Conditions report for the mountains, sno-parks
Published 12:00 am Friday, January 8, 2021
- Skiers and snowboarders ride the Pine Marten Express chairlift with Broken Top in the background at Mt. Bachelor ski area in December 2020.
The mountains are packed with snow with recent storm systems moving through. This weekend may have a few bluebird days (or at least moments) in store for visitors to enjoy some of the fresh powder.
Remember, conditions can change quickly in the mountains so always be prepared with a map, shovel and other emergency supplies before you head out. If a parking area is full, find another place to play that has space and never park in restricted areas, along highways or where you’ll be blocking other vehicles.
For a full list of conditions updated regularly, please visit centraloregonexplore.com.
Hiking and Day Use Sites
NOTE: Many of the trails along seasonally closed highways and forest service roads remain open, but can only be accessed by hike, snowshoe, cross country ski or snowmobile due to accumulating snowfall. See Forest websites for more details and restrictions.
Deschutes National Forest
Black Butte Trailhead: Open
Black Crater Trailhead: Open
Broken Top Trailhead: Open
Buttes Loop Trailhead: Open
Cabot Lake Trailhead: Open
Canyon Creek Trailhead: Open
Charlton Lake Trailhead: Open
Crane Prairie Picnic Area: Open
Crater Butte Trailhead: Open
Crater Ditch Trailhead: Open
Cultus Lake Day Use Area: Open
Deer Lake Trailhead: Open
Devil’s Lake/South Sister Trailhead: Open
Dutchman Trailhead: Open
Edison Trailhead: Open
Elk Lake Trailhead: Open
Green Lakes Trailhead: Open
Head of Jack Creek Trailhead: Open
Jack Lake Trailhead: Open
Jefferson Lake: Open
Lava Lake Day Use: Open
Lemish Lake Trailhead: Open
Little Fawn Day Use: Open
Lucky Lake Trailhead: Open
Many Lakes Trailhead: Open
Meissner Trailhead: Open
Metolius-Windigo: Open
Park Meadow: Open; moderate deadfall on tie trail to Tam Rim
Paulina Falls Picnic and Trailhead: Open
Paulina Lake Day Use: Open
Peter Skene Ogden Trailhead: Open; patchy snow, ice and mud
Pole Creek Trailhead: Open
Rockpile Lake: Open
Rosary Lakes Trailhead: Open
Round Lake Trailhead: Open
Six Lakes Trailhead: Open
Skyliners Trailhead: Open
South Twin Day Use — Launch: Open
Sparks Lake Trailhead: Open
Summit Lake: Open
Sunset View Day Use: Open
Swampy Lakes Trail: Open
Tam McArthur Rim Trailhead: Open
Ten Mile Trailhead: Open
Todd Lake Trailhead: Open
Tumalo Falls Trailhead: Open; Tumalo Falls Road is closed at the gate, visitors must hike, walk or snowshoe in
Tumalo Mountain: Open
Wake Butte Trailhead: Open
Wanoga Trailhead: Open
Winopee Trailhead: Open
Deschutes National Forest — Diamond Peak Wilderness
Crater Butte Trailhead: Open
Fawn Lake Trail: Open
Snell Lake Trail: Open
Whitefish Creek Trail: Open
Yoran Lake Trail: Open
Stag Lake Trail: Open
Oregon State Parks
La Pine State Park: Open, expect reduced services; winter day-use hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; meeting hall is closed
Ski areas and snow parks
Updated 8 a.m. Jan. 7
Hoodoo: Open; 57.7-inch base; all lifts operating
Mt. Bachelor: Open; 75-inch base; Red Chair is being used as a backup for Pine Marten and First Rays lift is closed
Willamette Pass: 36 inches at lodge; rentals and tickets must be reserved online in advance
Deschutes National Forest
Crescent Lake Sno-Park: Open; 8-12 inches; poor conditions due to low snow
Crescent Junction: Open; 8-12 inches; poor conditions due to low snow
Dutchman Sno-Park: Open; 36-50 inches; good conditions, limited parking and no overnight camping; 40-foot max length limit for vehicle/trailer combination; expect heavy use
Edison Butte Sno-Park: Open; 10-18; inches; good conditions; area roads closed to highway vehicles through March 31, 2021
Kapka Butte Sno-Park: Open; 24-36 inches; good conditions; area roads closed to highway vehicles through March 31, 2021
Meissner Sno-Park: Open; 12-24 inches; good conditions; area roads closed through April 1, 2021; no dogs; lodge currently closed
Skyliner Sno-Park: Open; unknown snow depth, access road closed for the season, road is now a ski/snowshoe trail
Swampy Sno-Park: Open; 24-36 inches; good conditions; no dogs; area roads closed through March 31, 2021
Vista Butte Sno-Park: Open; 24-36 inches; fair conditions; area north of parking area closed to snowmobiles, use Kapka Butte or Wanoga
Wanoga Snow Play: Open; 16-30 inches; good conditions; expect heavy use; pack out broken sleds and all trash; shelter is closed
Wanoga Snowmobile: Open; 18-30 inches; good conditions; area roads closed to highway vehicles through March 31, 2021
Newberry (Six Mile Sno-Park): Open; 0-2 inches; poor conditions due to low snow.
