Duffy Lake is a pleasant forest hike

At last, the snow in the high country is giving way to summer. It's been a long wait, but the ground is finally starting to come out of hiding. Last week we hiked into Duffy Lake, northwest of Santiam Pass, with no difficulty at all; but there was still a substantial amount of snow between Duffy and Santiam Lakes.

We had originally intended to hike beyond Duffy to Santiam Lake; but the going was so difficult over the snow that we just lost enthusiasm for what was already an arduous 10-mile hike. We'll save Santiam Lake for another outing and maybe try it from the south next time, now that the snow is in full retreat.

From the parking area, the trail to Duffy Lake plunges into a beautiful, dense westside mixed-conifer forest. Mosquitos also seemed to feel at home here, so don't forget to douse yourself with insect repellent. The trail should be considered of moderate difficulty, with less than a thousand feet of elevation gain over 3.5 miles.

The upward grade is gradual and fairly steady. In places the trail is rocky, so attention to your footing is advisable. Still, it's not too bad, and there were signs of recent horse traffic; so this is a trail suitable for equestrians, as well.

The only pack animal we saw, however, was a dog carrying part of a hiker's gear. There was no one else at the lake when we were there, but we encountered three inbound parties on our way out. One group was a family, complete with a little tyke sporting his own backpack.

There is a well-marked trail fork at the 1.7-mile mark. The trail to the left leads toward Turpentine Peak and Turpentine Lake, continuing all the way to Pine Ridge Lake. To reach Duffy Lake, stay right for another 1.8 miles.

Much of the trail follows the upper reaches of the North Santiam River. Most of us are familiar with the North Santiam where it flows into Detroit Lake; but, this high in the mountains, it's more the size of a creek. In a wet year like this one, however, it's a bit more substantial and will probably remain so for a few more weeks.

Reaching Duffy Lake requires one crossing of the river about a mile after the Turpentine fork. There is no bridge. Depending on your tolerance for precarious log crossings, of which there are at least two possibilities, you may want to consider carrying water shoes or sandals. 0.4 miles after the crossing, another trail fork, this time to the right, leads toward the Maxwell Butte Trail. Pay no attention to the fork, and stay straight to reach Duffy Lake. Many scenic meadows and openings in the forest lie along this relatively flat section of trail.

Upon reaching the lake, rocky Duffy Butte can be seen rising above and providing a scenic backdrop to this beautiful setting. Duffy Lake largely escaped the disastrous B&B fire of 2003, but burned areas are visible as close as the opposite (north) side of the lake. Idyllic campsites are located near the lake, but campfires are not permitted within 100 feet of the shoreline.

The trail continues toward Mowich Lake and the Eight Lakes Basin. The trail to Mowich Lake is a little more than a mile and is largely unburned but heads into the burn shortly thereafter. Much of the Eight Lakes Basin was badly burned in the fire. Another trail to the south leads to Santiam Lake and Santiam Pass (once the snow is gone). A round-trip from the trailhead to Duffy Lake and back is about 7 miles.

Wildflowers are in a blooming frenzy now, producing a riot of color in the area. A very large meadow less than a mile to the south of Duffy Lake, on the way to Santiam Lake, is especially resplendent with flowers. The region also affords some spectacular views of the western side of Three Fingered Jack, which looks substantially different from the view we usually see from Sisters.

On the occasion of our visit, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife was busy stocking the lakes in this region with fish. Using Hoodoo as a staging area, a helicopter transported the fish in a torpedo-like cylinder that made numerous round trips over the course of the day - and the following day.

To reach the Duffy Lake Trailhead, take Highway 20 west over Santiam Pass, and take Highway 22 toward Portland and Salem. Six miles west of the Santiam "Y," the turnoff for the trailhead is on the right and is well marked. Take Forest Road 2267 for about 3 miles and follow a sign to the left when the pavement ends. A turnaround loop is at the end of the road. This is a fee-use area for parking. Free wilderness permits are also required and are available at the trailhead kiosk, and a toilet is available in the parking area.