Crater Lake Hike Bonanza 2017 

Join Oregon Wild and Umpqua Watersheds on August 24th to August 29th for a week of hikes and camp outs in and around the Crater Lake Wilderness proposal.

You will need to register for each hike you would like to join. These day-led hikes include the option of camping before as well as after each hike. You are free to sign up for just one or many hikes. Please register here and don't forget to indicate which nights you will be joining us! 

For more information for individual hikes simply click the hike name below.

Itinerary: 

Wednesday. August 23rd - Oregon Wild staff arrives at camp. All are welcome to camp with us in preparation of our first hike!

Thursday, Aug 24th - Hike 1 - Natural Bridge/ Rogue River Gorge (FULL)

Friday, August 25th - Hike 2 - The Crater Lake National Park Tour (FULL)

Saturday, August 26th - Hike 3 - Rough Rider Falls/ Upper Rogue River trail (#1034) (FULL)

Sunday, August 27th - Hike 4 - Boundary Springs (FULL)

Monday, August 28th - Hike 5 - Mount Scott in Crater Lake National Park 

Tuesday, August 29th - Hike 6 - Union Peak in Crater Lake National Park 

Day 1: Aug. 24th - Natural Bridge & Rogue River Gorge (FULL)

Check out stunning scenery and amazing views of the gushing Rogue River, lava tubes, a Natural Bridge, and ancient old-growth forests on this easy but gorgeous hike.

Level: Easy
Distance: 3.0 miles total
Elevation Gain: 300 feet total
Location: West of Crater Lake National Park on the Rogue River

For our first day we will get our legs going with an easy, but breathtaking short hike. The Rogue River Gorge and Natural Bridge is 20 minutes away from Crater Lake National Park and has amazing views of the gushing river. Natural Bridge, a point located along the upper reaches of the Rogue River, is where the magic happens. At this point, the Rogue River disappears underground into a 250-foot lava tube, with a small amount of water escaping from the tube, forming a pool under the bridge. All of the water, slowly but surely, reappears at the surface further down the river.

While this natural wonder is as impressive as the lush forests around it, it is not protected. Unfortunately, this majestic area is open to logging and encroaching development interests.

Register to hike the Rogue River Gorge & Natural Bridge as well as all other hikes and camp outs here.

Day 2: Aug. 25th - Crater Lake National Park tour (FULL)

Celebrate the National Park Service's 101th birthday by touring Crater Lake! Sample a variety of short hikes around Crater Lake National Park by visiting waterfalls, wildflowers, peaks and unique geological formations. This tour includes Castle Crest Wildflower Trail, Sun Notch, the Pinnacles and Watchman Peak.

Level: Moderate
Distance: 3.1 miles total
Elevation Gain: 950 feet total
Location: Crater Lake National Park

With so many fantastic hikes inside Crater Lake National Park, it can be tough to decide on just one, especially on the National Park Service's 101th birthday!

That's why we've organized a full day of short hikes that highlight some of the diverse and stunning terrain in the park. We'll start at the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail visit a meadow of spectacular wildflowers (.4 miles). We'll stop at Vidae Falls, and continue touring counter-clockwise to the Sun Notch Trail (.5 miles) and take in the view of Phantom Ship.

After lunch we'll visit the Pinnacles, (.6 miles), which are impressive volcanic spires formed under sheets of pumice before Mount Mazama erupted 7,700 years ago. Time allowing, we'll continue around the lake to the west, hiking Watchman Peak (1.6 miles) that leads to an historic fire lookout while offering a picture-perfect view of Wizard Island.

Come celebrate the National Park Service's birthday with us and tour Crater Lake National Park by registering here.  

Day 3: Aug. 26th - Rough Rider Falls/ Upper Rogue River trail (#1034) (FULL)

Explore the upper reaches of the famous Rogue River, breathtaking scenery, on this moderate level hike. We will also be stopping at spectacular waterfalls for lunch.

