Their website talks about lot about damage from the fires but don't let that stop you from…read morevisiting. The forest is recovering beautifully, and you will get to see the wonderful work of the rangers and community to restore the area. We stayed for four nights in the campground and wished for longer. Expect walks by the creek and river, lots of wildlife, friendly camp hosts and a fun logging museum.

This is my second visit to Collier, and this time we brought the grandkids. What a great find!…read more The park is free, and full of wondrous history and technology. You can see how lumber is made, and imagine how the machines and equipment helped to build homes and industry in America. Not only are most of the machines and tools very accessible to explore, the commentary is very helpful and well organized. A second major feature, are several log cabins and "accessory" buildings that are also very accessible, and open to wandering around. On the Sunday we were there, there was a couple who showed our grandkids how life might have been in the 19th century. Very nice touch. My partner could see similarities with her own grandparents' experience (washing, the cooking and stove, the construction). Even the gift store had very well curated things to by that were reflective of the life and times represented by the museum and the state park. An additional bonus, was a walk down to a beautiful river with clear water! I could come again and again!

Hidden about 45 minute outside of Crater Lake National Park in the tiny town of Prospect lies Mill…read moreCreek Falls and the Avenue of the Boulders. The space features a short hike with waterfall views and access to large boulders and parts of the beautiful Rogue River. I stopped here on the way back from Crater Lake National Park. The turnoff from the highway is easy to miss. In fact, I missed it myself and had to turn back around in the middle of the road. There's a small parking lot with a highly degraded trail map and a few portable restrooms near the beginning of the trailhead. The hike is pretty short, I'd say less than 2 miles round trip. You start off on a flat path that will take you to a two-way intersection. If you bear left, the trail will lead you the Rogue River and the Avenue of the Boulders. And if you bear right, the trail continues to two separate viewpoints; Barr Creek Falls and Mill Creek Falls. I decided to hit the falls first. The hike is pretty easy with gentle rolling inclines. It's entirely shaded by big beautiful trees. The first waterfall in view will be Mill Creek Falls. These falls absolutely stunning! They were flourishing in late fall. The second set of falls is just a short walk up a some log steps. This is where you'll find Barr Creek Falls. These falls weren't as robust as Mill Creek Falls, but they were still very charming. You'll also get a glimpse of the beautiful Siskiyou forest in the backdrop. On the way back, I headed down the other way toward the Avenue of the Boulders. I've been to the Avenue of the Giants before in Humboldt County, but the the Avenue of the Boulders are a completely different experience. They're comprised of huge boulders, many of which you can climb to get a better view of the falls and the Rogue River that flows down below. Simply one of the most gorgeous sights that I've ever seen! The Rogue River is so comforting and calming. This a total relaxation spot. A place where you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the view. Enjoy the sounds and sights of the river flowing beneath your feet. It's truly endearing. Who would have thought that something this beautiful could be hidden away in a small town just outside of Crater Lake? It's so amazing and yet still extremely secluded. If you're coming up to Crater Lake, a visit to Mill Creek Falls and be Avenue of the Boulders should definitely be added to your list.

Gorgeous and easy hike out to some boulders or a set of waterfalls. This seasons rain and snow melt…read moremade the rivers flow violently with water, producing amazing cascades of water for the falls. It's a downward hike and you don't notice it until the hike back out, but it's fairly easy and short so it's a great little stop over for a worthwhile view. The map etched in wood in the parking lot gives a good overlook of the area. Definitely head to the right side and see the falls.

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.

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.

August 31, 2025 - Tiller, Oregon…read more The road to the waterfall is a 4-mile drive on a narrow Forest Service Road (NF 6530) off of OR-230. There is a sign that directs you to the small parking lot. From the parking lot, reaching the waterfall is an easy half-mile walk through the forest, with a few switchbacks along the way. The trail is well cared for, dogs are welcome on leash, and the peaceful beauty of the woods made the journey every bit as rewarding as the falls. Although, we had been warned about the mosquitos in the area, they were not an issue at all when we were there. Well worth the slight detour on your way to Crater Lake, Diamond Lake or the Rogue River Gorge.

You drive about 4 miles off OR-230 on a paved 1-1/2 lane road to the parking area. The parking…read morearea is dirt. The hike is about half a mile downhill on switchbacks. The falls are quite beautiful and worth the hike down and back. There is no cell phone service, so you will have to save the photos to send out later.

Excellent trailhead and a fantastic mountain biking trail. Not the most beautiful hiking trail…read morebecause most of the trail is under tree cover or alongside the highway. One of the most well marked trails I've ever visited. If you're hiking I recommend you go against the bike traffic. Look for the one way signs and go in the opposite direction.

