Length: 4 miles round trip Elevation Change: 1100' gain Season: Summer thru Fall Difficulty: Moderate Permit: NW Forest Pass Required Features:
This is a fine little hike to a small shallow lake. In season it has a fine display of
flowers and mosquitos. In the fall the hike should make just a fine autumn stroll.
You begin the hike just around the corner from Fifteen Mile Camp.
The trail starts out quite steeply, but after about a quarter mile, things begin to
level out to a normal steady climb. You will hike through dense forest for a while,
then as you criss-cross Fret Creek, you begin to have a more swampy environment. The
trail has been well maintained with new bridges, but a single winter can change all
that. So don't be surprised if you have a lot of lots to crawl over. Keep in mind,
the forest here is of an eastern Oregon type, and high altitude, so for the most part
the trees are not large.... mostly a mixture of pine and mountain larch.
It is about 2 miles to Oval Lake. The lake is surrounded by forest and is very shallow.
You can see rocky crags sticking up behind the trees to the south. The divide trail
follows the base of those crags, and is worth the little extra effort if you leave the
lake and walk up to the divide trail.
Bear left at the Divide Trail #458 and after a short steep climb you'll enjoy spectacular
views both to the south with Mt Jefferson and to the north with Mt Adams and Mt Rainier.
