At the underside of a volcanic fissure spanning two miles lengthy and over seventy ft deep, Crack-in-the-Ground is one in all Oregon’s most unusual climbing trails.
“Normally, fissures like this one are filled with soil and rock by the processes of erosion and sedimentation. However, because it is located in such an arid region, very little filling has occurred and Crack-in-the-Ground exists today nearly as it did shortly after its formation thousands of years ago.”
Managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management, the Crack-in-the-Ground web site covers the fundamentals: open yr spherical, no ingesting water, restroom accessible on the major car parking zone, foot site visitors solely, 4 wheel drive automobiles extremely beneficial.
Entry level.
We visited Crack-in-the-Ground this previous weekend and located all of these items to be true after which some. Prepare for a six mile off-road journey with ruts, mud, and washboards. Four wheel drive isn’t essential however definitely helps. While we walked previous a wood kiosk space the place one may count on a map or different key data, the one printed materials was about native bats. This made finding the trailhead and embarking on our journey a bit tougher.
Averaging twenty levels cooler than floor temperatures, elements of the shaded path flooring had been nonetheless lined in packed snow and black ice making the descent a bit treacherous. I slipped throughout the first jiffy and would have felt much more assured with crampons on my climbing boots. If you’re injured, cell service is first rate right here however you’ll must make the gradual trip out (or look ahead to emergency response).
Alltrails.com affords a digital map, however I might undoubtedly affirm with a guidebook or discover one other model for reference. We ended up strolling on a floor path north of the fissure to totally different entry level nearer to the center of the path. This spot additionally allowed us to look down into the crack and hike for a bit on a much less deep and dryer aspect path. Important word: in case you have younger youngsters or pets not on a leash, there are not any guardrails, signage, or different security options.
Snow pack in late April.
If you may have mobility points or are usually not comfy squeezing between tight areas and climbing beneath or over boulders and rock fields, this isn’t the hike for you. You’ll want each palms free for climbing and bracing. We didn’t convey water with us, however a day pack in all probability is a superb concept in hotter months.
Where to Stay
While the closest “big” city with tenting, motels, and houses for hire is La Pine, Crack-in-the-Ground is a simple day journey from Sunriver or Bend. This specific highway journey, we camped on the Summer Lake Hot Springs simply outdoors of Paisley and completely beloved it.
Happy Trails!