Backpack to Crater Lake, Sierra National Forest

Lakeshore, California

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Details

Distance

8.4 miles

Elevation Gain

2100 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Emily Rudger

This strenuous 4 mile hike pays off with breath taking views of an isolated lake and the distant mountain ranges of John Muir Wilderness.

Starting at Lake Florence, this hike starts out with a climb up and keeps this up over the next 3 miles. After about 3 miles of climbing you reach another lake, Dutch Lake which provides shade and a nice place to rest. From there it's a relatively flat 1.2 miles in to your destination. Once at Crater Lake, you can set up camp by the water (somewhere more sheltered from the wind), or up on the granite to the left of the lake, where you get the best views of the mountains and lake, but more of a chill from the wind. Bring a hammock, some buds, and an appetite for adventure.

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Features

Camping

Fishing

Backpacking

Hiking

Forest

Lake

Scenic

Swimming Hole

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Leave No Trace

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