Vicinity:
Crater Lake National Park
Vicinity Location:
The trailhead is 96 miles southeast of Eugene, OR in Crater Lake National Park.
Directions:
Drive on East Rim Road to the junction for Pinnacles Road and turn onto it. Drive 1.2 miles to the trailhead.
There is no bathroom at the trailhead. The closest public restroom is farther down Pinnacles Road at Lost Creek Campground.
A National Park entry permit is required to park at the trailhead.
Pets are not allowed on this trail.
Length and Elevation:
1.9 miles round trip Elevation gain 120 feet and loss of 40 feet to the waterfall. Total gain and loss is 320 feet. Elevation at the trailhead is about 6,400 feet.
Trail:
Plaikni Falls Trail. (sounds like plaque except with a long a, then knee)
There are no geocaches along this trail.
Trail Maps:
Topo Map, Download Garmin .gpx file
Review: July 27, 2012.
This hiking trail opened in the summer of 2011 and starts from a small parking area along the Pinnacles Road which is a spur road
off the East Rim Drive. Plaikni is a Klamath Indian word meaning “from the high
country.” The falls are fed from a spring that is nearly 7,000 feet above sea
level. The source of the spring is from snowmelt and not Crater Lake.
This trail has a fine graveled trail with rock benches along the pleasantly winding trail. The fine gravel will help the tread
endure the heavy traffic and keep the dust down on this trail.
Follow the trail through the open forest of old-growth mountain hemlocks on an almost level trail.
After about 600 feet the trail crosses a service road and continues directly
across the road.
After walking the Kerr Valley for .75 mile, the sounds of the stream can be
faintly heard and the trail turns left. Now Sand Creek can be seen jumping over
rocks as it flows downhill. The ascent of the trail steepens here and
approaches the falls.
The falls are best viewed before mid-afternoon because the sun swings around and puts them into shadow. The water cascades 20
feet over a glacier carved cliff then tumbles down a rocky streambed into the
forest. Numerous wildflowers dot the area of the falls and the stream, drinking
in the water and spray provided by the falls.
This is an easy trail and becomes quite crowded in the afternoon. It is great for children because there are no cliffs and the
trail is an easy walk. Sometimes there are walking sticks at the trailhead that you can use. This is a trail where mosquito repellent will be appreciated until fall frosts kill them off for the season.
Enjoy the photos!!
Gallery Pics
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