Despite the state of Oregon being a cornucopia of etherial, natural beauty, it is home to only one national park: Crater Lake. Approximately 7,700 years ago, the 12,000-foot-tall volcano known as Mount Mazama erupted and collapsed, forming the 1,943 foot deep Crater Lake. This is the deepest lake in America! Crater Lake has become renown for its beautiful, illustrious blue color, as the lake’s water comes directly from snow or rain, making it one of the cleanest and clearest lakes in the world. Teeming with wilderness adventures year-round, a visit to Crater Lake is a must!
RIM DRIVE
The Rim Drive stretches in a 33 mile loop, encircling Crater Lake. It boasts 30 overlooks, with each highlighting a different view of the lake, a remarkable geologic formation, or a noteworthy environmental feature.
While some of these stops have exhibits with information about the view, most of the pullouts do not have signage… just hypnotizing views with hundreds of shades of blue. Definitely leave yourself lots of time to drive around, because it’s rather hard not to stop at every pullout along the way!
ADVENTURES AWAIT
Summer/Fall
Lake Tour
This tour is a two-hour cruise. During this time, guests will circle the perimeter of the lake, affording up-close views of Wizard Island, Phantom Ship, and the sparkling depths of the lake itself. As the beautiful views abound, a ranger will share information about the Crater Lake’s history, geology, and culture.
The tour starts at the Cleetwood Cove Boat Dock on the north side of Crater Lake. To access the dock visitors must to hike the Cleetwood Cove Trail, one of the park’s steepest trails. The trail is 1.1 miles long and has a 700-foot elevation change.
Reservations can be made here.
Fishing
There are two species of fish that live in Crater Lake: Kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. These fish are actually not native to the lake, so visitors are encouraged to fish. You don’t need a license and there’s no limit on how much you catch!
Visitors may fish along the shoreline any time, as permitted by the weather. The shoreline is reached via the 1.1-mile Cleetwood Trail.
Important to note: fishermen and women must use artificial bait, so as to not inadvertently introduce an outside species to the lake.
Hiking
While there are no hiking trails that encircle the lake, there are 16 day-hike trails in addition to five longer backcountry hikes. The hikes are stratified in categories of easy, moderate, and strenuous to ensure hikers of all fitness levels are equipped for outdoor adventure.
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) stretches 2,650 miles from Mexico up to Canada, and a portion of this trek crosses through Crater Lake National Park. The main trail primarily stays on the outskirts of the park, so you would only really find this trail if you were looking for it.
Winter/Spring
Skiing
The park features a variety of marked and unmarked routes for bold cross-country skiers. Adventure enthusiasts can choose a route through forests, along West Rim Drive, or to Vidae Falls along the East Rim Drive.
Crater Lake provides a park newspaper that provides an annual update on ski trails. Certainly worth checking out as you plan your wintery adventure.
While no ski equipment rental is available in the park, it can be rented along the way as you drive in. Call Waldron’s in Roseburg, OR at 541. 672. 8992 or Blackbird in Medford, OR at 541. 779. 5431 (Blackbird pricing available here) to reserve a pair of skis.
SnowShoeing
Never been snowshoeing before? New to Crater Lake? Trek through the snow with a Park Ranger and enjoy an off-trail exploration through the snowy forests and meadows along the rim of Crater Lake.
No previous snowshoeing experience is necessary. The snowshoes are provided free of charge, and there is no cost for the tour (besides the cost of admission into the park).
These tours are available Saturdays and Sundays, December through April. Advance reservations are required. For more information or to sign up, you can call the park’s visitor center at 541. 594. 3100.
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
When to Come
Generally speaking, the best months to visit Crater Lake are July, August, and September. Even in these summer months, you will see snow on the ground. If you’re planning to be in Oregon in October or June, you may want to check out the Crater Lake operations or alerts pages to ensure the roads are open. This part of Oregon receives an annual average of 42 feet of snow, so the Rim Drive roads are seasonally closed for the winter season.
