Crater Lake's famously blue water is the star, but the real reason to spend two days at this Oregon national park is the trail network along its caldera rim. The writers at Earth Trekkers hiked the park in mid-September and ranked nine routes — and their verdict is useful for anyone planning a short visit, because most of the best hikes are short enough to combine in a single day.
Their top overall pick is the Garfield Peak Trail: a 3.3-mile round trip starting near Crater Lake Lodge, climbing 1,100 feet to a 7,976-foot summit with near-constant lake views the whole way. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours, and aim for mid-morning onward so the sun is behind you for photos. If you want similar scenery for half the effort, Watchman Peak is the answer — just 1.7 miles round trip with a modest 410-foot climb to a historic fire tower on the west rim. One ranger summed it up as the best of the park in a single trail, and it's a noted sunset spot thanks to well-lit eastward views.
The hard-charger's option is Mount Scott, the park's high point, though weather scuppered the authors' own attempt. On the easy end, Discovery Point is a flat-ish 2-mile rim walk that pairs neatly with Garfield Peak — the trailheads are half a mile apart along a paved rim path, so you can park once at the lodge. Sun Notch is the quick win: under a mile, leading to a viewpoint of Phantom Ship, the park's iconic island-shaped rock formation. For something away from the lake, Plaikni Falls winds through forest to a waterfall, and Castle Crest is the wildflower meadow pick.
Now the important caveat: Wizard Island, the writers' favorite experience of all, is off the table. The Cleetwood Cove Trail — the only route to the lake's shore and its sole boat dock — is closed for rehabilitation through the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons. Boat tours and the Wizard Island shuttle, where you'd normally get three hours to hike the cinder cone's summit, won't return until at least 2029. So anyone visiting in the next few years should plan around rim trails only, and treat the island trip as a reason to come back.
Who is this for? Anyone road-tripping through Oregon with a day or two to spare. With limited time, the practical formula is Garfield Peak in the morning, Watchman Peak in the late afternoon, and Discovery Point or Sun Notch squeezed in between — no hike on the list takes more than a few hours. Just note that September hikers still found people swimming in Cleetwood Cove's 59°F water in normal years, so pack layers and start early in peak season to beat crowds at the popular viewpoints.
