Crater Lake National Park is home to 35 trails spanning more than 100 miles. You’d need a while to trek them all, but these are three of the best hikes in Crater Lake to start getting to know the sparkling lake, jagged cliffs, and surrounding beauty. Whether you want nonstop views, forest paths, or shoreline access (and a chilly swim), this guide will help you uncover what makes each trail worth the effort.

Cleetwood Cove Trail

This relatively wide, fairly well-graded 2.2 mile out-and-back trail is the only way to get down to the lake itself. It’s also the only way to get to the boat tour, which means that it is the most heavily used trail in the park. The National Park Service has rated the trail as “strenuous” because there’s a 700-foot elevation gain over the course of 1.1 miles. It’s definitely an exercise in going down, down, down in one direction and then up, up, up on the return. The hike starts out with some amazing views at the top …

… and then you’re mostly tucked into a tall-tree forest for a long section of the trail, working your way through the switchbacks.

If it’s a hot day, the forest is a welcome respite from the exposed areas at the top and bottom of the hike. But no matter the weather, most hikers choose this route for the rewards at the bottom.

You can swim here — and I did!

If you want to swim, come prepared — but don’t bring any of these items:

I’m not going to lie: going back up from the bottom is a slog. I wouldn’t call this a challenging hike — there’s nothing tricky about it — but it is a lot of work (the sign at the top says that it’s the equivalent of walking up sixty-five flights of stairs). That said, it’s worth it!

Note: The National Park Service may be closing this trail for several years starting in the summer of 2026. If you’re planning a visit, check trail conditions and closures here before you head out.

Garfield Peak Trail

This is the trail to take if you want non-stop views! You start out in the trees, but you’re quickly into one vista …

… after another.

The National Park Service has also put this hike in the “strenuous” category; it’s a 3.6 mile out-and-back trail that has a 1,010 foot elevation gain. Again, it’s not a hard trek (though it’s narrower and a bit more scrabbly in spots than Cleetwood Cove), but there is a lot of up and down. On the upside, there are many places to stop and take in the scenery, and the top has an incredible view out over the lake.

This was also my favorite hike for flora …

… and fauna.

The Garfield Peak Trail starts out at Crater Lake Lodge, and it’s fun to see the lodge disappear (and then reappear on the way back) in the distance.

Rim Trail

This trail starts at the Discovery Point pullout and parallels West Rim Drive — so you’re essentially walking with cliffs on one side and a road on the other. But you almost always have trees between you and the road, so you rarely see cars. Instead, you look straight out over Wizard Island:

I am honestly not sure how long this trail is — the National Park Service doesn’t indicate a length on its website, and while AllTrails thinks that you can spend nine hours walking the entire rim as a loop, the NPS says that this is an out-and-back hike. In any case, my friend and I turned around early and did not explore the whole thing. But the first mile or so north of the Discovery Point parking area is pretty easy; it’s mostly flat and very manageable. And it offers views …

… after view …

… after view.

As a closing note: while all of the most popular trails offer views of the lake, there are also great hiking options that wind off into the high desert that stretches out into the rest of the park. I’m hoping to try one of them the next time around!

If you’re curious about what makes Crater Lake different and magical, take a look at this post.

Want to try out more Central Oregon trails? For one great option, read my post on hiking Black Butte near Bend.