What to Know before Visiting Crater Lake National Park
My husband and I visited Crater Lake National Park during our 6 month stay in Portland, Oregon. This unique national park visit was part of a longer roadtrip around Oregon (which you can read about by clicking the link above). We only spent 1 day at Crater Lake, but I felt that this was sufficient to see the highlights. If you really want to dive deep into this park, 2 days would be ideal.
What is Crater Lake?
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States (1,943 feet to be exact). It is also considered the cleanest because it is supplied totally by snow and rainwater (No streams or rivers run into Crater Lake). These two facts give the lake its deep blue color and crystal clarity – Nope, the photos here were not enhanced. It really is THAT blue.
You’ll also notice a little island in the middle of the lake. It’s called Wizard Island, and it is also a volcano. The park offers boat tours to Wizard Island where you can swim, fish or hike.
How Was It Formed?
A volcano named Mount Mazama used to stand in the place of Crater Lake. Mount Mazama had a massive eruption 7,700 years ago exerting a huge amount of pumice and ash. The remaining parts of Mount Mazama could not support the weight of all the pumice and ash. This caused the volcano to collapse forming the pit of Crater Lake. Overtime, snow and precipitation filled the pit and Crater Lake was created.
What is There to Do in Crater Lake National Park?
Hiking
There are lots of hiking options within the national park that range from easy to strenuous. My top 3 hikes are Watchman Peak, Cleetwood Cove, and Mount Scott.
Watchman Peak is rated as moderate by the park, but I would say it’s on the easy side of moderate. The trail is 1.6 miles roundtrip and gives you great panoramic views of the park and the lake.
Cleetwood Cove is rated as strenuous by the park, but I disagree. The trail is 2.2 miles roundtrip. This is the only trail that leads down to the water, and it’s the same trail you would take to get to the boat tours. The hike down is very easy as it’s all downhill. The hike back up is pretty steep, which is probably why the park labeled it as strenuous. However, it’s a fairly short hike overall, so I would label it as moderate.
Mount Scott is 4.4 miles roundtrip and is also rated as strenuous. This hike brings you to the highest peak in the park at 8,929 feet. If you want the best views, plan this hike for the morning time.
There are also a couple of hikes on Wizard Island- Wizard Summit (2.2 miles roundtrip) and Fumarole Bay (1.7 miles roundtrip). You’ll have to pay for the boat tour to access the Wizard Island hikes.
Swimming, Fishing and Boat Tours
The only access points for swimming or fishing in Crater Lake National Park are at the bottom of Cleetwood Cove and around Wizard Island. The water is very cold even at the peak of summer. My husband and I really enjoyed swimming and sunbathing on the rocks at the bottom of Cleetwood Cove, but these were short swims followed by warming back up in the sun. If you plan on fishing, know that only non-organic bait is permitted. This is to prevent introducing new organisms to the lake.
Boat tours operate from July to Mid-September (weather permitting). In order to get to the boat tours, you must hike down Cleetwood Cove. This means you also need to be in good enough condition for the steep hike back up at the end. Boat tours are operated by Explore Crate Lake which you can find here. There are 3 options for boat tours:
- 2 hour standard tour that circles Wizard Island
- 5 hour Wizard Island Tour that includes stopping on Wizard Island for 3 hours
- 3 hour 45 min Wizard Island Shuttle which will get you to and from Wizard Island (with 3 hours to spend on the island). The shuttle does not include narration or circling the lake like the two tours above.
More Options in the Park
One more thing that you should not miss on your visit to Crate Lake is the scenic Rim Drive. This is the 33 mile road that circles Crater Lake. You’ll likely hit parts of this drive on your way to various hikes. If you want to enjoy the full loop, plan for around 2-3 hours with stops. There are many scenic pullouts along the route. If you don’t want to drive, the park also offers trolley tours that last around 2 hours. You can reserve trolley tickets online at craterlaketrolley.net.
Bicycling and backpacking are also popular activities in the park. If you plan to go backpacking, you must first obtain a permit from the Ranger Station at Park Headquarters. Most bicyclers choose to pedal the 33 mile Rim Drive (mentioned above). If you are cycling, know that cycling is only allowed on paved roads and on the unpaved Grayback Road. Bicycles are not allowed on trails.
When Should I Visit?
Crater Lake National Park is open year-round and 24 hours/day, but it is not always easy to access. Highway 62 and the road to the Park Headquarters is usually open year-round. However, the North entrance and West Rim Drive closes from roughly November 1- the middle of May or late June. Exact closure times are dependent on weather and snowfall.
My husband and I visited Crater Lake during the summer. If possible, this is the time of year that I recommend visiting as the full park is open including access to the water and Wizard Island. Summer will give you the most options of things to do.
If you are visiting in the winter, there are still opportunities for activities such as snow-shoeing and snowmobiling. Plus, I’m sure Crater Lake looks absolutely spectacular with it’s deep blue color surrounded by snow.
Other Things to Do Near Crater Lake National Park
The Umpqua National Forest is less than an hour from Crater Lake. This area hosts many beautiful hikes, waterfalls, and hot springs.
The city of Bend, Oregon is around a 2 hour drive from Crater Lake. This town is known for it’s breweries and outdoor activities (including proximity to Mount Bachelor and the Three Sisters segment of the Cascade range).
As mentioned before, my husband and I visited Crater Lake as part of a longer roadtrip. If you want to learn more about both the Umpqua National Forest and Bend, Oregon, check out that post here.
Looking for more National Park Guides? Check out these posts:
Julie (Juls for short) is the founder of travelingwithjuls.com. She is a registered nurse turned travel nurse. She loves adventure and learning about new places. Her goals are to help other nurses learn about travel nursing, and to share information about the locations/destinations she lives in for 3+ months at a time.
