Rising twenty miles west of Bend, Broken Top’s crumbling, glacier-carved slopes provide a challenging ascent for experienced hikers. This 15.7-mile out-and-back starts at the Park Meadow Trailhead and heads northwest. The first 4 miles roll through shady forest, crossing Snow Creek, Squaw Creek, and East Fork Park Creek. You’ll also pass through Park Meadow, an expansive grassland that offers the first open views of Broken Top.
At mile 5, turn left onto a climber’s trail that leads to Golden Lake. (You’ll find more striking views of Broken Top from the meadows surrounding the lake.) From here, it’s a slow and difficult ascent to the northwest ridge. Find the best available path through loose gravel, shale, and scree to the low point on the ridge.
After cresting the ridge, it’s a 1.3-mile traverse on loose soil and rock to the base of the summit block. A 10-foot (low 5th class) rock climb and a 300-foot 3rd class scramble lead to the summit. Soak up views of the surrounding Cascade Peaks before retracing your steps to the trailhead.
-Mapped by Trung Q. Le
To Trailhead
From 14th St. and Galveston Ave./Skyliners Rd., head west on Galveston Ave./Skyliners Rd. In 9.5 miles, turn right onto River Rd. In 0.3 mile, turn right onto NFD 4601 Trail/Tumalo Falls Rd. In 0.2 mile, turn left onto NFD 4601 Rd./Tumalo Falls Rd. In 1 mile, turn right onto unnamed road. In 2 miles, turn left toward NFD 4601 Trail/Tumalo Loop Rd. In 1.4 miles, turn left onto NFD 4601 Trail/Tumalo Loop Rd. In 1.9 miles, bear right onto NFD 370 Trail. In 5.5 miles, bear right onto NFD 16 Rd. Go 1.7 miles to the Park Meadow Trailhead parking area.
