What's going on with the Jefferson Lake Trail?

Over the last few years, I've heard multiple conflicting stories about the status of the Jefferson Lake Trail in the far northern extremity of Deschutes National Forest. This trail closely parallels the out-of-sight Jefferson Creek, which forms the southern boundary of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

The trail lapsed into disuse in the wake of the B & B Fire, which mercilessly ravaged the area in 2003. Subsequently, more hearsay reported that the trail had so much downed timber that it was impassable. It's a trail I'd never traveled, so I didn't really know what to make of the loss. Later reports said that the area became so overgrown with ceanothus (snowbrush) that the entire region was impassable, and the trail had to be abandoned.

Then, a few years ago, someone told me that a couple was living in the area each summer, with the goal of reopening the trail. One report said that about two miles had been cleared, but that the trail still didn't really go anywhere. More recently, I heard that about four miles had been cleared and that someone had hacked their way to Jefferson Lake - a distance of nearly seven miles, one way - for an overnight stay. 

For the last several years, we've been saying that we needed to get up there and check it out; but it always seemed to slip down on our list of priorities. So, last week, when I asked my hiking buddy for a destination suggestion for our next outing, the answer was immediate: "Jefferson Lake Trail." I checked the Forest Service website, which stated - without further explanation or qualification - that the trail covered more than nine miles to connect with the Cabot Lake Trail.

Driving toward the trailhead, we went through many miles of the bleak B & B burn before suddenly entering a glorious unburned forest as we approached the beginning of the hike. Trailhead information simply showed an open trail ahead. The first mile or so was some of the most magnificent forest I've seen on the east side of the mountains, and I briefly indulged the fantasy that the entire trail would be like that. As it turned out, of course, that first mile was only a beautiful reminder of the forest that once was; but the mammoth old-growth Douglas firs, alone, were worth the trip.

Still, with a thick green canopy and sunlight filtering into the understory, as the trail first crossed, then followed, Candle Creek, it was a splendid beginning to our hike. The next section of trail emerged from the forest onto an old lava flow, which provided some rough-going in places, but also some great scenery amidst the red and yellow fall colors of the turning vine maple leaves.

Soon, however, the trail dove into the much-expected ceanothus jungle, which rose to heights of more than 10 feet. In places, we had to fight our way through, as the vegetation nearly obscured the trail, as the dense branches sometimes stretched beyond those reaching out from the opposite side of the trail.

We were reminded of last month's search and rescue case in this area, where a man became lost and trapped in the dense, intertwined ceanothus bushes. Exhausted and out of water in 104-degree heat, he managed to get a cell phone signal and called 911. Even so, he was within hours of death when he was finally rescued.

Around the two-mile mark, we encountered the only true "landmark" on this stretch of view-starved trail. Cougar Springs is a small, but very vigorous, little stream that races across the trail, even if it is only a few inches wide. Because of the moisture in this spot, the ceanothus plays second fiddle to an array of vegetation that includes a variety of deciduous plants and young mixed-conifer trees, including ponderosa pine, white pine, Douglas fir, true firs, and even a few cedars.

At about the 2.5-mile mark, the trail opened up a bit; and we saw brown, but fairly recently cut, ceanothus at the trail's edge. Soon, we began to see what looked like freshly cut ceanothus. Then up ahead, we eventually saw people, who turned out to be a volunteer trail crew of five, headed up by Mark and Holly Scott; and all our questions relating to the trail were about to be answered.

The first thing we learned from the crew was that the trail was, in fact, open all the way to connect with the Cabot Lake Trail. We were introduced to the Scotts, and Mark explained, "We just love trails, and we hiked the PCT in 2011." He went on to say, "We heard they were contemplating closing this trail down, so we hiked in here to see it."

That was in 2015; and, as a result of that visit, they decided to see what they could do to salvage the trail, and they gained approval from the Forest Service to pursue the idea. The next year, in 2016, they cleared the trail with the help of 33 other people and a total of 1,200 volunteer hours on 20 separate trips. "We didn't realize what we were getting into," he said; "but, now, years later, we're still at it."

I told him that I'd heard they were living up here all summer each year to work on the trail. He laughed and said, "...no, but sometimes it feels like it." So far this year, they have completed 12 trips, with more to come.

Holly Scott echoed Mark's comments. "When they considered decommissioning this trail, we thought, 'Oh, Noooooo! We need more trails, not less.'" And so their quest was born, and still continues. "I guess we do this because we believe this is a unique area that should not be lost due to lack of commitment," Mark said. "We believe in the importance of free access to our wilderness areas."

They have received some volunteer help along the way, like the three helpers they had when we ran into them. He said they have also had help from Outward Bound, and REI employees are coming in to help with the project this week. We learned from Mark that the spur trail to Jefferson Lake itself has not been cleared. "There are more than 200 downed trees on that trail," he said. "Since we're limited to handsaws in the wilderness, it's just too much for us to do."

We left the work party and continued on to about the four-mile mark, where the view opened up to what would have been an expansive close-up view of Mt. Jefferson, had the clouds not obscured most of it. Still we could see snowfields on its flanks that seemed only a stone's throw away.

We ate lunch in this scenic spot, then retraced our steps to where the work party continued to labor. Some of the dense ceanothus that had choked the trail on our inward trek was gone, but now lay in great heaps over the trail. We paused to chat again with the volunteers and helped toss some of the debris off the trail, although it was little more than a token gesture, considering all the work they had performed.

We continued on and made a lengthy stop at Cougar Springs for no other reason than it was a nice place to sit and enjoy the wilderness. Cougar Springs may have come by its name naturally, since we saw some freshly cleaned deer bones nearby.

Continuing on, we could occasionally hear the roaring of Jefferson Creek in the not-too-far distance. When we reached the beautiful oasis of old-growth forest along Candle Creek, we knew that our outing was nearing its conclusion; and it was a pleasure to revel in its grandeur one more time, as we completed our modest eight-mile hike.

Anyway, bottom line, the Jefferson Lake Trail is open; but getting to the lake itself would be something of an endurance contest.

If you are really ambitious, a car drop at the nearby Cabot Lake Trailhead could make for a wilderness loop of more than 16 miles.

This whole area is very lightly traveled.

In fact, the Scotts would like to see more traffic on a trail they have been laboring to preserve for the enjoyment of others.

And, if you think you might like to help them in this quest, you are invited to contact them at [email protected] They plan to continue their work into mid-October.

Plus, there is always next year!

The Jefferson Lake Trailhead can be reached by following the Camp Sherman Road (Forest Road 12) all the way to its intersection with roads 1290 and 1292 at the edge of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The Sugar Pine Ridge Trail, which once branched off this trail, has been abandoned and is no longer maintained.