5 miles, depending on how much of the rim you choose to explore. Along the way, there are some spectacular views of the lake and the Three Sisters Mountains, so there is no need to hurry.

The present trail was built in the 1980s and replaced an older one, which approached from a dirt road farther to the east.

About a mile in, the trail enters the Three Sisters Wilderness, so you should have already filled out, and be carrying, a free wilderness permit available at the trailhead. Once inside the wilderness, the grade becomes even more gradual. Eventually, the trail enters a large meadow. Continue on and up the very steep pitch on the other side of he meadow.

When the trail is fully atop the ridge, the trees thin out, and the landscape opens up. The trail at this point becomes poorly marked, appearing to wander off in all directions.

The Forest Service has attempted to block some spur trails with rocks and tree limbs, but it seems that the effort would have been better spent on signage. Generally, you will want to bear to your right on one of the well-worn paths that lead to the higher ground marking the edge of the rim itself. Breathtaking vistas looking down on Three Creek Lake, more than a thousand feet below, appear all along the rim.

The rim is named for Lewis A. "Tam" McArthur, a Portland businessman, whose interest in Oregon history and geography led him to compile and publish the first edition of Oregon Place Names in 1928. Although McArthur died in 1951, his son, Lewis L. McArthur assumed responsibility for the work, which is presently in its seventh edition. It remains the definitive resource on the history of Oregon geographic names and is published by the Oregon Historical Society Press.

If you continue west along the rim, another, smaller lake will come into view. This picturesque body of water is Little Three Creek Lake, itself the worthy destination of a very short and easy hike from the main lake.

Any spot along the rim is an idyllic place to stop, relax, gaze into the distance, and explore your contemplative side. If you're the more fidgety type who has a hard time sitting still, be sure to bring a lunch so you can justify a little down time.

If you continue following the rim, it eventually bends south toward Broken Top. A trail can be seen heading across a plain of broken rock and up a ridge that ultimately winds all the way to Broken Top via an unusual rock outcropping known as Broken Hand. But we'll save that outing for a future hiking column.

Return by the same route, keeping the rim at your left, eventually rejoining the original trail. As always when hiking, it's a good idea to stop once in a while on the way in to look behind you and survey the path you've just taken. This simple measure will help to familiarize you with the return route when it comes time to head back.

The Tam McArthur Rim Trail is reached by heading south from Sisters on Elm Street, which becomes Three Creek Lake Road. The pavement ends at about 14 miles. Continue another two miles toward the lake. The trailhead appears on your left and is well marked with the familiar Forest Service informational signs. Parking is at roadside, but there is also a parking lot at the junction of Forest Road 900, which leads to the Driftwood Campground and the Little Three Creek Lake hike.

If you drive to within view of the lake, you've gone a short distance too far. This is a fee-use area, and a forest pass or daily $5 parking permit is required. Self-service parking permits and free wilderness permits are available at the site.