There's more to Crater Lake National Park than the lake itself. If you want to get away from the more popular hiking trails and scenic routes,  Plaikni Falls trail is a great alternative! It is definitely one of the more remote hikes at Crater Lake. This hiking trail is extremely family friendly and wheelchair accessible for the most part. This short hike leads you to the beautiful 20-foot waterfall and Sand Creek. This area is usually teeming with wildflowers in the prime summer months.

The Plaikni Falls trail is one of the newer trails at Crater Lake. It opened in 2011 and was intended for people with limited mobility and families with young children.

Along the trail, you will be surrounded by fir and hemlock trees which provide some nice shade during the hike. Make sure to bring a camera so that you can capture the great scenery you'll see!

Roundtrip: 42 minutes / 2 miles

Elevation gain: about 180 feet

There are several suggested hikes on the main trail leaving from the visitors center. The longest, a loop, is about 2 miles. It is the only one that leaves the boardwalk. It has some elevation gain. The others areally flat, with a boardwalk taking you to trees with signs explaining their significance. There is a lot of information posted around to inform curious minds, as well as some guided tours and programs from children. There are several other trails leaving or passing through this area, for those looking for a longer hike.

Fern Canyon is one of the best 1-mile hikes that you can do in California! This unforgettable location was featured in Steven Spielberg's film, Jurassic Park: The Lost World. 

Fern Canyon is located in Prairie Creek Redwoods. It's not incredibly easy to find, but the remote 8-mile drive will be worth seeing this fern laden paradise. Two stream crossings will need to be done by car, but one of these streams can be about 6 inches deep. If you don't think your car can make it, you'll just have to park and walk an extra mile.

Since this drive is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, you may see a lot of wildlife. You will most likely see a lot of elk on this drive so it's important to drive slowly on the dirt road. Also be aware of potholes along the road.

The drive is the most difficult part of this trip, so the hike is going to be a piece of cake in comparison. There is a parking lot with a vault toilet and a sign giving information about the area. The level trail begins at the top of the parking lot and leads you through a small, moss-covered forest before you reach the canyon. Be prepared to get wet during your hike because you will have to cross more streams. Don't try to find a way around the water and just have fun with it. Since the trail is relatively flat, this hike is a perfect, fun adventure for those with small children. There are a few wooden foot bridges here and there to cross some of the streams, but it is probable you will get your feet wet at some point.

Once you reach the canyon, you will have 50-foot canyon walls towering over you. These walls have lush, green plants cascading down the sides and there are fallen redwood trees, green with moss. You will possibly have to climb over or under a few logs. Along the canyon walls, there are some little waterfalls and streams that trickle down through the foliage. You will feel as if you are walking through a rainforest in Fern Canyon. No wonder a scene from the Jurassic Park movie was filmed here!

Going through the canyon itself is only about a half a mile, but the trail continues on and flattens out again into a forest. You can hike the whole loop trail or you can go back the way you came if you want to experience the canyon again (who wouldn't?).

Make sure you add this magical place to your list of places to see!

NOTE: Leave early in the morning to avoid the crowds. Bring water shoes or sandals.

Wizard Island is one of the most interesting features of Crater Lake itself! It's considered one of the most magnificent volcanic cinder cones in the world. Take a boat tour to the island and experience its grandeur while hiking the Wizard Island Summit Trail! At the top, you will find the crater named Witches Cauldron.

Created by a violent eruption of Mount Mazama about 7,700 years ago, Wizard Island is located at the west end of Crater Lake. Although there are other cinder cones in the lake, Wizard Island is the only one to reach above the surface. The island rises about 755-feet above the lake.

The only way to get to the island is to hike down the Cleetwood Cove trail to the dock for boat tours. It's a 45-minute boat ride to Wizard Island where the trail to the summit begins. The beginning of the trail is very rocky with lava rock, but after about 10 minutes, the trail smooths out. The hike is about 2.5 miles total, which takes you around the 400-foot wide crater at the top.

Round trip: 4.5 miles

Elevation gain: about 765-feet

NOTE: There is a fee for the boat tour.

This family-friendly hiking trail leads to the beautiful Mirror Lake. It gets the name because it reflects Mount Hood in the still, glacier cirque lake. You will walk through a dense forest and have multiple opportunities to see excellent views of Mount Hood!

Although this is a heavily used trail due to its popularity and trailhead convenience next to the highway, Mirror Lake and the other Mt. Hood views are a MUST-SEE! You'll definitely want to bring a camera for the picturesque scenery!

Once you get to the lake, you can choose to take the loop around the lake which would make a longer hike, or you can just turn back and return the way you came.

