2 mi, 423 elevation gain, 56 minutes to complete…read more Small snowfield to cross if you start at watchman overlook. If you come from discovery point it would be longer but you would avoid any of the snow crossings. Totally worth the hike- one of the most amazing views in the park especially at sunrise or sunset! Lots of different wildflowers along the way and panoramic views. There is a cute fire lookout that appears to no longer be in use at the top.

I'd like to talk about not just hiking to Watchman Peak, but also the roadside pullover here at…read moreWatchman Overlook. So yes...there are 2 purposes for stopping at this Watchman Area. The Overlook from the rim and hiking the trail to Watchman Peak. This section of Crater Lake is deserving of 5 stars because...when driving around the 33 mile rim encompassing all of Crater Lake (although the views can get quite repetitive and monotonous)...the BEST APPEARANCES OF CRATER LAKE COMES FROM HERE AT WATCHMAN PEAK!!! That's what makes Watchman Overlook so worthwhile. Because the roadside emergence of not just Crater Lake, but the main centerpiece attraction to it all known as Wizard Island is the closest and most prevalent you'll find throughout the park. Watchman Overlook was the best observation viewpoint I can remember from my time spent at Crater Lake. Wizard Island sort of smacked me in the face through my camera lens...I was able to photograph Crater Lake in it's majestic entirety from the viewpoint. Whereas, many of the significantly less roadside Crater Lake stops can just be ordinary especially when you're pulled over far away from Wizard Island. Then the scenery was really a letdown. For instance, when you're on the other side of the lake near Phantom Ship, when I exited my car to look upon Crater Lake, it was like glancing into the abyss of some large sized lake of water, without any focal points (like Wizard Island) and without any meaningful blue coloring to it. I was expecting turquoise blue around the lake and never found it. Even at the main hub of activity in Rim Village featuring Sinnott Overlook, the Crater Lake Lodge, Garfield Peak Trail, and even along Discovery Point Trail....I never received that fulfilling/humbling "wow moment" that completely blew me away in comparison to the sights and scenery I uncovered here at Watchman Overlook and Peak. Regardless...back to what makes Watchman Peak Overlook one of the most worthy of roadside stops at Crater Lake... - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND VISITING HERE IN THE AFTERNOON TIME! Yes this is SO IMPORTANT because from here at Watchman Overlook the sun starts to set from your backside. So...you get the sun reflecting onto Crater Lake and it affords you the most clear and concise perspectives for taking pictures! If you arrive in the morning, the sun will hit you in the opposite (in your face) direction and then you may be stuck with those annoying shadows! - After observing Crater Lake from the rim overlook area....off to the right hand side you'll find the hike to Watchman Lookout Trail. This path will take you to the apex of the rim's edge for uninterrupted views of Crater lake. This Watchman Lookout Trail isn't hard. There'll be a sign/trailhead stating that the Lookout Tower is 0.8 mile to the top. That's 1.6 miles round trip and it's an elevation gain of about 450 feet - I'd say a moderate level of difficulty, but it's overall less than 1 mile. - This Watchman Lookout Trail to the Lookout Tower is certainly recommended because there's not many hikes to even traverse at Crater Lake. I found Crater Lake to be more of just a roadside get out of your car kind of park. So...might as well take advantage of a little hiking opportunity while here...especially since the views around this Watchman Peak area are some of the most scenic in the park! - Along the 0.8 mile...there's not much to view, just switchbacks making your way to the top. From this Watchman Peak Lookout Tower, the appearance of Crater Lake was just as good as the roadside view (there wasn't much difference in my opinion) but still, I'd recommend grabbing a couple of photos from high atop here. - During this summer pandemic of 2020, the Lookout Tower was closed. So, in the end...you just have a small viewpoint to pier down on and admire Crater Lake with of course Wizard Island being so photogenic as well. I truly believe you won't find superior angles/perspectives of Crater Lake and Wizard Island anywhere else in the park other than being here at the rim's Watchman Overlook and at the pinnacle of Watchman Peak Trail Lookout Tower. Capture as many pictures as possible during your time here because the views won't get any better.

1.7 mi, 289 ft elevation gain, 40 minutes to complete…read more Holy mosquito. Don't attempt this one without mosquito spray- for real! This hike is outstandingly gorgeous. We were already camped at Mazama Village so we just hoped onto the trail right behind where we were set up! It is about 15 degrees cooler down in the canyon than anywhere else. You get some of the same views here as with Godfrey Glen but from the bottom. There is an abundance of wildflowers surrounding you and you can hear the creek trickle along beside you. Would be a great place to relax and read a book if it weren't for the mosquitos. This hike also comes with an informational pamphlet at the trailhead.

Crater lake is a far drive from Bend where we were staying. It is well worth it especially if you…read moredrive down early and get there before the parking lot fills up. When we were leaving at 2 pm it was packed so 10 am is perfect for getting parking. There is only two bathrooms at the parking lot, and supposedly one at the bottom of the hike but I didn't see it. We hiked down with kids, my 4 and 8 year old were able to do it. The 4 year old needed some carrying at the end but I was able to carry her up. I am not sure where people see "easy" for this hike. I would consider it medium because it's gradual and not straight up. Yes it's a gravel sand mixture but not slippery, especially on a dry day. The dusty trail got us all covered by a layer by the end. There is some points where you are in full sun and others with full shade. We jumped in the water and it was 61 degrees according to the Apple Watch. It helped the bottom up was in sun and helped keep me warm and drier. When we got to the shade it was a bit cold. The water is rocky so there isn't an easy place to get in but the kids were able to do it. They have boat rides on to the lake at the bottom but we didn't partake in it. The walk up was not difficult because of the switch backs. Had it been stairs straight down I would say that would be difficult. The path allows for people to rest and is wide enough for 3 people wide. They also have benches on the trail which is lovely. The view from the trail is much better than the lookouts from the road.

