East Fork Lostine Trail to Mirror Lake - 9/20/2025
East Fork Lostine Trail to Mirror Lake
Today I drove up to Oregon to hike to explore Mirror Lake before heading back to Phoenix. I really enjoyed the Ice Lake, and Aneroid Lake hikes a few weeks ago, and this one would be no exception. According to the reviews on AllTrails this hike was supposed to start off steep, and then level off quickly. Maybe my legs have toughened up, because no part of the trail felt steep.
When I arrived at the trailhead I was freezing cold. It was in the upper 40s, and all I wore was shorts, and a sun hoodie. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, as hiking normally warms me up quickly, but I had to fill out an entry permit, and stuff cash entry entry fee envelope. After doing all that I hit the trail, and quickly warmed up. I used my hiking poles for the first few miles, and then put them away when I realized it was an easy hike. After the initial climb the trail leveled off into butterfly filled meadows, creeks, and ponds. The entire trail, from beginning to end, was absolutely stunning. Every person I passed in, and out, was out there backpacking, and camping. Just like my previous hikes in the Wallowa area, I was able to hike quickly and effortlessly without the burden of a heavy pack.
I hung out at the lake for quite a while, enjoying the serenity. At one point a butterfly landed on my land, and tried to eat me. After eating my lunch I hit the trail, and made my way quickly back to the car. I didn't do much trail running this time. I hiked fairly quickly down the trail, only tripping once. When I tripped over a root and fell my Garmin watch triggered the emergency mode, which I quickly cancelled. I didn't even know my watch could do that. Luckily nobody was around to witness that.
