Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
0.95 mi (1.53 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Pinnacles is a great little hike for those who are up for trekking off the beaten path and away from the crowds of Crater Lake National Park. The trail is flat, less than a mile long and offers a nice, relaxed hike with awesome views of the Pinnacles.  Described best by one of the National Park's interpretive boards:

"The history of the Pinnacles began when the eruptions of Mount Mazama were reaching their climax 7,700 years ago. Floods of red-hot, gas-charged pumice poured down Mazama's slopes at speeds reaching up to 100 mph (160 kph). In addition to pumice,  flows of heavier rocks called Scoria also tumbled out. These glowing avalanches flooded down slope for miles, leaving deep deposits in their wake. 

Temperatures in the deposits may have exceeded 750 F (400 C). Plumes of vapors appeared, and gasses escaped from the settling rocks through vents called fumaroles.  In the extreme heat, minerals in the gasses welded the sides of the fumaroles in the shape of slender cones. Since then, streams have eroded a canyon through the deposits, exposing the cones. Many of these fossilized fumaroles are hollow." 

Note: East Rim Drive is closed during the winter.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

National Park Pass

Pros

Great Views. Liesurely hike.

Cons

None.

Trailhead Elevation

5,468.00 ft (1,666.65 m)

Features

Big vistas

Suitable for

Biking

Location

Nearby Adventures

Southern Oregon Cascades, Oregon
Oregon, Southern Oregon Cascades
Oregon, Southern Oregon Cascades

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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