Newberry (10 Mile Sno-Park): Open; 12-24 inches; good conditions; road beyond park closed to vehicles for the season
Three Creek Sno-Park (Lower): Open; 0-2 inches; poor conditions due to low snow; sno-park not plowed due to lack of funding
Three Creek Sno-Park (Upper): Open; 8-16 inches; poor conditions due to low snow, bare ground on ski and snowshoe trails
Walt Haring Sno-Park: 8-12 inches; poor conditions due to low snow
Ochoco National Forest:
Bandit Springs Sno-Park: Open
Mark’s Creek Sno-Park: Open
Ochoco Divide Sno-Park: Open
Walton Sno-Park: Open
Willamette National Forest
Gold Lake Sno-Park: Open
Ikenick Sno-Park: Open
Little Nash Sno-Park: Open
Maxwell Sno-Park: Open; Mountain View and South Maxwell shelters are closed
Potato Hill Sno-Park: Open
Ray Benson Sno-Park: Open
Salt Creek Sno-Park: Open
Santiam Sno-Park: Open
Waldo Lake Sno-Park: Open
Cycling
Fatbike and winter trails:
Ben’s-MTB-Kent’s, Horse Butte Loop: Muddy
Wanoga — 3 PSI, Wanoga — Outer Loop: Rideable snow
All other trials riding well
Phil’s Trail Complex
All trails are unrideable due to snow or mud
Wanoga Trail Complex
Deschutes River, Funner: Winter mix
Tiddlywinks, Catch and Release: Rideable snow
All other trails reporting deep snow
North of Skyliner trails
Shevlin Park: Riding well
All other trails reporting deep snow
Fishing
Updated at 8 a.m. Jan. 7
Upper Deschutes at Benham Falls: 514 cfs; section is closed for the season to anglers.
Fall River: Brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout; fish during warmest parts of the day; access limited depending on snow; fly fishing only with barbless hooks; fishing has been good for trout, all public access to the hatchery remains closed
McKenzie River (at Clear Lake): 686 cfs
McKenzie River (near Belknap Springs): 1,570 cfs; rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout; current hatches — blue winged olive, midge, sculpin; river access may be limited due to the Holiday Farm Fire.
Crane Prairie Reservoir: 80% full; brook trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, rainbow trout; fishing is closed for the season
Wickiup Reservoir: 35% full; kokanee, rainbow and brown trout, largemouth bass and catfish; fishing is closed for the season
East Lake: Brown trout, kokanee, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon; access road is closed but fishing is open year-round
Paulina Lake: Kokanee, rainbow and brown trout; good fishing for trout and kokanee
North Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; fair fishing; high clearance vehicle needed to get to the lake
South Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; fair fishing; high clearance vehicle needed to get to the lake
Davis Lake: Water level is low; rainbow trout and largemouth bass. Fly fishing only
Lava Lake: Rainbow trout; access road is closed but fishing open year-round
Little Lava Lake: Rainbow trout, brook trout and whitefish
Cultus Lake: Mackinaw, rainbow and brook trout
Hosmer Lake: Brook, cutthroat and rainbow trout; fly fishing only with barbless hooks
Elk Lake: Brook trout and kokanee; jigging, still-fishing and trolling from a boat or fly fishing are best
Crescent Lake: 26% full; kokanee, mackinaw, rainbow and brown trout, whitefish and chub; winter is good for brown trout; one lake trout per day, 24-inch minimum
Fire danger is currently listed as Moderate in both the Deschutes National Forest and Ochoco National Forest. Fire danger is listed as Low in the Willamette National Forest.
As of Oct. 14, the Industrial Fire Precaution Level as been lowered to a Level 1 for the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests and the Prineville District — Bureau of Land Management.
As of July 22, Deschutes River access is closed due to safety concerns and to prevent further erosion to the river bank. The access point will be closed until further notice. For more information visit bendparksandrec.org
More Conditions

Heading outside: Tamolitch Falls along the McKenzie River Trail makes for a great springtime destination
