Crater Lake National Park is not generally considered a hiker’s park. True, there are some excellent hikes there: Mount Garfield, Mount Scott, and The Watchman provide great views of the lake, Union Peak has extensive 360º views, and Crater Peak provides nice local views and has a charming flower meadow in its crater. However, other than the main Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which moves through a green tunnel, and its alternative route that runs along the west side of the lake, the only other established hiking trails in the park are in its northwest corner. Sullivan (Hike #122 in his Southern Oregon hiking guide (Third Edition, 2014)) describes visiting the Sphagnum Bog on the park’s west side. He has you coming at it via the PCT, which makes for a mostly green tunnel experience. However, there’s a shorter way in from the west – via the Bert Creek Trail – which allows you to visit the bog and also get some views from a climb of Bald Crater.
Continue reading “From Bog to Bald (Crater Lake NP) 05-Jun-2015”
BOOTS on the TRAIL 