Saving the Best for Last: Hiking around Todd Lake

Date: July 2, 2020
Place: Todd Lake, Three Sisters Wilderness, Bend, Oregon
Coordinates: 44.023961, -121.682315

Length: 1.8 miles

Level: easy

The hike around Todd Lake was our last hike of the one day we dedicated to the Three Sisters Wilderness on our 4 days stay in Bend, in the summer of 2020. It was a hot day and earlier that day we hiked an in-and-out trail to Doris Lake, and then a loop trail near Sparks Lake. We were hot and getting tired, and I promised the chikas that is last hike would be much shorter, and flat. I didn't take into consideration the short incline walk from the small parking area to the beginning of the loop and the chikas gave me baleful looks as we made our way up the exposed bit of uphill trail. 

Our hike as captured by my GPS

The chikas calmed down when we came in view of the lake and under the deep shade of the trees by the shore. The young chika extended her arm out and I handed my camera over to her. I think this is the first and only post in this blog where none of the photos posted were taken by me. 

Todd Lake

Todd Lake was full to the brim and overflowing. The lovely sight of abundant water made it easy to forget that it was early in summer still, and that in normal years there would be much more snow around, feeding the lake through the rest of the summer. As it was, a few small and dirty patches were all the snow we saw. The elder chika was thrilled by the snow and immediately quenched her heat by lying down on the dirty snow.

I was more thrilled by the wildflowers. This was the one hike that day where I actually got to see a nice display of mountain bloom. I was tempted to ask for my camera back but the young chika saw what I was looking at and promptly photographed each and every plant on our way. She did a good job, too.

Phacelia

The Todd Lake trail surrounds the lake along the edge of the surrounding forest. Fairly soon into the hike the forest and us were distant from the lake, separated by a large wetland area that was very green and the soil under and between the plants was very soggy. Near the trees was a large patch of white and yellow flowers that looked like marsh marigolds. Way down by the lake shore, was a large field of yellow flowers which I couldn't recognize at that distance. I could only hope that I'll see them blooming closer to the trail later.

We took the clock-wise direction, which kept us well shaded on the first half of the hike. We made our way along the western shore of Todd Lake, and to the north loomed the Broken Top Volcano. Broken Top isn't one of the Three Sisters, but it is part of that volcanic complex area.

Broken Top

Despite the occasional snow patch, the exposed forest soil was very dry, with very little undergrowth. The trail stretched between the trees following the lake shore fairly closely. 

near the northwest side of the lake we exited the woods into a lovely, moist meadow. After a bit of squinting in the bright light I started looking around for wildflowers. 

Indeed, there were plenty of wildflowers all over the place. More than enough compensation for the two previous hikes to Doris Lake and Sparks Lake, which were relatively 'dry' in this aspect. 

Shootingstar (Primula sp.) and Paintbrush, (Castilleja sp.)

In the bright sunlight the young chika also got better photos of the marsh marigolds. There were many of them around as well. 

Marsh Marigold

The meadow soil was very soggy and large areas were flooded. There was no way of getting near the lake from the north without sinking in the mud and destroying the fragile wetland there. The trail curved westward around the flooded area, and getting more distance from the body of the lake.  

With their strong zoom lenses, Pappa Quail and the elder chika scanned the lake surface and the shore for birds. They did find a spotted sandpiper by the lake shore. The spotted sandpiper is a shorebird that can be found in many habitats, including high mountain lakes. We would meet spotted sandpipers again by the end of this road trip, high up by Emerson lake at the South Warner Wilderness. 

Spotted Sandpiper

By the north end of Todd Lake the trail separated from the woods and crossed the meadow by narrow boardwalk segments, connected by very muddy bits of trail. It was still hot, despite the later afternoon hour. I walked near my young chika, and she clicked my camera in every direction. 

Boardwalk

west of us was a low hill with smaller and more disperse trees. The green extended up the mild slope between the trees, and like star-strewn, it was dotted wuth bloomng marsh marigolds. 

