Cleetwood Cove Trail

I will be visiting Crater Lake in September and want to do more than just the Rim Drive. I would like to do the Cleetwood Cove trail, but from some comments, it sounds extremely taxing on the body. I%26#39;ve hiked in the Canadian Rockies and at Glacier National Park, but wonder if the hike back up will be too strenuous for me.

Cleetwood Cove Trail

We did not think it was difficult at all. It is one mile and only 700 ft elevation change. Since you have hiked in other higher altitude places, you should be fine. There are benches along the way if you need to sit and rest though. Which trails in the rockies have you done? At Lake Louise we took the kids and did the Lake Agness Tea House/Big Beehive/Plain of 6 Glaciers hike one day. Loved it! Did some others, but that was really spectacular.

Cleetwood Cove Trail

I think you will be ok- just go slow and bring water :).

If you have hiked in the Canadian Rockies and Glacier National Park, Cleetwood Cove trail will be a %26#39;piece o%26#39; cake%26#39;. Going down is easy, and coming back up is just lots of switchbacks. It%26#39;s mostly in the trees, so it%26#39;s shady and cool with benches every so often where you can rest.

The first time we hiked it, our daughter was 3 yrs old. She trudged back up to the all on her own, we never carried her. Later when our kids were about 10 or 12, we got off the boat at Wizard Island and hiked to the top to have our sack lunch.

You might also enjoy the Pinnacles Trail in the park. It%26#39;s not around the lake, but through some interesting rock formations.

Thanks all for the info and about another possible hike. I feel much better about doing the hike now. To answer MTNGRL%26#39;s question about the Canadian Rockies, just a few of the hikes I did there were Plain of Six Glaciers, Johnston Canyon Falls, Bow Glacier Falls, Maligne Canyon, and Path of the Glaciers/Cavell Meadows. So many great hikes.

luv2knit--We have done most of those trails too:) At Johnston Canyon, did you go to the inkpots? It was pouring rain the day we did that, and when we arrived, DD was not happy with us. She asked/said in a very matter of fact voice ';we hiked all the way here for THIS';...pointing to the big puddles, lol! She was about 10 yrs old or so then, lol.

No, I didn%26#39;t make it to the inkpots, and I don%26#39;t remember why I didn%26#39;t :) Probably, because I was leaving that day, and wanted to get on the road towards Lake Louise. I stayed in one of the precious cabins right there at Johnston Canyon, and loved the hike.