Annie Creek Canyon Trail

Annie Creek is a 1.7-mile loop from the amphitheater behind Mazama Campground. It starts on the canyon rim, drops to the creek, follows the water through a deep, forested cut, then climbs back out. Allow about an hour and a half. The distance is modest, but the switchbacks and the longer climb back make this a real hike; pick it for a close-up look at the creek and canyon rather than a lake view.

The first stretch follows the rim through forest, then a set of switchbacks drops about 200 feet to Annie Creek. The creekside section is flatter and follows the water upstream past small bridges and the Annie Creek Pinnacles. After the lower loop, the trail climbs out on the opposite side; that ascent is longer and steeper than the first descent. The rim route back toward camp is mostly level. Take your time where the trail switches back and on the climb out, even though the mileage looks short.

The creek cut into a thick layer of ash left by a major eruption; the park map puts that layer at about 200 feet thick. The route brings you alongside the stream instead of leaving the canyon as a distant overlook, and the pinnacles show how differently the ash has eroded. Look for American Dippers flying low over the water, plus wildflowers and pollinators along the trail. For a photo that reads as a canyon, keep both the creek and the pale walls in the frame rather than filling it with water alone.