South Sister Summit is the third highest mountain in Oregon, and there is actually a way to get up there! It is about 20 minutes away from Bend, and 3.5 hours away from Portland. I would recommend to stay at Bend for a night first and hike up to the summit early next morning.
The total hiking trail distance is about 11.5 miles and the round trip would take between 8-12 hours depending on how fast you can go. The trails starts at Devils Lake Campground. There are many hikers we camped at Devils Lake for a night to prepare for the hike next morning. When you get to Devils Lake Campground, there is a $5 parking fee. Then when you start to do the hike, you will also need to fill up the form for tracking purpose. You just need to fill in your name and number of people in your party.
The first section of this hiking trail is through the forest. There is a substantial elevation gain in this section and a little hard to work due to all the tree trunks on the ground. So be a bit careful when you walk and don't trip over. Some people might already find this first section some what challenging; however, if you think this first section is difficult, you will not be able to make it to the top! This first section will take around 1 hour to 1.5 hour to complete. You will come out of the forest after completing the first section. The second section is very different than first section. The second section has an almost flat hiking trail and this is a perfect opportunity for you to catch some breaths.
The second section is very easy as previously mentioned. While you hit on the trail, you can see Broken Top on East side and you can see South Sister in front of you. That is where you are heading to! The hiking trail also takes a detour to Moraine Lake if you would like to pay a visit. It is an additional 1 to 2 hour hike. Some hikers also choose to camp at Moraine Lake at night and leave the hiking gears there when they head up to South Sister summit. If you are just making a day hike, I don't recommend you to make a detour to Moraine Lake. You can kind of already see Moraine Lake from the original trail. So save our energy for the next section of the trail because you really need it.
The third section is where the hiking trail start to ascend! At times you might have to climb on rocks. Many hikers start to slow down here and take out the walking stick. The walking stick will really help you to balance yourself and make the hike easier. When we went hiking, we didn't have the hiking sticks with us and slowed down our hike on this part of the trail. At the end of the third section, you will climb up onto a ridge by Teardrop Lake. Now take your time here and have a good rest because the last section of the trail is very difficult.
The last section of the trail is pretty much full of red lava sand. You walk 2 steps and slide down 1 step. The trail is also very steep and you have to zig-zag your way up the trail! Sometimes there might still be snow on the trail, so pay close attention here and don't slip! I recommend you to carry a pair of gloves with you and wear the gloves here. This is because you might need to hold on to some lava rocks and these rocks have some sharp edges.
At the end of this last section, you are finally at the top! Now you just have walk across the snowy field to the other side of the rim to see the other 2 Sister mountains! The view is amazing and it is definitely worth your time and effort to hike up here!
Overall, this is one of my favorite hike that I have done. Make sure you carry enough water with you and reapply sunscreen whenever possible. Also, bring hiking sticks and gloves since these items will definitely help you!
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