Timothy Lake Trail #528

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Features Fall Colors · Lake · Spring · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers

Timothy Lake Trail one of the three trails that makes a loop around Timothy Lake. Starting south of Little Crater Campground it runs along the west and south side of Timothy Lake to the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 just past Oak Fork Campground. The Southshore Trail #529 goes along the shoreline through campgrounds while the Timothy Lake Trail stays to the south of the crowded areas. The PCT on the east shore makes up the third trail in the loop. The Timothy Lake Trail on the south side of the lake has slightly more elevation gain and drop, but avoids the high use areas in the campground maintaining a pleasant forested outing.

Start at the Little Crater Lake Campground Dayuse area. Head to the end of Little Crater Lake Trail #500 and turn left on the PCT #2000. Continue for 1/3 of a mile to the junction with Timothy Lake Trail #528 and turn right (west). The trail travels away from the lake and over a bridge for 0.8 miles to the renovated North Arm Campground along the lake. Cross the campground loop road twice heading away from the lake.

Continue south past North Arm Campground above the lake. At milepost 3 is Meditation Point Trail, on your left (east) to some campsites. The trail continues south through the forest well away from the lakeshore, crossing a bridge and and heading down towards Dinger Creek. At the creek there is another large bridge and the trail is back on the shoreline again. Follow the trail another 1/3 of a mile to the Westshore Dayuse Area, south to Road 57 and cross over the dam.

At the east end of the dam, turn right on Forest Road 5740 and take an immediate left on a gated road as it climbs towards a water tower and microwave site, following the signs to Timothy Lake Trail. Follow the trail southeast and it crosses Road 57 just east of Hoodview Campground. At the intersection with Southshore Trail #529, turn right (east) to stay on Timothy Lake Trail. Follow the trail along the undeveloped lakeshore section till it comes to another Southshore Trail #529 junction that takes you towards campgrounds. Stay to the right on Timothy Lake Trail as it heads to the south of Gone Creek and Oak Fork campground but stays north of Road 57. The trail will cross both of the campground entrance roads. A 1/4 mile later, you come to the junction with the Miller Trail #534, Timothy Lake makes a hard left turn and crosses the Southshore Trail junction before crossing a large bridge and ending at the PCT#2000.

Timothy Trail takes you past lush forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock, some mountain hemlock, lodgepole, western white pine, noble and silver fir. In September and October, the vine and big leaf maple, alder and larch provide great fall color. The trail also has lots of yew trees, that are small diameter trees with orange brown bark, and dark green flat needles. The bark of yew trees produces taxol that slows the growth of centuries old trees to less than 6" in diameter. Taxol which has now been synthesized, is used to fight some cancers because it slows the growth of cancer cells like it slows the growth of the tree. Ground cover has salal, Oregon grape, sword fern, oxalis, huckleberry, bear grass, and rhododendron. You may also see some trillium, bunchberry, lupine, and Indian paintbrush.