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.

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.

Absolutely stunning! I only had one state left and Oregon made #50! I have to say that Oregon is…read morenow in my top 5 for beauty and Crater Lake National Park and Lodge blew away my expectations!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

I believe this title must encompass several distinct areas. Upper Klamath Lake (aka Agency Lake),…read morethe Woods River source (state park with camping), the day use area a mile south of that, the wetlands where it flows into the lake (county park). These are all on the way to Crater Lake. A serene valley with a couple of small communities, a RV camping area, docks to launch kayaks, fishing places, bird watching walks, etc. Find a detailed map to explore all of it, within about 10 miles radius. Bring your own lunch (no stores around there), camera and binoculars. Nearest town is Chiloquin, off highway 97. Good for bringing visitors, a quiet walk and picnic, birding, bicycles, fishing.