The Pinnacles

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Hike details:

Mileage: 1.4 miles out and back w/ 70 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: 36 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Easy
Trail usage: Medium to high on summer weekends, low on weekdays and low during the fall
Highest elevation: 5,502 ft. Lowest elevation: 5,425 ft.
General location: 90 miles northeast of Medford - Crater Lake National Park
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is September and October when there are less people in the National Park and the weather is cooler and less smokey).
Permits required:

• America The Beautiful Pass or Annual Crater Lake Pass
• Day pass: cars - $30 in the summer (May 22-October 31), $20 in the winter (November 1-May 21). Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Good for 7 days.
• Motorcycles - $25 in the summer (May 22-October 31), $15 in the winter (November 1-May 21). Admits one or two passengers on a private, non-commercial motorcycle. Good for 7 days.
• Bicycles & Pedestrians - $15 per individual. Admits one individual with no car (bicyclist, hiker, pedestrian). Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Good for 7 days.

Pit toilet at trailhead: No
Trail allows: ​Wheelchair accessible, bikes
Possible dangers: Drop offs at some of the viewpoints. 

​Description:

The Pinnacles Trail is a very unique and frequently overlooked, family friendly trail in the heart of Crater Lake National Park. This trail is perfect for those looking for less crowded options inside of the park, with awesome views of very unique rock formations, and lots of history. 
The trailhead is a loop drive with not a lot of parking. This is usually not a problem though because this trail is not one of the incredibly popular sites in the park that people tend to flock to, and this trail is sadly often overlooked. 

As you walk down the well graded, wide gravel pathway, you will come to many spots where there are viewpoints right off the trail. Most of the viewpoints do not have guard rails of any kind, so if you are with small children, make sure they do not go near the edge. 
At one of the viewpoints you can see down to Wheeler Creek, and later on along the trail you will see the confluence of Wheeler and Sand Creek. 

(Wheeler Creek)

How were the pinnacles formed? During the Ice Age, glaciers made valleys through Godfrey Glen and Annie Creek canyons. When Mount Mazama erupted, the valleys were filled with hot pumice and ash. When the lava stopped moving, gas rose upwards through it, making ash into solid  rock. Over the years, streams have carved narrow canyons into the soft ashen landscape, exposing the old gas vents into spires. 

(some of the pinnacles up close)

(pinnacles across the creek and Mount Scott in the distance)

This entire trail is amazing to walk along and you get many different vantage points of the Pinnacles on both sides of the creek. You will also see Mount Scott looming to the northeast. (This is another hike that should not be missed when you're at Crater Lake National Park).
The last little bit of the trail is not gravel, but the path continues to stay very wide as you hike the last few hundred yards through the forest. This section doesn't have any Pinnacle views, however it is very interesting to go to the end of the trail because this is where the old east entrance of the National Park used to be. From 1927 to 1956 this was the east entrance, with the realignment of Highway 97, it closed in 1956. 

(old east entry sign post)

Overall, the Pinnacles trail should not be missed when visiting Crater Lake National Park. It holds an incredible amount of history of the landscape that one can through these unique rock formations, and also the history of the national park that you can see by walking to the old east entrance and what is now the park boundary. This trail is great for all ages and ability levels and it is even wheelchair and bike friendly. 

Directions:

From Medford

• Drive on OR-62 E for a total of 50 miles, then at a Y junction stay right on OR-62 E for another 15.8 miles. Turn left onto Munson Valley Rd/Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway and stay on this road for 3.9 miles, then turn right onto Rim Dr/Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway​ for 8.2 miles. Turn right onto Pinnacles Rd. and drive 6 miles to the trailhead at the road's end. (Total of 90.5 miles)

From Bend

• ​Drive on US-97 S for 74.5 miles then turn right onto OR-138 W for 14.7 miles. At a sign for Crater Lake National Park turn left onto State Hwy 209/Crater Lake Hwy N/Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway for 9.2 miles. Turn left onto Rim Dr/Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway for 14.8 very windy miles, then turn left onto Pinnacles Rd. and drive 6 miles to the trailhead at the road's end. (Total of 120 miles)

From Eugene

• Drive I-5 S toward Roseburg for 5.3 miles then take exit 188 for OR-58 toward Oakridge/Klamath Falls and stay on this road for 86.6 miles until you merge onto US-97 S. Stay on US-97 S for a total of 17.9 miles, then turn right onto OR-138 W for 14.7 miles. At a sign for Crater Lake National Park turn left onto State Hwy 209/Crater Lake Hwy N/Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway for 9.2 miles. Turn left onto Rim Dr/Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway for ​14.8 very windy miles, then turn left onto Pinnacles Rd. and drive 6 miles to the trailhead at the road's end. (Total of 156 miles)

From Salem

• Total of 218 miles via Eugene.

From Portland

• Total of 262 miles via Eugene.

-This trail write-up was last updated June, 2022-
*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer

*Disclaimer: The trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.

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