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Past Activity

Black Crater Sunrise Car Camp

  • Start date: 08/12/2026

  • Start time: 4:00 PM

  • End date: 08/13/2026

  • End time: 1:00 PM

Description:

Wednesday, August 12, 4PM drive from Eugene to Lava Camp Lake Campground (Hwy 242). Set-up your tent or stay in the vehicle. Free Camping. Relax into evening.
Thursday, August 13, at 3:30AM we’ll leave camp and drive 3 miles to Black Crater trailhead (44.2848, -121.7658)
We’ll start hiking at 4 AM so we can be at the top of Black Crater for spectacular sunrise (6:08AM). After sunrise, relax and breakfast with fantastic view we will descend to Black Crater trailhead and drive back to Eugene.
Suggested donation to drivers $18.

Photo by: Darko Sojak

  • Event Leader: Darko Sojak

  • Event Leader Phone: 541-799-9199

  • Event Leader Email: darchey@comcast.net

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: Behind McDonalds, 57th and Main in Springfield

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 160

  • Season: 2026

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Carry minimum 2 liter of water plus have more water in the car for drive back. According to wilderness regulations all human waste needs to be buried at least 6 inches. Make sure to have: Ten essentials, food and headlamp.

  • participant prerequisites: You need to be in good shape

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 8

  • Member Fees: —

  • Elevation Gain: 2355

  • Non-Member Fees: 8

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Another spectacular sunrise in the Cascades! <br />
Just before 3 a.m., we began our dusty trek through the eerie remains of the 2017 Milli Fire. A new moon contributed to perfectly dark skies and the occasional glimmer of the Perseid meteor shower. The summit of Black Crater was cold and windy, but it offered a great smoke-free view of the sunrise, a dozen other volcanoes, the Belknap Lava Field, and central Oregon.

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