Peak-a-View!

Hike to Garfield Peak in Crater Lake National Park

07.29.2020
Hike to Garfield Peak in Crater Lake National Park

That blue! Crater Lake National Park has the deepest lake in the country and the seventh deepest in the world. The park is a volcanic wonder, created when a massive eruption collapsed 12,000-foot Mount Mazama thousands of years ago.

The marquee attraction is the stunning lake, surrounded by huge, sheer cliffs that are reflected on the water. The setting is all the more enchanting with Wizard Island—a volcanic cinder cone set right in its midst. It’s utterly photogenic.

Hikers heading up the trail to Garfield Peak in Crater Lake National Park Oregon

Hikers on the trail to Garfield Peak in Crater Lake National Park

Hikers sitting and overlooking Crater Lake at Garfield Peak in Crater Lake National Park

For one of the very best perspectives of Crater Lake, hike the 3.4-mile (total) out-and-back to Garfield Peak. The trailhead is located at Crater Lake Lodge. Get an early start for fewer crowds and less wind.

Hike Garfield Peak Crater Lake

This is a peak hike, so it’s all about going up, but it’s pretty gradual, and totally rewarding. The views are with you most of the way, and the higher you go, the better the view of the lake and surrounding Cascade Mountain Range, including as far as Mount Lassen on a clear day.

BONUS KAYAK: You can't kayak or canoe on Crater Lake, but you can do both in the Klamath Basin. The Upper Klamath Canoe Trail is ideal for an afternoon exploration. The entire Upper Klamath Canoe Trail is 9.5 miles, but you can paddle a shorter duration, too. Keep an eye out for river otters and enjoy some premier views of snowy Mount McLoughlin. Rent a kayak or canoe from ROE Outfitters and ask about their guided tours too. ROE Outfitters also has a zipline.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode "Road Trip to Spectacular: National Park, Hot Springs & Hikes" the Weekend Sherpa team discuss their adventures in Southern Oregon. Part of the podcast was recorded from the top of Garfield Peak!

Kayakers on Upper Klamath Canoe Trail in Southern Oregon

TIP: If you want to spend the night in this area, Running Y Ranch Resort is a good bet, with a nice outdoor dining patio and fire pit at the Ruddy Duck restaurant.

Running Y Ranch Resort people sitting around an outdoor firepit

Check out the Best Southern Oregon Road Trips

2020 Travel: Here’s more information on Southern Oregon’s health guidelines and updates.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View

  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View

  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View