Loading...

WINTER SALE! 50% OFF Supporter Accounts — now through January 31st. Learn More.

Belknap Crater Trail

The Belknap Crater Trail at Deschutes National Forest near Sisters, Oregon is a difficult hike up to the sandy summit of Belknap Crater, a cinder cone surrounded by the great expanses of the Belknap Lava Bed, and features stunning views.

The hike is marked difficult due to course, rough lava, and steep and sandy grades.

The last part of the hike, past the lava flow, is extremely sandy, slippery, and steep! Your progress will be slow, but it never gets too sketchy. The path is for the most part, easy to follow. The trail leading away from the Pacific Crest Trail is not marked. It is seen to your left immediately after you exit the lava bed (beyond the Little Belknap Crater Trail junction).
Explore 3 trails near Sisters, OR

Know Before You Go

  • Belknap Crater Trail is a challenging 6.5-mile hike in Deschutes National Forest, near Sisters, Oregon, featuring a steep, sandy ascent to the summit of Belknap Crater.
  • The trail is considered difficult due to rough lava, steep grades, and a particularly sandy and slippery final section, requiring slow progress.
  • The unmarked turnoff from the Pacific Crest Trail to Belknap Crater Trail is located immediately after exiting the lava bed, past the Little Belknap Crater Trail junction, on the left.
Interactive topographic map for Belknap Crater Trail located in Sisters, OR. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
6.5 mi
Difficulty
Hard
Type
Out-and-Back
Est. Time
3.3 hrs
Elev. Gain
1,739'
Rating
0.0
Added
September 12, 2017
Updated
January 25, 2021

Weather Forecast

Loading...
Total Change
1,649'
Ascent
1,739'
Descent
1,663'
Loading...

Download the GPX Data for Offline Use

Supporters get exclusive access to download trail routes to the MyHikes app for offline use. Stay prepared on your adventure, even without an internet connection! Become a Supporter today to unlock this feature and hike with confidence.

Download Belknap Crater Trail GPX Data to the MyHikes Mobile App

Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Dogs
Mountain Summit
Camping

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    44.260415, -121.810012
  2. Main Trailhead

    44.260368, -121.809578

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Hazards

Rockfalls, Ledges, or Scrambles

Availability

Summer, Fall

Surface type

Dirt

Trip Reports (Reviews)

Your opinion matters! Be the first to rate this trail.

Ready to help fellow hikers? Add a trip report to share your experience and provide valuable insights for other hikers!

No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

Popular categories

Scenic mountain view representing vista trails
Vista trails
Scenic gorge of cascades representing waterfall trails
Waterfall hikes
Rugged mountain terrain representing summit trails
Summit trails
Scenic mountain view representing dog-friendly trails
Dog-friendly
Scenic campsite with a view representing camping trails
Camping trails
Appalachian Trail logo representing A.T. hikes
A.T. hikes

You May Also Like

Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road - Discover the breathtaking beauty of Glacier National Park along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. From stunning roadside stops to picturesque waterfalls and vistas, this engineering marvel offers endless opportunities for exploration.
Explore

Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road

Discover the breathtaking beauty of Glacier National Park along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. From stunning roadside stops to picturesque waterfalls and vistas, this engineering marvel offers endless opportunities for exploration.

Read
Colorado's Million Dollar Highway - Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.
Explore

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway

Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.

Read
🍪 We use cookies to learn about site usage and to serve map tiles. You may block cookies manually in the browser. By continuing you agree. Learn more