Upper Three Creek: Metolius-Windigo Tr99
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Overall: 6
Aerobic: 5
Technical: 5
Steepness: 5
Flow: 7
Singletrack: 90%
The Sisters Oregon Upper Three Creek ride is a southern Sisters ranger district segment of Metolius-Windigo Tr99, a loop which starts at the Melvin Butte parking area and extends to Three Creek Lake.
Type
Loop
Length
Avg: 16mi
Ascent
Moderate
Elevation Change
TH:4800'
Avg Ascent:2700'
Ascent Incline
5%
Duration
Avg: 3hr
Weather
Forecast
NOAA
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USFS
Although not a destination ride, this section of Metolius-Windigo Tr99 is worth checking out if camping in the area or after the Bend RD trails have been explored.
The southern Sisters ranger district is fairly isolated, with less trail development than the Bend ranger district.
North of the Three Creek Lake area, Metolius-Windigo Tr99 becomes more of a doubletrack equestrian-favored trail, so this is the northern Metolius-Windigo Tr99 ride.
To the south, check out sections covered on the Tumalo Tr25, Swampy Lk Tr23, Sparks Lk Tr4 and High Cascades pages.
The Three Creek Meadow campground and the Three Creek Lake Driftwood campground are perfectly located for mountain bike camping, with easy access to the Tumalo Tr25 and Mrazek Tr32 trail systems.
Although tempting to ride south on Metolius-Windigo Tr99 to Mrazek Tr32 or the Tumalo Tr25 area, that will result in an inverted ride profile.
Better to shuttle to the Tumalo TH or just start the ride from there.
The Three Creek Lake area is a popular XC Ski and Sisters hiking base camp, with access to the Three Sisters Wilderness area and plenty of doubletrack to explore.
Directions: See Map. Start at the Melvin Butte parking lot or at the large parking area near Cross District Tr4082 on FR16. View Larger Map. No Map?.
OAB Directions
multi-use
Three Creek Lake Area Topo Map
- TH: Ride from the Melvin Butte parking area, past the Metolius-Windigo Tr99 intersection to the Cross District Tr4082 intersection. There are several large paved parking lots at this intersection, which can also be used as the TH.
- 1.9mi: From the Cross District Tr4082 intersection, take the doubletrack and gradually ascend to FR16 at 5.8mi, then go right and ride to the Three Creek Lake Driftwood campground. The CG road starts at 6.9mi, just past the Three Creek Meadow campground, passing a Metolius-Windigo Tr99 intersection on the right at 6.6mi (just prior to crossing Three Creek) and on the left at 6.8mi, just prior to turning onto the campground road.
- 7.8mi: Go right onto the driftwood campground road, cross the creek, then go right onto Little Three Creek Lake Tr4076. Go straight at the 8.7mi Metolius-Windigo Tr99 intersection and at the 9.1mi Park Meadow Tie Tr4102 intersection. Option: ride to Little Three Creek Lake on these interconnecting trails. Expect a lot of local traffic in this popular camping area.
- 9.3mi: Ride summit. Begin the 6mi descent, crossing Snow Creek at 10.7mi, then riding alongside another Snow Creek tributary before heading north at 11.9mi. Cross a 4WD trail, which rejoins Metolius-Windigo Tr99 at 12.7mi.
- 14.3mi: Pass through the Cross District Tr4082 intersection and approach FR16 .1mi further. If riding the doubletrack back to the TH, then continue on the doubletrack section of Metolius-Windigo Tr99 to 14.9mi, then bear right onto the doubletrack and head back to the TH.
Trail Index
This Ride
Metolius-Windigo Trail 99, Little Three Creek Lake Trail 4076, Park Meadow Tie Trail 4102, Three Creek Meadow Trail 4103
Area
Cross District Trail 4082, Green Ridge Trail 4025, Sisters Mountain Bike Trail 4090
Bend Area
Bens Trail 50, COD Trail 71, Deschutes River Trail 2.3, Elfin Magic Trail 45, Farewell Trail 26, Flagline Trail 41, Flagline Access Trail 40.1, Flagline Tie Trail 41.1, Funner, Grand Slam Trail 44, Kents Trail 43, KGB Trail 72, Mrazek Trail 32, MTB Trail 51, North Fork Trail 24.2, Phils Trail 42, Sector 16 Trail 27, Skyliners Trail 28, South Fork Trail 25, Storm King Trail 48, Swampy Lake Trail 23, Swampy Loop Trail 23.2, Swampy-Dutchman Trail 40, Swede Ridge Trail 52, Three Creek Meadow Trail 4103, Tiddlywinks, Tumalo Creek Trail 25.1, Tumalo Ridge Trail 25.2, Voodoo Trail 46
Metolius-Windigo Tr99 Biking
Cultus: Deer Lake Trail 6, Green Ridge Trail 4025, Sparks Lake Trail 4, Swampy-Dutchman Trail 40, Crescent to Windy Lake: Summit Lake Trail 46, Three Creek Meadow Trail 4103
Three Sisters Wilderness Hiking
Broken Top Trail 10, Camp Lake Trail 4074, Cross District Trail 4082, Demaris Lake Trail 4074.1, Green Lakes Trail 17, North Sister Climbing Route, Park Meadow Trail 4075, Pacific Crest Trail 2000-E, Tam McArthur Trail 4078.1, Todd Trail 34
XC Ski
Snow Creek XC Trail 4107, Three Creeks Lake XC Trail 4084, Triangle Hill Loop Trail 83988
Campgrounds
Black Rock Campground, Driftwood Campground, Three Creek Lake Campground, Three Creek Meadow Campground
Trail Rankings
Ranking consistently applied to all of the listed trails.
- Overall Rating: Ride quality and challenge
- Aerobic: Ascent challenge
- Technical Difficulty: Terrain challenge
- Steepness: Average incline
- Flow: Uninterrupted riding
- Elevation Change: Total elevation gain
- Ride Difficulty: Terrain challenge
