We love the asphalt trail for its flatness and safety. Occasionally we'll take the rock path for…read moresomething different but when you're in your 70's you Choose safety over view every time...

Beautiful falls. The falls have 2 entrances…read more Main road directs to the location with designated parking and bike trail. It has a look out area. Several side trails to water but not a great view of the falls. When leaving Gold Hill before you reached the freeway entrance had a roadway under a bridge. I was able to follow that road until we reached the falls. I'm giving it a 4 star since no restrooms at either location that I was able to see. Also not able to access Falls safely.

'Mazin maze Mountain bike or hiking trails! Be ready! Be fit! Get after it!…read more A steady work out with a fascinating forest of Riparian Oak's, Pines, Madrones and Manzanita. Sparse wildflowers at this time. Most of the time you're in the shade. And you'll be happy because half the time you're climbing or half time headed down. Seldom flat. Often curvaceous and fast curving close to those enchanted trees. Worth the hike or bike. Trails well marked! Blue, green or black diamond. Something for everybody. Even so it is best to carry your smart phone Trail Forks or All Trails app to ensure you're headed in the right direction. Can be confusing because it is a maze of trails!

Lovely park with well-marked trails. A huge relief to find hiker only trails, though they did…read morecross bike trails for short stretches. Looses a star because the map + directions are baffling -- they use the same colors on the map to indicate hiker/multi-use/bike as they do on the directions with the diamonds to indicate easy/moderate/difficult.

9/19/26: The Oregon…read moreCaves National Monument was so cool today! (In both the literal and figurative senses....it was 44 degrees in there...) I bought tickets online (recreation.gov) about a month ago for the discovery tour. It was a straightforward drive to get to the Illinois Valley Visitor Center in Cave Junction (good place to stop for info, bathrooms, and to buy tickets if you haven't already - very helpful to be able to buy them BEFORE making the drive out to the cave itself). From there, it took a full hour to get on the sometimes narrow, often twisty (but very well-maintained and paved) road that led to the parking lot. We got there early and had time to walk to the main visitor center (about 1/8 mile from the parking lot) and see their well-designed interactive cave display. I checked in well before our tour time and they moved us up into an earlier tour spot - nice! We had time to eat lunch (brought with us) and change into long pants and warm jackets before meeting our tour guide. Ranger Ellie was awesome! Not only did she know about the cave's history and geology, she mixed in a ton of good humor with the information and gave us all time to look at the cave features we were passing while keeping us moving along. She was also great about telling us about how to navigate the cave's paths, stairs, and low-clearance areas safely. Though I'm 6'1" and had to duck a lot, Ranger Ellie prepared us so well throughout the tour that my head remained unscathed! The cave itself is truly awe-inspiring. Incredible formations throughout, pretty well-lit, and the pathways were all paved and well-marked. Every staircase felt sturdy, too, so even climbing stairs up into high places felt safe, even if the going was slow going up and down. (I'm glad I wore hiking boots.) It really was something to see amazing formations and an underground river traveling right through the mountain up close. It was cold in there (44 degrees, like a fridge!) so I'm glad I took my winter coat. The whole tour was about a mile, but seemed longer and had lots of steps. Even as a tall person, there were places for me to stand at my full height at all the tour stops. Once we were out, my friend and I walked the mile-ish loop around the top of the mountain at the cave's exit to take in the views - HIGHLY recommend doing this after. Tips: - Stop at the visitor center in Cave Junction for road info / bathroom break ahead of time - they'll tell you if walk-up tickets are sold out, too - plan on needing a full hour to get from Cave Junction to the parking lot - and drive SLOWLY - There's a 1/8 mile walk from the parking lot to where you check in for tours - get there at least an hour before your tour - It's COOL / COLD in the cave so dress accordingly! I've wanted to go here for years and it was SO much better than I was expecting. I look forward to coming back and trying the candlelight tours and some of their other hikes! Great job to the staff there who keep everything so clean, well-maintained, safe, and fun.

Great place super cool tour unique. If you are traveling in this area these caves are a must!!…read moreBeautiful

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.

Beautiful trail which has parking near the trailhead. Loading dock 100 feet from parking…read more Absolutely beautiful trail that leads for miles around the lake. Watch out for mountain bikers and poison oak

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.

Well maintained; signage rates the levels of difficulty…read more Nice people on the trail, always fun and enjoyable hikes.

What a fun labyrinth of different kinds of hiking trails, ranging in degrees of difficulties…read more There's something for everyone. We came here with our two friends each of them having a little one strapped to their backs. Our dog Momo was also part of the group and she particularly loved this walk. At the time we were her in late spring (end of May), we were able to see still lots of wild flowers, but my friend mentioned that Renee were even more a few weeks earlier. The trails are mostly leading through forest area and so you're in the shade most of the time. We took a trail that led us to the peak and we were able to enjoy lovely views over the valley. Note: there's lots of poison oak here. If you have small kids with you, remind them to be vigilant.

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.