Small PCT Loop

Small PCT Loop is the park-listed 24.8-mile round-trip circuit that pairs the West Rim Trail with the Pacific Crest Trail. Start at Lightning Spring Trailhead, follow the caldera rim north to Grouse Hill, then turn south on the PCT past Red Cone and Bybee Creek. Finish by climbing the 4.2-mile Lightning Spring connector back to the road. Expect about 12 hours on foot in all; most hikers will be happier spreading it over two days than pushing through in one.

There is a real mileage disagreement: the connected trail line we can verify is about 22.9 miles, while the park's published route list says 24.8 and gives no plotted route to explain the gap. Plan for the longer figure and confirm the intended circuit before setting out.

The first stretch stays high beside the caldera. Views open across Crater Lake and Wizard Island, with pumice fields, wind-shaped whitebark pines and patches of forest along the way. The rim section eventually turns north toward Grouse Hill, where it rejoins the PCT. When the lake opens up, frame a little of the rim in front of Wizard Island; that foreground gives the view its scale.

From Grouse Hill, the loop heads southwest through open country around Red Cone, then continues past Bybee Creek and back toward Lightning Spring. The stretch north of Red Cone is exposed and burned. There is no trail to Red Cone's summit, so stay on the route instead of adding an unmarked climb. The designated camps along this circuit are primitive backcountry sites, not developed campgrounds.

Overnight camping requires a backcountry permit year-round; day hiking does not, though park entry still requires a pass. Treat the loop as self-supported: the listed sites are flat tent areas and no food service is identified along the route. Pets are not allowed on this circuit because the park's pet exception covers the official PCT, not the lake-rim alternate.