Ever since we moved back to Oregon, we’ve been dying to visit Crater Lake. We’ve never been and had to finally see this amazing natural wonder for ourselves. Crater Lake is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon! This was an incredible trip and the views of the lake were amazing. We had to see the lake from high above, so we climbed the Garfield Peak Trail to enjoy the view from the summit (8,000 feet!) This 3.5 mile out-and-back hike is classified as Strenuous and there are some intimidating drop offs and edges along this hike, but the sites at the top are well worth it!

This is an incredibly popular hike, so I recommend getting there as early as possible in the morning. We arrived at 8am (on a Monday) and that was perfect. We avoided most of the crowds and got great parking. When you arrive in Rim Village, park close to the Crater Lake Lodge, as the trailhead is located on the back side of the lodge. This trail is classified as Strenuous with some dangerous edges and drop-offs, so take care if bringing children with you. This trail does NOT allow pets, so leave your pup at home.

Don’t forget to get your National Parks Passport stamped, and hike a few stairs down to the Sinnott Memorial Overlook!

Are you interested in hiking to the summit of Garfield Peak?? Watch the video below to see what the hike is like.

Location:

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Parking Fees:

$30 per car entrance fee

Crater Lake Garfield Peak Photos:

More Resources:

• https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/garfield-peak-trail
• https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
• https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks/crater-lake-national-park
• https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/destinations/lakes-reservoirs/crater-lake/

Our Story:

I’m an adventurous soul who feels most at home surrounded by trails, trees, and water. Hiking is my peace and meditation, and I am so glad to be sharing this with the whole family. In Spring of 2022, our family took a weekend trip to the Oregon Coast and it was just as I remembered it when I was young. Breathtaking beauty, misty rain, and vast greenery. We visited several locations down the central coast that weekend and I craved more. We passed so many State Parks that looked intriguing, but I knew nothing about them, so I bought a book about the Oregon State Parks for future trip planning. When I was reading the book I realized… I want to see then ALL! So the family decided to embark on the adventure of visiting every State Park in Oregon (and hopefully moving on to Washington after).