2.2 mi, 604 elevation gain, 1 hr to complete…read more Trail is well maintained though it appears there is high risk for rock slides. It is very highly traveled and probably one of the busiest trails in the park. There were several people swimming at the bottom. Heading back up there are many benches along the way to take a breather and have a sip of water. It was pretty smokey today so it was difficult to see Wizard island and the other side of the lake from the trail. Though, looking down you can see the bright blue water and boats anchored waiting to take passengers to wizard island and on tours of the lake.

3.58 mi, 1060 ft elevation gain, 1hr 40 min to complete…read more Started this hike at 0800 and there weren't many other hikers out- on the way back it was quite busy though! Came upon some deer, rock chucks, and chipmunks along the way! The hike starts with a beautiful meadow that quickly becomes a hill climb with outstanding views in all directions. We were fortunate to hike this on one of the more clear days. There are a few snowfields on the path and you are able to walk around and avoid most of them. The one nearest the top appears to block the trail to the summit- but folks have made a work around just behind the bench and you are able to make it all the way up to enjoy the view :)

This review is for Garfield Peak Trail which was a ~3.5 miles round trip that took ~2 hours to…read morecomplete. Beautiful views of Crater Lake! Inclines all the way to the peak! Limited parking on Rim Village Dr. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/hsczAXIZ77Q

What a beautiful national park!…read more Came here on a day where the weather changed between partly cloudy/sunny and snowy/rainy. The snowy surroundings created a nice contrast against the very deep blue color of the lake. In the early morning, it was very peaceful. There were not many people around, likely because of weather. The Steel Visitor Center's film was excellent to get a sense of the geology and history of the park. The lodge also offered an excellent meal with a partial view of the lake. Because of the snow, we were not able to go on the Rim Drive or hike the trails. I would imagine all the views would have been beautiful. The Cleetwood Cove trail down to the lake is closed for 3 summers, through 2028. If weather is of any question, the NPS website has up-to-date information about the weather, including webcams of several spots in the park.

Wow had now expectations for this "giant lake" but it absolutely blew me away, this Volcanic crater…read moreluck is simply stunning! Could win a "Miss National Parks" pageant title IMO! Surprisingly not busy for memorial day weekend although we started early on a sunday morning and a lot of the park was still closed for the season, there was snow! My 3 year old was very pleased. We purchased the annual national park pass at the front gate, sad to hear that the national park staff keeps being reduced and scary to know that there's only *one* emergency ranger on staff currently so please follow the rules folks! Lot's of cute shops for goodies and campgrounds along the way. We stayed an hour away but the drive felt fast and scenic. A nice breath of fresh air. The large parking lot seemed to fill up fast to see the lake, but super close so very accessible. A few hikes were open but honestly just sitting and admiring the lake does the trick. Would love to come back and visit when more of the park is open!

0.8 mi, 128 ft elevation gain, 20 minutes to complete…read more Very popular and easy trail. A great low effort and high reward hike! We saw deer along the way and at the end had views of both wizard island and the phantom ship.

0.45 mi, 12 min, 13 ft elevation gain…read more Not many people stopped here but it is worth the walk through if you have bug spray on hand for all the mosquitos! At the beginning of the trail there is a 75 cent pamphlet with all the wildflowers you might encounter. There are also a few foot bridges and streams to cross. There are certain spots where the pathway gets a bit muddy as well. It is a cool peaceful hike that gives a different view of the park.

Gorgeous views when it is clear and great hiking when it's not windy or snowing. Even with the snow…read morethey had marked off the trail and had boundary ropes up to keep you away from cornices that could collapse into the lake on you and ruin your day. Definitely plan to be there several hours to get in the hike and views you will likely stare at for hours. Bring water and snacks or hit the visitor center which has a cafe and gift shop.

Visited in mid November after a dusting of snow that left about 1-2 inches in the ground. The north…read moreroads were all closed and very few trails were available for exploring. The Discovery Point trail was open and I hiked it for about 2 miles in from Rim village. The views of Wizard Island got closer as I went along. Perfectly sunny day. Spectacular! Highly recommended! There were some wary folks along the way, but if you stay on the trail you'll be safe.

September 2, 2025 - Crater Lake…read more Grab a self-guiding brochure at the trailhead. After walking just a few steps from the trailhead, the trail splits into a 1.1-mile loop. We took the route to the right, and had a lovely hike through old-growth mountain hemlocks and firs. About half way through, the trail parallels Munson Creek Canyon. Along the canyon walls are the pinnacles or fossil fumaroles. You can hear the water and a waterfall below deep in the canyon, but unfortunately, you can't see it. This was an easy trail with breathtaking views, and is one of the few trails in Crater Lake that is dog-friendly.

1.2 mi, 62 ft elevation gain, 30 min to complete…read more Easy minimal elevation change trail. This could definitely be accessed for folks who use a wheelchair. We came here since the pinnacles were unable to be reasonably accessed and we were told it was a good alternative (section of rim road was closed and would have taken 2.5 hrs to get there otherwise). An absolutely gorgeous hike. You are able to hear a waterfall but unfortunately could not see it from the trail. There are a few pillars/pinnacles that are visible from this trail in a couple different sections.