Bend

Trip worthy places, an hour from Bend.

NPS Photo

Before you go

weather Fire Weather Watch
park closure East Rim Drive is CLOSED from Park Headquarters to Phantom Ship Overlook — Crater Lake National Park
park closure Cleetwood Cove Trail is CLOSED for Rehabilitation — Crater Lake National Park
caution Roads May Be Icy - Please Use Caution! — Crater Lake National Park
danger Sheep Rock Unit Closed due to Shingle Fire — John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

This week

Updated Jul 30

Forecast

This Afternoon 86° Partly Sunny
Friday 92° Patchy Smoke
Saturday 84° Sunny
Sunday 78° Sunny

Happening

No scheduled programs in the next ten days.

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Worth the drive

18 places

Two visitors on bikes with Crater Lake in the background.

Biking at Crater Lake

Each year, increasing numbers of cyclists come to Crater Lake National Park to ride around the lake on the physically demanding, 33 mile (53 km) Rim Drive. Steep hills at high elevation may encourage even the most fit riders to pause at many of the road's thirty overlooks and pull-outs. The payoff however is spectacular scenery, viewed at a pace that few visitors choose to take enough time for.

Crater Lake National Park

Blue-green rock formations sit in a valley surrounded by green grass and shrubs and brown mountains

Blue Basin Overlook Trail

The Blue Basin Overlook Trail is a 3.25 mi (5.2 km) trail that climbs 760 ft (230 m) in elevation to an overlook of Blue Basin. This trail provides breathtaking views down into steep canyons and grand vistas of the John Day River valley. It starts both at the Blue Basin parking lot and also connects along the Island in Time Trail. No collecting is permitted and off-trail hiking is strictly prohibited. Please stay on trail.

1-3 Hours

View of red and green striped hills from trail above, with green sagebrush and windy dirt road below

Carroll Rim Trail

The Carroll Rim Trail is 1.6 miles (2.6 km) roundtrip. The trail climbs over 400 ft (120 m) of elevation to a panorama view of the Painted Hills.

30-60 Minutes

A small rock arch at the top of a cliffside formed from erosion

Clarno Arch Trail

This 0.5 mi (0.8 km) trail climbs almost 200 ft (60 m) in height to the base of the Palisades to a view of an arch above. No collecting is permitted.

15-45 Minutes

A gravel path with trees and shrubs on both sides leads to a scenic view of blue-green formations

Flood of Fire Trail

Mostly easy with several stair steps, this 0.5 mi (0.8 km) long trail ends at a dramatic cliff face and a view of colorful geologic formations and fiery floods of basalt across the valley.

15-30 Minutes

A gravel path goes through grass and shrubs

Geologic Time Trail

Travel in time between the past and present on this 0.5 mi (0.8 km) path connecting the Trail of Fossils and the picnic area. No collecting is permitted.

10-35 Minutes

A metal bridge leads to blue-green claystones with a tree on the side.

Island in Time Trail

This 1.3 mi (2.1 km) trail follows the canyon floor and ascends 200 ft (60 m) in elevation through blue-green badlands. Exhibits and fossil replicas along the trail tell the story of the fossil landscape. Dog owners please note: There are over a dozen metal bridges on this trail. All have rough footplates that many dogs refused to cross. You may need to carry your dogs across the bridges. No collecting is allowed and off-trail hiking is strictly prohibited. Please stay on

20-60 Minutes

A brown hill covered with leaf fossils with a short wooden fence in front.

Leaf Hill Trail

This trail is 0.25 mi (0.4 km) roundtrip. Leaf Hill has been extensively excavated and studied by paleontologists. Signs explain more of its history. No collecting is permitted. Please stay on trail.

10-30 Minutes