Parking
From Prospect, take OR 230 to Forest Road 6530, continue to Forest Road 6535, then turn onto NF 660 and follow it to the gate at the upper end. Start there and keep the gate clear. No developed lot or trailhead facilities are documented.
Overview
About Bert Creek Trail
Why go
- A four-mile forest route with modest grades
- A way to reach the unusual Sphagnum Bog extension
Heads up
- Several miles of forest road before the walk starts
- The route returns along the same corridor
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Crater Lake map
Full mapElevation5,512–5,791 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Crater Lake alerts
- ClosureCleetwood Cove Trail closed for rehabilitationCleetwood Cove Trail is closed to the public during construction to rehabilitate the trail and marina.Official details
- CautionPinnacles Road restricted to hikers and bicyclistsPinnacles Road is open only to hikers and bicyclists because of a road construction project; motor vehicles cannot use it.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Crater Lake Tour Guide
Your drive to Bert Creek Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Crater Lake National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Crater Lake audio tour- 58 audio storiesacross Crater Lake’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mule Deer, Common Raven, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 34 trails, 49 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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Trail guide
Hiking Bert Creek Trail
A forest out-and-backBert Creek Trail is a roughly 4-mile out-and-back from the gate on NF 660 to the Bald Crater…
Bert Creek Trail is a roughly 4-mile out-and-back from the gate on NF 660 to the Bald Crater Loop junction and back. The walk includes about half a mile along NF 660 to the park boundary, then about 1.5 miles on the named trail through mountain hemlock and Shasta red fir. Allow about 2.5 hours. Expect a remote forest walk with mild grades, not a rim or lake overlook.
Getting to the startFrom Prospect, take OR 230 to Forest Road 6530, continue to Forest Road 6535, then turn onto NF…
From Prospect, take OR 230 to Forest Road 6530, continue to Forest Road 6535, then turn onto NF 660 and follow it to the gate. The last several miles are on forest roads, so plan the drive as part of the outing. No developed parking lot or trailhead facilities are documented. The route sits above 5,500 feet and can be snow-covered from fall into early summer; when snow covers higher trails, the route may be unmarked. Check access before making the drive. Pets are not allowed on this trail; service animals are permitted.
The bog is farther onBert Creek Trail ends at the Bald Crater Loop junction. A signed continuation leads about 1.
Bert Creek Trail ends at the Bald Crater Loop junction. A signed continuation leads about 1.7 miles farther to Sphagnum Bog, which is outside the four-mile distance above. The wetland is technically a fen: springs feed the headwaters of Crater Creek through a patchwork of moss, sedges, shrubs, and pools. Older field notes describe insect-eating sundews and bladderworts, plus peat over pumice from Mount Mazama. Some hollows are deep, and the plants are fragile, so stay on the established route if you continue.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Crater Lake
16 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
178 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
26 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
33 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around 1 PMSighting map
47 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
71 sightingsCascades FrogMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Crater Lake. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