Roundtrip: about 3.2 miles (with loop)

Elevation gain: about 700 ft

Difficulty: Easy

The Tamolitch Pool, also known as the Blue Pool, is the one and only pool of its kind in Oregon. The name "Tamolitch", meaning 'bucket', was given to this gorgeous basin by the Northwest Indians.  This pool is created by the Mckenzie River which seeps through underground lava fields for two miles before emerging to the surface. As the river water seeps up from the porous lava, it gives the water in the pool a unique turquoise color and amazing clarity! This mesmerizing, clear blue water attracts many hikers, mountain bikers, and photographers. Despite the water that gushes out of the pool and returns to the Mckenzie River, the pool is so still and calm that it gives the illusion of a glass surface. This pool has become a popular place for photographers of all skill levels. It has gotten more recognition because of exposure on social media from visitors. The Tamolitch and McKenzie River trail are heavily used and have gained more and more visitors over the last few years.

It is not against the rules to jump into Tamolitch Pool. However, extreme caution is advised. Due to the clarity of the pool, those who jump in cannot make an accurate estimate of where the shallow areas are. The steep cliffs that surround the basin range from 10 - 60 feet. The water stays a chilly 30-some degrees all year round. Please jump from the cliffs at your own discretion. 

The McKenzie River Trail is 26 miles if you hike the entire trail. To get to the "Blue Pool" is about 2 miles from the Tamolitch trail head. This hike is very scenic with great views of the McKenzie River with many photo opportunities along the way. The hike to Tamolitch is relatively easy with a well-maintained trail. The first part of the hike will be fairly flat but gets very rocky and a bit more steep the further you go. You will be able to see stunning views of the river from above as you hike.

Once you get to the pool, you can stand at the top of the cliffs and look down into the blue basin, or you can clamber down the steep lava rocks to the edge of the pool. On the other side of the pool, there is a way to get to the water's edge that isn't  as steep.

NOTE: Although people do jump into the pool, it can be very risky. Many people have been injured and a few have even died by jumping in.

To the pool: about 2 miles

Cape Kiwanda is a state natural area in Pacific City, Oregon. This is a fantastic place to spend an entire afternoon! You will see magnificent views of the basalt monolith officially called, Chief Kiawanda Rock. It is commonly misnamed as the "other haystack rock" and is 90-feet higher than Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. The basalt stack got its name from a leader for the Nestucca Indian tribe. You will also see some impressive dunes and remarkable sandstone. At low tide, you can explore the sandstone at the base of the cliffs and search for fossils. The sandstone still remains due to the protection that Chief Kiawanda rock provides against the immense waves of the ocean. The Cape Kiwanda hike begins at the Pacific Avenue trailhead which is about a mile down from the cape itself. Walking along the beach you will enjoy views of the incredible monolith and the beautiful scene of the cape ahead of you. You will probably see surfers in wetsuits and some occasional kayakers. Pacific City is one of the most popular places to surf on the Oregon Coast because of its consistency.

Once you get to the base of the dune, there are two routes you can go. The lower route, and the way up the Great Dune. If you decide to hike up the Great Dune first, you can make a loop hike out of it because you can circle around the Sitka spruce trees and make your way to the lower dune by a trail through the trees once you're at the top. The lower dune goes out to the edge of the cape and provides gorgeous views of the opposite side of Cape Kiwanda. To your right, you'll be able to see Nestucca Bay. There are fences and signs that discourage visitors from getting too close to the edge of the cape due to soft cliff edges crumbling or falling off. This can happen at any time, so it's important to be careful.

You can take the trail down the lower dune to the base of Cape Kiwanda, or you can turn back and run or slide down the Great Dune. It's a very popular sandboarding or "sand sledding" spot.

Climbing up the Great Dune is somewhat of a workout. You will definitely feel the burn in your legs halfway to the top. This climb can be done with children. but they may require some assistance due to the strenuous hiking. You won't make much progress just using your feet to walk up, so it's a bit faster and easier if you use your hands and crawl up the dune. It's difficult, but definitely worth it once you reach the top!

NOTE: One of the downsides of the Cape Kiwanda area and Pacific City is that it is typically very busy and crowded.

Cape Lookout State Park has multiple hiking trails. This trail is among one of the more popular ones because it leads you to the steep cliffs which provide gorgeous views of the ocean and adjacent cliffs. Cape Lookout is also one of the prime locations for whale watching. Some have even said they've seen sea lions and orcas from the capes.

This slightly downhill trail is typically muddy and can be slippery at times. There are boardwalks in some of the really bad areas.

This is a beautiful hike that goes through the lush, green, coastal forest. Sometimes the trail can be a bit crowded depending on when you go.

Elevation gain: about 400 ft

Roundtrip: about 5.0 miles

NOTE: There is a $5 fee to use Cape Lookout State Park. AND MAKE SURE TO HOLD ON TO LITTLE ONES AT THE END OF THE TRAIL SO THEY DON'T FALL OFF THE 400 FT CLIFF.