Carl Lake in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness.

If you’re looking for a scenic wilderness hike but not wanting to encounter big crowds, hikers can venture northwest of Bend to the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. The Cabot Lake Trail leads hikers 4 1/2 miles to Carl Lake, at about 5,600 feet in elevation, just east of the Cascade crest. Accessing the Cabot Lake Trailhead requires a drive of about 14 miles on paved and gravel Deschutes National Forest Service roads north from U.S. Highway 20 near Suttle Lake.