Visitor’s Center
Crater Lake maintains not one, but two visitor centers. The Steel Visitor Center is open year-round, whereas the Rim Visitor Center is only open in the summer months (May 22-October 31st). In 2021, the Rim Visitor Center was temporarily closed down due to COVID. Additionally, the Steel Visitor Center will also be closed through the end of 2022, to complete renovations to the building structure.
SLEEPS
Crater Lake Lodge
Open mid-May to mid-October, the Crater Lake Lodge boasts 71 rooms, in a picturesque chalet overlooking Crater Lake. Pets are not permitted. To make a reservation, you can either call (866) 292-6720 or do so online.
The Cabins at Mazama Village
Seven miles south of Rim Village, you’ll find Mazama Village with 40 cabin units available for visitors. They are open late May to late September. Pets are not permitted. To make a reservation, you can call (866) 292-6720 or do so online.
Mazama Campground
The Mazama Campground has 214 sites available for tents and RVs (50’ maximum). There are some electric hookups available for RVs. Campsite amenities include restrooms, potable water, a gas station, food storage lockers, and a dump station. This campground is open early June to late September. To make a reservation, you can either call (541) 594-2255 ext. 3 or do so online.
DOGGOS
Pets on leash are allowed on paved roads and parking lots that are free of significant snow. Leashes must be no more than 6 feet in length, and only one pet per walker is allowed.
Areas to Walk in Summer and Fall
The 1/4-mile paved promenade at Rim Village (excellent views here!)
Through the campground loops at Mazama Village.
The following trails: Godfrey Glen Trail, The Lady of the Woods Trail, The Grayback Drive, and The Pacific Crest Trail (note: these trails do not offer any views of the lake).
Areas to Walk in Winter and Spring
Throughout these seasons, the most popular place to walk a dog is the Rim Village parking lot.
Pets are allowed only on one park trail: the Pacific Crest Trail, which is open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The Pacific Crest Trail is open year-round to pets, whether it is covered by snow or not.
Pets are not allowed on other park trails, off-trail, or on unplowed roads. They are also not allowed inside park buildings, including Crater Lake Lodge and the Mazama Village Cabins. Service animals are exempt from these regulations. Service dogs are allowed on park trails and also on boat tours.
GOOD EATS
Whether you’re looking to grab a snack for your hike or to rest your weary legs while you eat, you have a few different options for chowing down while you’re visiting Crater Lake. With three restaurants and a general store, all your bases will be covered. Hours do vary based on time of year, so check here to ensure you’ll be able to properly fill your belly (or your car!).
Rim Village Café
This spot in the southwest rim of the lake serves grab-and-go salads and sandwiches.
Annie Creek Restaurant
This restaurant can be found in Mazama Village, near the Annie Spring entrance to the park. They sell grab-and-go sandwiches and salads for lunch, but they also serve pizza, burgers, and other entrees for dinner.
Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room
Crater Lake Lodge offers casual dining with a lake-view setting. Due to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, meals at the Lodge are currently only available for Lodge guests.
Mazama Village Store
This general store sells groceries, camping supplies, firewood, and gasoline.
ENTRANCE FEES & PASSES
| Pass Type | Summer Cost* | Winter Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| Single Vehicle Fee (Grants unlimited entry for one vehicle for 7 consecutive days— aka keep your receipt if you plan to come back!) | $30 | $20 |
| Single Pedestrian or Bicycle (Grants unlimited entry for 7 consecutive days) | $15 | $15 |
| Single Motorcycle (Grants unlimited entry for 7 consecutive days) | $25 | $15 |
| America The Beautiful Annual Pass (entry into all National Parks) | $80 | $80 |
| America The Beautiful Annual Military Pass (see if you qualify here) | $0 | $0 |
We hope you have a lovely time taking in this gorgeous reflection of nature’s beauty. If you are exploring the national parks throughout the Pacific North West, be sure to check out Mount Rainier next!
written by Hannah
Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest. Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin, Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.
