Hiking the Lady of the Woods Trail in Crater Lake National Park
Distance: 0.75 miles / 1.2 km
The Lady of the Woods Trail, also called the Headquarters Loop Trail, in Crater Lake National Park is an easy day hike near the south entrance and Steel Visitor Center that leads to a stone carving of a woman made by a park employee more than 100 years ago!
Since its creation, the National Park Service decided to construct the Lady of the Woods Trail that we have today, turning it into an interpretive trail where visitors can learn about the trail, the park’s history, the stone carving, and much more!
If you are interested in following along with the numbers posted throughout the trail, you can click the link below to download a guide before visiting or ask the folks working in the Steel Visitor Center before setting off on the trail.
Download: Lady of the Woods Trail Guide
Lady of the Woods Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Lady of the Woods Trail is located at the Steel Visitor Center, about 3.8 miles (6.1 km) north of the entrance station off Crater Lake Highway.
Before arriving, be aware that the Lady of the Woods Trail shares this parking area with both the Steel Visitor Center and the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail, meaning that parking can be a challenge to find during the busy summer travel season.
Google Maps Directions: Lady of the Woods Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Crater Lake
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Crater Lake National Park.
That said, there are Black Bears in Crater Lake National Park, and while carrying bear spray is allowed, encounters with hikers are considerably rare.
Hiking the Lady of the Woods Trail
The Lady of the Woods Trail begins on the south side of the Steel Visitor Center, where a sidewalk leads to the back of the building and the start of the loop.
Lady of the Woods Loop Trail
At the southwest corner of the Steel Visitor Center, the Lady of the Woods Trail splits into the loop, with most visitors choosing to go left, as this is the fastest and most direct route to the Lady of the Woods carving just a short distance ahead.
After crossing Munson Creek, go right to stay on the Lady of the Woods Trail.
Lady of the Woods
After just 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the loop reaches the Lady of the Woods stone carving.
How Did the Lady of the Woods Carving Get Here?
In 1917, a physician and National Park Service employee named Earl Russell Bush carved a figure of a woman into this large boulder near the park’s headquarters, using hand tools to shape the face and upper body.
So the story goes, this carving wasn’t an official park project but something he did on his own.
Fast forward to today, and the name 'Lady of the Woods' stuck, which visitors can enjoy and read more about in the interpretive guide for the trail.
After the Lady of the Woods, the loop continues up a gradual incline for another 0.3 miles (0.5 km), until it begins descending back to the Steel Visitor Center.
This is about as steep as the Lady of the Woods Trail gets!
The second bridge on the Lady of the Woods Loop Trail is at the top of the hill, meaning that from this point on the hike is almost entirely downhill to the visitor center.
Shortly after the bridge, the Lady of the Woods Trail crosses this service road, where some hikers choose to go right to walk down the road for a faster route back to the visitor center.
However, I chose to continue straight to complete the full loop, as following the trail is only 0.1 miles (0.2 km) longer.
To my surprise, I actually came across a Black Bear when the loop passed by this meadow, with Munson Creek running through it.
However, it was well off the Lady of the Woods Trail, and I didn’t have the right lens on to capture a quick picture before it was gone.
Just before the Lady of the Woods Trail returns to the Steel Visitor Center, the loop crosses the service road one final time.
Go right to stay on the Lady of the Woods Trail, or simply walk down the road to the visitor center, which can be seen in the distance through the trees.
Steel Visitor Center
Once back at the visitor center, there’s either the option to go straight to return to the parking area or turn right to complete the full loop, as shown below.
Lady of the Woods Loop Junction
This is where the Lady of the Woods Trail returns to the beginning of the loop, with the trailhead and parking area located just on the other side of the visitor center to the left.