Level: Moderate
Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 400 feet
Location: Just north of the Crater Lake National Park boundary

Behold the Upper Rogue River Trail, one of the gems of the Crater Lake Wilderness Proposal. This trail follows the start of the legendary Rogue River. You'll meander through impressive old-growth forests passing impressive but rarely visited waterfalls and emerald pools. The trail runs through a mixed conifer forest with some very large old growth Douglas fir. Further upstream, this trail segment offers excellent views right alongside the river, and finally from above, while still paralleling the upper Rogue River Canyon. In particular, the “middle” of this trail segments has impressive river views of beautiful deep blue water in an emerald canyon. The large 30-foot Rough Rider Falls drops across mossy boulders, and we will be stopping here for lunch. One mile before Rough Rider Falls is another beautiful unnamed falls.

The Rogue River boasts world-class fishing, rafting, backpacking and hiking. But unbelievably, the headwaters of this iconic river are open to logging, mining and encroaching development.

Come join us as we explore a seldom-seen treasure, Rough Rider Falls, and register here. 

Day 4: Aug. 27th - Boundary Springs (FULL)

Enjoy the phenomenal headwaters of the Rogue River, Boundary Spring, and see stunning wildflowers and open woods. This is a moderate, but lovely hike.

Level: Moderate
Distance: 5.0 miles total
Elevation Gain: 670 feet total
Location: Just north of the Crater Lake National Park boundary

We will start this stunning hike starts just north of the Crater Lake National Park Boundary and as you follow the trail you enter the Park. This trail goes through large stands of Shasta red fir and mountain hemlocks, as well as meadows of lush blue lupine and green islands of monkeyflowers.

Boundary Springs, the source of the Rogue River, gushes out of the ground 20 feet wide, rushes through a meadow of yellow monkeyflowers, and tumbles over a 15-foot waterfall. These headwaters were buried by the eruption of Crater Lake’s Mt. Mazama over 7700 years ago, when the flood of hot pumice roared 40 miles downstream. Below Boundary Spring the river has managed to carve a 100-foot-deep canyon for the water to flow through. These waters spring forth most unexpectedly from the otherwise-arid ground of the area, splash downward over the irregular terrain into a stream which leads north away from the park, producing an aquatic scene of great esthetic appeal.

Register to hike Boundary Springs and all other hikes here.  

Day 5: Aug. 28th - Crater Lake National Park; Mount Scott 

Join us as we reach the highest peak inside Crater Lake National Park for a sweeping panorama view. A quick but steep climb to the highest peak in the park makes this a moderate to difficult hike, but well worth it. We will follow it up with a lovely drive around the caldera.

Level: Moderate/Difficult
Distance: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1250 feet
Location: Crater Lake National Park

At 8,930 feet tall, Mount Scott is the tenth tallest peak in the Oregon Cascades. Despite the elevation gain, the trail is well groomed and well worth the climb. From there you can take in the whole lake and beyond, including the craggy peak of Mt. Thielsen, the Klamath Basin and the Three Sisters.

Follow a wandering hemlock and pine forest along the ridgeline before reaching the slopes bearing summer wildflowers. It isn't until the last section of this 2.5 mile trek that you reach a series of switchbacks making your way toward the top. We're rating this hike as Moderate/Difficult due to the 1,250 feet elevation gain while starting at an already high elevation.

We'll spend the rest of the day meandering around the lake. Time permitting we'll stop by Diamond Lake for photos and a different perspective of the Crater Lake Wilderness Proposal.

Register to hike Crater Lake National Park's tallest peak, Mount Scott, here. 

Day 6: Aug. 29th - Crater Lake National Park; Union Peak

Tour the oldest mountain in Crater Lake National Park. This hike includes a difficult hike, but with stunning pumice plains, wild blue lupine, groves of mountain hemlock, and panoramic views.

Level: Difficult
Distance: 11 miles
Elevation Gain: 1600 feet
Location: Crater Lake National Park

Union Peak is the core of an old volcano eroded by glaciers during the last Ice Age and is the oldest mountain within Crater Lake National Park. Although you can’t see Crater Lake from the summit, there are spectacular views of the region.

The trail spurs off the Pacific Crest Trail and will take us through a lodgepole pine forest, which then turns to a steep switch back to the summit. The summit stands at 7698 feet above sea level, and is also over 1000 feet above the general level of the adjacent region. The upper section is a rock spire above a ridge-like base which is the drainage divide between Union Creek to the north and Red Blanket Creek to the south. This hike is difficult and step, but will provide excellent views of the Park and surrounding wildlands.

Register to hike Union Peak and any other hike during the Bonanza here.