You can walk down into a 2-mile crack in Oregon’s high desert, and nobody charges you to do it

Most cracks in the ground mean something went wrong. This one in Lake County is a destination, and you can walk right down into it. It’s a fissure in the high-desert basalt that runs more than two miles, with a trail along the bottom.

Crack-in-the-Ground sits inside the Four Craters Lava Bed Wilderness Study Area, about 60 miles southeast of Bend and 8 miles north of Christmas Valley. Out here, that counts as next door.

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What you’re actually walking into

It’s a tension fracture in the basalt, which is a fancy way of saying a lava flow split open. The desert here is so dry that very little soil and rock has filled it back in, so the passage stays open and the walls look sharp.

Once you drop below the rim, it gets weird in the best way. The bottom can run up to 20 degrees cooler than the surface, so bring a jacket even on a warm day. Yes, really.

The hike

This one’s short and friendly: a 1.1-mile loop with about 42 feet of elevation gain, and it’s rated easy. The walk from the parking area to the crack itself is only about 500 yards.

Expect sand and loose rock underfoot, so wear real shoes. The trail is foot traffic only, which means no motor vehicles, mountain bikes or horses.

There’s a vault toilet and a picnic table at the trailhead, but no drinking water. Bring more than you think you need, because the nearest services are back in Christmas Valley.

Getting there

From Christmas Valley, head east on the Christmas Valley Highway for about a mile, then turn north onto Crack-in-the-Ground Road and drive about 7 miles. Turn left onto Lava Craters Road and follow the signs.

Here’s the catch: it’s rugged dirt, and the BLM highly recommends four-wheel drive because the roads can be impassable at times. If you’re coming from Bend, the route runs through the town of Fort Rock, and the final gravel stretch can be rough, with washboards and a few bull-dust dips.

It’s open year-round and there’s no fee, so the rough road is the only real price of admission. We think that’s a fair trade for a walk down into the earth.

Make a night of it

Green Mountain, nearby, has six primitive campsites with a vault toilet, picnic tables and fire grates. It’s primitive, so pack out everything you bring in.

Have you ever hiked down into a lava fissure? Tell us in the comments what the high desert has surprised you with.

Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.

Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.

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