Plaikni Falls is a 55-foot horsetail waterfall on Sand Creek in Crater Lake National Park, Klamath County, Oregon. Unknown to most visitors until the park opened a trail to it in 2011, it sits at the end of an easy forest walk in the quieter eastern part of the park.
The falls
Sand Creek rises at Anderson Spring just above Anderson Bluffs and runs about a quarter mile before pouring over the cliff. Measurements record a 55-foot horsetail drop, though other references give 20 feet. The cliff was carved by glaciers and is flanked by walls of hardened volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Mazama, with the stream fed by snowmelt. The base forms a moist riparian pocket thick with wildflowers.
Getting there
From East Rim Drive near the Phantom Ship Overlook, turn onto Pinnacles Road and drive 1.2 miles to a small trailhead lot on the left; parking is limited. The trail is rated easy, covering 2.0 miles round trip with about 100 feet of gain, typically taking about an hour. On September 23, 2026, the park reported that Pinnacles Road was reachable only on foot or by bike because of a road construction project, so check the park's conditions page before driving out.
Crater Lake admission is $30 per private vehicle from May 22 to October 31 and $20 from November 1 to May 21, valid seven days; walkers and cyclists aged 16 and older pay $15. Entry is cashless and needs no reservation.
When to go
Front-country trails at this elevation are usually snow- and ice-covered from December into June. East Rim Drive and Pinnacles Road close for the winter on November 1, or earlier if snow falls. In summer, wildflowers line the trail and crowd the spray zone at the base.
On site
The first three-quarters of the trail is passable in an all-terrain wheelchair; the final stretch climbs more steeply, where wheelchair users will need assistance and may find it too steep. Pets are not allowed on the park's nature trails, though trained service dogs are permitted. Along the way, listen for pikas, marmots and songbirds where the trail bends right.
History and name
Plaikni is a Klamath word meaning "from the high country." The falls and trail were named for the Plaikni Band to recognize the Klamath Tribes' cultural ties to the park, although historical records place the band's villages south of the Sprague River, a good distance from Crater Lake. The 2011 trail was the park's first to lead to a waterfall.
Nearby
Vidae Falls is about 3.1 miles away, Bear Creek Falls is about 3.4 miles away, and Duwee Falls is about 5.9 miles away. The Phantom Ship Overlook sits at the turnoff for Pinnacles Road.
Distances are straight-line.