To the south the wetland meadow extended a long way to the lake, at lease the size of a football field. Above the lake towered the now familiar Mount Bachelor. I picked the nicest of the many photos my chika took of that view and posted it at the top of this post. After we stepped off the main boardwalk we still had a good distance to wade through the muddy trail to the other side where the trail entered the woods again. 

The sight of Mount Bachelor looming over Todd Lake on this bright summer day is my favorite image of our entire day at the Three Sisters Wilderness. 

Mount Bachelor and Todd Lake

Most of the way back along the east shore of Todd Lake was also in the forest, under the welcomed shade of the trees. In the afternoon the east side was sunnier now, but the temperatures were finally going down a bit. 

Once again we were walking close to the lake itself and every w and then we could step over to the shore and look at the water. We found a small patch of cornilies that were nt yet in bloom. 

Cornlily

Pappa Quail and the elder chika were looking for waterfowl, and on this side of the lake they did see some birds. 

Common Goldeneye

There weren't many birds in the lake but those that we did see made my family birders happy. The lake itself looked inviting for me to, but this one wasn't for swimming. 

Common Merganser

There were a few more wildflowers in the forest on the east side of the lake. And there was no snow on this side either. This two observations might be related. 

Violets

The young chika found a few fawn lilies blooming near the trail. These delicate wildflowers are of the early blooming species, another indication that summer here has just begun, despite the very low snow cover. 

Fawn Lily

The young chika found afew little mushrooms and it came to my mind that we hardly seen any mushrooms that entire day. A few near the Doris Lake parking area, and this little patch, and that's it. The mushrooms also didn't like the drought. 

Although we saw much fewer wildflowers than I expected to see up in the mountains at this time of year, the bloom we saw by Todd Lake was satisfactory considering the drought. And it was certainly the nicest we've seen that day. 

Lomatium

We completed the loop around Todd Lake and made our way downhill back to the parking lot. This was out last hike of the day. There was still plenty of daylight left but the chikas were tired and hungry and Pappa Quail to was already set on going back to town. I waved a mental goodby to Mount Bachelor and headed down after them. 

Mt. Bachelor

This day was our last full day in Bend, Oregon on our 2020 family radd trip. On the morrow we would get a couple more small hikes in the Newberry Volcano National Monument area, then head back south to California, via Alturas. 

A Lake In A Volcanic Landscape: Hiking at Sparks Lake Recreation Area

South Sister Volcano viewed from Sparks Lake

 

 

Date: July 2, 2020

Place: Three Sisters Wilderness, Bend, Oregon

Coordinates: 44.013223, -121.737217

Length: 2.5 miles

Level: easy 

Sparks Lake is at the Three Sisters area east of Bend, Oregon, just south of Mount Bachelor. On our 2020 summer family trip we stayed four days in Bend, hiking and bird watching. Our third day there we dedicated to the Three Sisters Wilderness in the Cascade Range east of Bend. We arrived at Sparks Lake after hiking a 5 miles in and out trail to Doris Lake, hike that was nice but not very special, and left us all wanting more. 

Near Sparks Lake there's a developed recreation area with a partially paved interpretive trail- the Ray Atkeson Memorial Trail, honoring Oregon's laureate nature photographer. 

Our hike as captured by my GPS

The first part of the trail was paved and easy. there were also numerous people walking there, making it difficult to take a human free photo of the trailhead area. It was a bit further down the trail. Our hike begun on a paved path through a thin conifer forest, and was very exposed and hot.

After a short distance the pavement ended and we were walking on a dusty dirt path made of volcanic sand. The volcanic features were one of the highlights of this trail, though many of them were simply too large to be captured on camera. 

There wasn't any major bloom along this trail but there were some pretty wildflowers, most of them blooming in small cracks and crevices in the basalt rock piles. There were some birds there too, and Pappa Quail and the elder chika would occasionally stop and gaze up at the tree canopies. Sometimes even I could see what they were looking at. 

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Much of the time however, I was more focused on the fascinating volcanic features around us, like this collapsed lava tube. 

A Collapsed Lava Tube

Of the wildflowers I saw growing on the basalt, I only identified a few. All of them were nice to look at and appreciated the hot and dry conditions in which the grew and flowered. 

