Annie Creek Canyon Trail – Crater Lake NP

Our day started with a quick trip to the Mazama laundry. Not a big facility – three washers and two free dryers. Did the job. Then we went to the dump station to empty our holding tanks and settled in at our new campsite — D32. Both campsites had weak AT&T cell reception, just enough for text messages and the newspaper in daylight hours.

Now it was time to hike. The loop trail runs right behind the camping loops, so we set off. First we walked to Annie Spring. Rather amazing to see the big rush of water erupting from the side of the mountain and forming into a creek. The spring is right at lake elevation. Water from rain and seepage from the lake travels through the porous rock but comes out as a spring once it hits harder rock.

After the walk to the spring we backtracked to the switchback that took us into the canyon. Moderately steep. The walk along the creek was beautiful. Lots of wildflowers — scarlet Gilla, lupine, Sulphur Buckwheat, pearly everlasting, corn lily, and more. There is a plethora of wildflowers because the pumice which forms the sides of the canyons is very porous and lake water seeps through it. Once again the water in the stream was crystal clear. The end of the trail was a fairly steep switchback climb. The entire walk was 3.2 miles with 400 feet of elevation change. Great walk.

Before dinner David build a campfire. There is so much downed wood around here. Tomorrow we leave Crater Lake NP and start the trip home.

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)