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    Oregon Mountain Guides

    5.0 (2 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Watson Falls

    Watson Falls

    5.0(9 reviews)
    11.5 mi

    Watson Falls is a fantastic looking 293 foot waterfall located in the Umpqua National Forest of…read moreSouthwest Oregon. It sits just 54 miles north of Crater Lake National Park. Watson Falls can be combined together among a trifecta of landmarks all within short distances of each other for a full days worth of basking among the great outdoors. First, start out here at Watson Falls. Next, head 3 miles down the road to Toketee Falls and then finish up 4.5 miles away at Umpqua Hot Springs. But, back to here at Watson Falls and what to expect... To arrive at Watson Falls, it's an easy one mile roundtrip pathway loop gaining 370 feet in elevation. Leave your car in the parking lot, then cross the street and into the forest. You'll pass over a footbridge and continue on the trail which veers towards the left. Finally, approach a Bench Viewpoint of Watson Falls, but that's not nearly a good enough perspective. Climb the rocks and head straight to the base of the falls. Then you'll confront waterfall bliss. What's terrific about standing at the bottom of Watson Falls is that you have the entire waterfall and backdrop to yourself. There's no blemishes or disturbances. In essence, the setting is a waterfall enthusiasts' dream come true. During my visit in early September around 10am, I had unlimited time to admire this stunning natural wonder. Best of all, Watson Falls is one sheer 293 foot drop. There's no cascading down a cliffside or being broken up into different sections or tiers. It truly shines outright. You can continue onward to the Upper Viewpoint which is a short little walk uphill, but the views from high up don't nearly do it justice. The Upper Viewpoint can be skipped altogether but it won't hurt to take in a different glance of Watson Falls if your curiosity gets the best of you. Finally, it's time to return back on the trail to the parking lot. In total, you can take an hour or so to appreciate experiencing Watson Falls. Next up will be Toketee Falls, which is similar to Watson Falls in that it'll take about 1 mile to reach all while hiking through the pristine Umpqua Forest. Overall, Watson Falls is a magical little roadside stop as you make your way through Southwestern Oregon. It may be under the radar, but deserves a place on your To-Do List.

    Definitely one the best falls in the area! There's a trail to the bottom of the fall, a loop trail…read moreout, and another trail to overlook higher up! All worth the hike! Best to go when water is flowing heavy in early season.

    Photos
    Watson Falls - The entrance sign for Watson Falls, a magical waterfall located in Southwestern Oregon.

    The entrance sign for Watson Falls, a magical waterfall located in Southwestern Oregon.

    Watson Falls
    Watson Falls

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    Watchman Peak - Phlox diffusa

    Watchman Peak

    4.9(8 reviews)
    34.9 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Watchman Peak - Watchman Tower

    Watchman Tower

    Watchman Peak - Western pasqueflower

    Western pasqueflower

    Watchman Peak - Inside lookout

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    Inside lookout

    Natural Bridge Trail & Campground - Natural Bridge, Union Creek

    Natural Bridge Trail & Campground

    4.4(5 reviews)
    28.3 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Natural Bridge Trail & Campground - Coming out of cave

    Coming out of cave

    Natural Bridge Trail & Campground - It is underground

    It is underground

    Natural Bridge Trail & Campground

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    Cleetwood Cove Trail - Boat tour tickets

    Cleetwood Cove Trail

    4.3(10 reviews)
    34.2 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Cleetwood Cove Trail - In line for the boat tour

    In line for the boat tour

    Cleetwood Cove Trail - At the bottom

    At the bottom

    Cleetwood Cove Trail - View from the trail

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    View from the trail

    Oregon Mountain Guides - tours - Updated May 2026

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