The forest became thicker but even so the trail remained exposed and sunny. It was mid day and the sun was glaring right overhead and through the parted canopies. The elder chika complained about the head and because there was no creek crossing our path, she spilled some of her drinking water on her hat. I got upset that she spilled drinking water and she got offended and moved forward quickly, leaving me to runt to myself in the back. 

The heat affected all of us and Pappa Quail who was ahead also, started looking for a suitable place in the shade to have a break. I kept my mind on the interesting sights around and so keep it off the heat and the complaints of the chikas. 

A Fissure

We did find a nice shady nook and sat down for a while to rest and hydrate. The basalt that was exposed to the sun was too hot to touch but under the trees it the black volcanic rocks were nice and cool. 

We were close to the mid point of our hike when I admitted that we took the longer loop trail, evoking groans from the chikas. The elder chika exclaimed that she wouldn't believe me ever again when I'd say 'a short hike', not agreeing with me that the longer loop was in fact, a short hike. 

When we turned the south curve of the loop Mount Bachelor came into view. It is one of the prominent Cascade volcanoes of Central Oregon. There's a ski resort on its slopes although I very much doubt the resort was open at the time we were there. 

Mount Bachelor

We continued north in the growing day's heat. The elder chika and Pappa Quail were at the lead, searching the trees for compliant birds. The young chika stayed with me and kept ranting about how this entire rpad trip is all about nature and all the activities are hiking and birding. I reminded her that all indoor activities, even the local lava cave were closed because of the pandemic and that she normally likes hiking. 

She then continued ranting about not being useful on the hike, whatever that meant. So I offered her my camera. To my surprise, she took it and started taking photos 'for me'. Except for the bird photos taken by Pappa Quail, all the photos from now to the end of the hike and this post were taken by the young chika, with only a little direction from by when I didn't want to miss something, like this Penstemon on the rock. 

For some time we kept on walking between piles of broken basalt. According to my navigator we were getting close to the lake, so I started searching for it through the trees. 

When we finally arrived at the lake shore and had a nice view of the water, but something else stole the attention from the lake itself. The South Sister Volcano towered on the orizon, pulling pour gaze towards it. Below here is the mountain's close-up. The broad view of the scenery heads this blog post. 

South Sister

From there on the trail followed the contours of the lakeshore. The lake was pretty, with many little islets and coves. There were also more people on this part of the trail. 

Sparks Lake

There were more wildflowers blooming near the lake. The soil wasn't any damper, but it might have held winter moisture for a longer time. 

Bleeding Hearts

Even the birds seemed more numerous near the lake. This one landed on the log after Pappa Quail and the elder chika had moved ahead but the young chika captured it successfully. 

Chipping Sparrow

We were getting near the end but we ended up stopping for a good break on a cliff over the lake. The reason was a very unlikely one: Pappa Quail and the elder chika had spotted sandhill cranes in the little meadow by the lakeshore. There were two of them, not close to one another though, and they were walking slowly in the grass. I didn't think sandhill cranes visited the mountains but I guess the valley was simply too dry. Either way that was a very pleasant surprise seeing them there, and one that added to this hike many more points in the eyes of my family birders. 

Sandhill Crane

It was also the first place that day where we saw waterfowl, a few ducks floating in the water near the edge of the lake. 

Ring-necked Duck, juvenile

I was satisfied to simply sit there and enjoy the view. The sun however, was baking us, so eventually we said godbye to the cranes and continued the hike. 

South Sister over Sparks Lake

My family birders were happy now, but having seen and photographed cranes didn't stop them from admiring even smaller, and much more common birds as well. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

The trail bacem pavement once more as we approached the end of the loop. Once againb it was harder to find a minute without people on the trail. The South Sister moved to the side of our view and niw we could see Borken Top Volcano off to the side. 

We had a very lively hike despite the heat. Pappa Quail and the elder chika were satisfied with the birds they saw on this trail, and the young chika was content with being the photographer for everything else. taking advantage of this feeling of contentment, I convinced my family to go on just one more hike, a shorter one, on a mostly shaded trail. S after leaving the Sparks Lake Recreation Area we went to the nearby Todd Lake to squeeze that one extra hike before calling it a day.