The ride to Mt. Thielsen from the North Crater Trailhead is spectacular! You’ll ride through a beautiful forest and along a ridge with an amazing view of Mt. Thielsen (pronounced TEEL-son). And the vistas from the 7,400-foot shoulder of the mountain are breathtaking. Don’t miss it!
The Riding
You’ll start at North Crater Trailhead, located just off Hwy. 138 near the north entrance to Crater Lake National Park. Head north on the North Crater Trail, and in 0.3 mile, you'll reach the PCT. Turn left on the PCT, and you’re on your way.
For the first several miles, the trail runs through open lodgepole forest. Then, as you gain elevation, the lodgepoles give way to old-growth hemlocks and firs, with shade so dense that almost nothing grows beneath the forest canopy.
At one point, the trail traverses an open ridge that offers a unique view of Mt. Thielsen.
Then you’ll reach the junction with the Mt. Thielsen Trail, on a high shoulder of the mountain. From here, you can see the Crater Lake Rim to the south, Mt. Bailey and Diamond Lake to the west, and Howlock Mountain, Cowhorn Mountain, and The Three Sisters to the north. Stunning!
North Crater Trailhead
North Crater Trailhead has two campsites that allow horses. It offers easy roadside parking, a vault toilet, and garbage cans. You’ll need to bring your own stock water, and highline your horse or put up a portable corral.
Learn More
You’ll find more information about riding to Mt. Thielsen from the North Crater Trailhead in Riding Southern Oregon Horse Trails, by Kim McCarrel, (Ponderosa Press, 2017), available at www.nwhorsetrails.com.
