Watchman Overlook Trail

From the overlook, hike .8 miles to an old fire tower lookout with panoramic views of the lake.

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Watchman Overlook Trail Details

Just under four miles north of Rim Village, on West Rim Drive, you'll come to the Watchman Overlook, one of the best spots in the park to get a clear view of Wizard Island. You can park in the paved lot and walk to the scenic overlook. From the overlook, hike .8 miles to an old fire tower, with panoramic views of the lake. You'll start in a pumice meadow, and then travel through open forest before tackling some switchbacks up to the summit tower of Watchman Peak. The hike gains roughly 650 feet, and the round trip journey takes about an hour. The hike is considered moderate. You can find many species of alpine flowers along the way, including stick cinquefoil, Newberry's fleeceflower, heartleaf arnica, alpine bittercress, Davidson's Penstemon, western pasqueflower, sulphur flower, spreading phlox, and alpine pussytoes.

Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

0.8 miles

Estimated time

30 minutes

Region

N/A