Sun Notch Trail

Sun Notch Trail is a 0.8-mile loop from a roadside pullout on East Rim Drive, climbing through mountain hemlock forest and an open pumice meadow to the rim above Crater Lake. Phantom Ship, the jagged island rising from the water, is the main reason to make the climb; the route also looks toward Applegate Peak and Dutton Cliff. It suits anyone who wants a short walk with more payoff than a roadside stop. The lake stays hidden until you walk uphill, so allow about 30 to 60 minutes if you want time at the viewpoints.

Start at the Sun Notch pullout, about 4.4 miles east of Park Headquarters. The approach climbs through mountain hemlocks before opening into the meadow. The walking route circles the notch and reaches several openings along the rim; pause at more than one, since the view changes as you move around the edge. To finish the circuit, return to the road along the same short approach. That shared section is part of the full loop, which gains about 150 feet overall. The climb is modest but noticeable, and it comes before the lake view.

From the rim, look down for Phantom Ship, a jagged island of older volcanic rock standing apart from the caldera wall. The view shifts along the rim, with Applegate Peak ridge to the west and Dutton Cliff to the east. Steep cliffs fall away below the path, so stay on the established trail, especially when turning toward the lake. For a photo, keep Phantom Ship low over the water and include a little rim, tree, or ledge in the foreground to give the island scale. Walk to another opening for a different angle instead of stepping off the trail.

Sun Notch occupies an old glacial valley cut short when Mount Mazama collapsed to form the caldera. The open notch and the lake basin have different histories, which is part of what makes this short walk interesting: an older valley runs into the much younger volcanic landscape. The trail brings those shapes together in one view, from the pumice meadow underfoot to the steep caldera rim above the water.

This is a dry meadow of grasses and sedges, with Anderson’s lupine and Cascade aster among its wildflowers. Those meadows provide wildlife habitat and forage, but their ground is fragile, so keep to the designated path. Look for a large old whitebark pine in the Sun Notch area as well; its exact age has not been established. The meadow is worth slowing down for even before the Phantom Ship appears.