Little Three Creek Lake and 'The Great Frog Hunt'

It was billed as "The Great Frog Hunt," notwithstanding the fact that the little critters were mostly toads. Regardless, these youngsters were equal-opportunity amphibian hunters, and there was excitement in the air.

The idea of a "hike" was definitely secondary; and, to be accurate, we should probably call this an "entry-level" hike. So, if you're looking for a walk in the woods that's a little more challenging than a sidewalk but still suitable for toddlers, Little Three Creek Lake might be just the ticket. I've taken kids as young as three years old on this hike.

This outing might also be a good choice for your visiting out-of-town relatives who consider wilderness to be anything with vegetation taller than the grass on a putting green. The trail begins at the far end of the Driftwood Campground on Three Creek Lake (the "big" one). The trail is definitely easy, but there are some relatively short, steep pitches at the beginning.

The "hike" to Little Three Creek Lake is a little less than a mile each way; but, if you're shepherding kids, they'll run around more than enough to clock at least a couple of miles during this outing. In spite of the short distance, this walk in the woods still offers a genuine sense of being in the mountains. Not every hike needs to be an endurance contest.

The well-worn trail from the end of the campground loop turnaround winds through a mixed conifer forest that bears witness to the stress of surviving at an elevation of 6,700 feet. Lodgepole and whitebark pines are found here, along with hemlock and an assortment of "true" firs. Many of the trees are twisted and stunted, with some of the miniature trees almost taking on the appearance of bonsais. Still others grow straight and tall, while some have interesting twists and bends.

Along the trail, in addition to "evidence" of horse travel, we saw occasional chips of obsidian. This glasslike rock is created when silica-laden molten lava cools very rapidly. Under other circumstances, lava may produce the more familiar air-filled porous lava rock. When sufficient foaming or frothing occurs in lava, extremely porous and lightweight pumice may be the result. Many examples of different igneous rocks are found along this trail.

About the time you're starting to feel kind of loosened up from your walk, a little lake or pond appears to left of the trail. Don't stop there. That's not your destination quite yet. Little Three Creek Lake is just a bit farther.

The expansive and scenic rock wall rising more than a thousand feet above these lakes is Tam McArthur Rim. It is the same high rock ridge which, from Sisters, appears to lead on up to the east side of Broken Top. This distinctive geographic feature is named for Lewis A. "Tam" McArthur.

In 1914, Gov. Oswald West appointed McArthur to the Oregon Geographic Names Board. Two years later, McArthur became the board's secretary, a position in which he served for the next 33 years. During that time, he literally "wrote the book" on "Oregon Geographic Names." Ironically, the rim that bears his name is probably one of the few prominent geographic features in Oregon that he never visited!

Little Three Creek Lake offers spectacular views and photo opportunities and also presents a great little crash course on the natural world; although, at this time of the year, the wildflowers have come and gone. But the principal purpose of this trip was The Great Frog Hunt.

At varying times in June and July, there is a migration of adult toads from the forest to the lake, and an amphibian mating frenzy ensues. By the end of August, the eggs have hatched and some have already metamorphosed into tiny little toadlets. By September, there are thousands of the little creatures swarming the shores of Little Three Creek Lake.

Last year, we made the trip in October, and there were still toads aplenty. Right now, there are not only baby toads, and the occasional frog, but "toadpoles" in every stage of development. In addition to the fully developed baby amphibians, there are tadpoles with no legs, tadpoles with front legs, tadpoles with four legs, and frogs and toads with tails. As we approached the grassy margin at the lake's edge, the shoreline was alive with crawling creatures, like ants on an anthill.

We saw dark masses that looked like fresh cow pies, but they turned out to be swarming, seething globs of tiny toads. When approached, these swarming amphibians madly dash away through the grass in a toadlet stampede, sounding - for all the world - like a giant bowl of crackling Rice Krispies.

The kids, equipped with buckets brought specifically for this purpose, began grabbing handfuls of little toads and tadpoles. Years ago, when our middle son visited the lake at age five, he did the same thing. But, due to an earlier incident that involved a cape, a tree, and an unexpected inability to fly, his arm was in a cast and several of the tiny amphibians slipped inside the cast, causing yet another unexpected problem.

This lake is very shallow in spots and, on a hot day, makes for a great place to take a swim in the shadow of the mountains. It's also a perfect site for a woodsy picnic lunch to help introduce neophytes to the great outdoors. Plus, the "official" wilderness is literally only a few yards beyond the lake.

In 2012, the Pole Creek Fire reached nearly to the lake but was stopped just short of it. Vestiges of the fire are quite apparent on the drive to the trailhead, but are hardly noticeable during the hike or at the lake itself.

When the time came to bring The Great Frog Hunt to an end, the kids reluctantly released their little captives back into the lake. The (mostly) downhill return trip went very quickly and was punctuated with many questions about frogs, toads, fish, trees and rocks. A walk to Little Three Creek Lake is like a visit to a science classroom.

To introduce yourself and your fledgling outdoor naturalists to Little Three Creek Lake, and maybe have your own Great Frog Hunt, take Elm Street south from Sisters. After crossing Whychus Creek, the road becomes Three Creek Lake Road. Follow it for a total of about 16 miles, the first 14 of which are paved. Turn right onto Forest Road 900 just before reaching Three Creek Lake. Continue through the campground. The trail begins at the end of this short road.

This is a fee-use area. If you do not have an annual forest pass, a self-service fee station for daily passes is located near the 900 Road turnoff at the Tam McArthur Rim Trailhead.