Milli Fire-hit Black Crater Trail reopens after rehab

The Sisters Ranger District on the Deschutes National Forest said Monday it has reopened the Black Crater Trail and Trailhead that were closed due to post-fire hazards after the 2017 Milli Fire.

Black Crater is a popular trailhead located on Highway 242 that accesses the Three Sisters Wilderness and provides excellent views of the Central Cascade Mountain peaks.

The Black Crater Trail experienced high-intensity fire activity on a steep slope during the Milli Fire, which burned more than 24,000 acres in August and September of last year, much of it in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area.

Forest Service officials said they were able to assess the condition of the trail this summer and work with numerous partners to now reopen the well-loved trail to the public.

Trail crews worked with local non-profit organizations Sisters Trail Alliance and Sawyers with Attitude (SWATs) to remove dead and downed trees from the trail and complete drainage work while local Forest Service fire crews removed hazard trees at the trailhead.

The Oregon Department of Transportation utilized heavy equipment to clean out sediment that filled the trailhead from a debris flow that occurred this summer and spread gravel at the trailhead to improve parking conditions.

There are many still standing dead trees along the trail that will not be removed, officials said, and visitors should be aware of their surroundings when traveling through burned areas.

Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid said, “Employees, volunteers and cooperating agencies such as ODOT all played a key role in safely and efficiently reopening this treasured access to the top of Black Crater. We hope the public enjoys getting up there to experience the spectacular views of this remarkable landscape.”