From the trailhead the trail proceeds north up Fall Creek to Green Lakes and the up to the pass between the South Sister and Broken Top above Green Lakes. At the pass the trail becomes the Green Lakes Trail No. 4070 of the Sisters Ranger District. Horses should not use the Green Lakes Trail until it melts entirely free of snow and drys out in late July or August. If hiking when snow remains, please stay on trail or snow, rather than creating new trails and damaging fragile vegetation. Mosquitoes are quite hungry early in the summer.

This trail is one of the most over used in the Three Sisters Wilderness with little opportunity for solitude. Thus users are strongly encouraged to seek less visited trails, especially on weekends. Other Wilderness trails that offer lovely scenery and considerably more solitude include: Wickiup Plains Trail (#12.1), Mirror Lakes Trail No. 20, Horse Lake Trail No. 2, Island Meadow Trail No. 3, Senoj Lake Trail No. 14.1, Corral Swamp Trail No. 8, and the Many Lakes Trail No. 15.

The trail enters the Three Sisters Wilderness Area shortly after leaving the trailhead. Wilderness Permits are required for both day-use and overnight travel in the Wilderness from Memorial Day Weekend until Oct. 31. Permits are available at the trailhead.

Camping at Green Lakes, 4.4 miles from trailhead, is restricted to designated campsites only, typically full by Friday evening each weekend. Campfires are not permitted within 1/4 mile of the lakes to protect the fragile ecosystem.