This review is for the Watchman Peak Trail which was a ~1.7 miles round trip that took ~1 hours to…read morecomplete. This was a short and popular trail in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. Trail starts off flat and becomes a steady incline towards the peak. Overall, it would be considered an easy hike. Unfortunately, the peak gets uncomfortably crowded with hikers. Limited parking spots with additional parking on the side of the West Rim Drive. A decent amount of people stop by at this Watchman Overlook because of the stunning views of Crater Lake. No restrooms at this location. The views at Watchman Peak are slightly different from the views at Garfield Peak. The small island is much closer to you on the Watchman Peak side. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/ksW77ALrOK0

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!!!! It is BEAUTIFUL! It is about an hour drive from Medford and TOTALLY worth the trip!!!…read more For those less mobile, you can get a great view of the gorge and water rushing through the rocks with a 5 to 10 minute walk to the first bridge depending upon your walking speed. And it is paved until the third overlook. I went hiking. It is a 1/4 mile to the Natural Bridge from the parking, but you can hike further past the three overlooks. I stayed on for another 1.5 miles which is worth the hike. By my standards, it is a "moderate" hike with a few steep grades. Once you cross the second bridge, take a left and walk another 1/4 mile to reach a shaded beach area to lay down and relax or cool off in the water.

This is a cool place to just take a stroll and really breath in the cleanest air possible. Well, it…read moremight not be the cleanest air, but it's darn near close enough in this wilderness area. There is also, a lot of parking here for all sorts of vehicles but it doesn't ever seem like this place gets full. I stopped here as I was staying at a place in Prospect. The road to Crater Lake was super snow covered and I didn't have chains so I opted to just hike here instead and try Crater Lake the following day. It wasn't really challenging but I still got a great hike. I really think it's amazing how the lava and water have carved so much of the landscape in this area and it's free just to roam and take it all in. Most of the trails are well travelled but there are several areas where I had to turn around and head back as they were fenced. Although you can hear the rush of the water nearby, it's oddly quiet. It's just how I like it for hiking so you can get real peace of mind. I kind of wish I saw a little more wildlife but I guess that's why they're called wild-life. They have limited first come, first serve tent sites as well as limited RV sites. There are vault toilets as well. There is no drinking water, so bring your own water. I think I saw signage for $10 for a campsite, but check the resources to make sure. Also with most campgrounds pack it in, pack it out with regards to trash.

A lovely day spot for some beautiful scenery and good food! Amazing views and good service. One of…read moreour regular faves!!!

The lake itself is beautiful, and my 2-year-old had a great time swimming and playing on the beach…read more Unfortunately, the resort and restaurant experience left a lot to be desired. To be fair, this was one of the busiest weekends I've ever seen there. As a business owner myself, I understand that on extremely busy days things don't always go as planned, and because of that I was willing to overlook quite a bit. We stayed in Chipmunk Condo Cabin #3. The cabin had a musty smell and a very small bathroom. The beach area was great for families, and my daughter absolutely loved it. The biggest issue was the food and customer service. Around 2 PM on our first day, we stopped to get pizza for lunch while waiting for our cabin and found out they were already sold out. Since there aren't many nearby dining options, I stopped by the lodge around 6:45 PM to specifically ask when they stopped seating guests. The two younger employees seemed annoyed and unsure but eventually told me the last seating would be at 7:45 PM. I explained that I was traveling with my wife, a 2-year-old, and a 3-month-old, and that driving an hour to Ashland or Klamath Falls for dinner wasn't ideal. We hurried back to the cabin, got ready, and returned around 7:35 PM, only to be immediately told they couldn't seat us because they were too busy and had a large party. My question was simple: Why wasn't I told that when I specifically came in earlier to ask? Had they explained the situation, I would have gladly come sooner. After asking to speak with a manager, who never actually came out, we were suddenly able to be seated. Once inside, there were several empty tables available, which made the whole situation even more confusing. Our server seemed annoyed from the moment we sat down. We decided to order our food to go instead of dining in, and even that seemed to bother him. When I politely provided feedback about the miscommunication, his response was essentially, "Well, we got you seated, didn't we?" That completely missed the point. The issue wasn't whether we eventually got a table. The issue was being given incorrect information and then nearly being turned away despite arriving before the stated seating cutoff. The next morning, we discovered mice had chewed through snacks we had left on the kitchen counter overnight. There are no cabinets available to store food. When I reported it, the manager apologized and explained that even the cabin she lives in on-site has mice because they're in the forest. While that explanation makes sense, it didn't make my wife feel any better with a 3-month-old baby sleeping in the cabin. The second day, pizza was available for lunch and was actually very good. The older gentleman working there was friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, when we returned around 6 PM for dinner, pizza was sold out again. My wife then tried ordering dinner to go from the lodge and was given a completely different takeout menu that excluded many of the better dinner options, including items we had ordered to go the night before. When she asked if she could order from the regular dinner menu, she was told absolutely not. The inconsistency made no sense. At that point, we'd had enough. Between the restaurant issues, the mice, and the overall lack of customer service, we decided to cut our trip short and leave a day early. The lake and beach are beautiful and have the potential to make this a great family destination. Unfortunately, poor communication, inconsistent service, restaurant issues, and mice in the cabins overshadowed what could have been a wonderful stay. Mice may be part of being in the woods, but regular preventative pest control inside the cabins would go a long way toward making guests feel more comfortable.