Hiking the Watchman Peak Trail in Crater Lake National Park
Distance: 1.8 miles / 2.9 km
Elevation Gain: ~420 ft. / 128 m
The Watchman Peak Trail, also called the Watchman Lookout Trail, or simply the Watchman Trail, in Crater Lake National Park, is a unique mountain on the west side of the caldera rim because it’s the closest summit to Wizard Island—meaning the views looking east make for some of the best sunrise photos anywhere within the park!
That said, I want to stress that sunrise may or may not be better than sunset, depending on one’s perspective.
By this, I mean that when the sun sets to the west, the colors on prominent points around the caldera rim, such as Mt. Scott and Garfield Peak, light up at sunset—not to mention the sunset can just as easily be enjoyed from the backside of the fire lookout at the top.
All this to say, Watchman Peak is one of the best all-around sunrise and sunset hikes in Crater Lake National Park, which are truly the only two times of the day I recommend the trail—if you have the flexibility.
Watchman Peak Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Watchman Peak Trail is located at the Watchman Overlook, directly off West Rim Drive.
Before arriving, know that the Watchman Overlook is one of the most popular viewpoints in all of Crater Lake National Park, meaning that finding a spot to park during the busy summer travel season can be a challenge by mid-morning, which is another reason why sunrise and sunset are my two favorite times of day to hike the Watchman.
Google Maps Directions: Watchman Peak 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 Watchman Peak Trail
The Watchman Peak Trail begins by heading south on the Rim Trail from the Watchman Overlook.
When the paved path ends, the Rim Trail begins ascending up to the Watchman Peak junction on the west side of the peak.
This is what the Watchman Peak Trail looks like within a week of the National Park Service opening the hike for the season.
That said, the Watchman Trail typically stays closed for much longer than other day hikes in Crater Lake National Park, because the peaks on the west side of Crater Lake, including the Watchman and Hillman Peak, hold snow for much longer than other areas of the park.
All that to say, don’t be surprised if the Watchman Peak Trail is closed for the first half of the summer, as it typically opens in mid- to late July.
Some visitors may prefer to hike with trekking poles and micro-spikes for an early-season hike up the Watchman, especially if the daytime temperatures mean the snow is melting during the day and freezing again overnight.
Watchman Peak-Rim Junction
After just 0.4 miles (0.6 km), the Watchman Peak Trail branches off the Rim Trail.
At this junction, go left to begin the switchbacks up to Watchman Peak and the historic fire lookout at the summit, as the Rim Trail simply continues south to Discovery Point and Rim Village beyond, which can be seen in detail in my separate post about the full Rim Trail linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Rim Trail
After leaving the Rim Trail behind, the Watchman Trail begins ascending a series of 8 or 9 switchbacks—depending on how you count—to reach the fire lookout at the summit.
These lower switchbacks are noticeably longer than the ones closest to the summit.
A common sentiment about the hike up Watchman Peak is that the elevation gain is very mild—something that is certainly not true about other mountains in the park, like the final summit push up Union Peak.
This is where the switchbacks get very short and fast near the top of Watchman Peak.
Watchman Peak
The summit of Watchman Peak is this east-facing viewpoint that looks out toward Wizard Island and Crater Lake, with notable summits like Mt. Scott and Union Peak visible on a clear day.
On that note, these panoramic views are what make the Watchman one of the best sunrise hikes in Crater Lake National Park, especially since sunrise is one of the least crowded times of day to enjoy the beautiful viewpoint and the fire lookout!
Watchman Peak Fire Lookout
The Watchman Fire Lookout is a historic fire lookout built in the early 1930s, where it remained operational until 1974, when newer technology replaced the need to staff the lookout during fire season.
Today, visitors who hike up Watchman Peak can still see the historic structure, which has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
