Everything You Need To Know About Crater Lake National Park
Close up view of Wizard Island-Crater Lake
When one says they are visiting a Lake, you immediately picture a calm and serene blue water body surrounded by mountains and tall trees. But the deep blue waters of Crater Lake National Park is something that you would have never ever seen before! Boy, o boy we bet that your jaws would drop the moment you set eyes on the deep blue water of the Crater Lake!
This unmatched color and clarity of the water in the lake is because no other streams run into the lake. No doubt the Lake is beautiful and pretty, but the mountain vistas, forests add another dimension to the whole surroundings.
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Did you know?
Crater Lake was formed, from violent volcanic eruptions of Mount Mazama 7700 years ago and not due to meteor!
The deepest point of the lake is at 1943 feet!
This deep basin was filled with centuries of rain and snowfall holding ~ 5 trillion gallons of water.
Wizard Island which is a 763-foot cinder cone was created after the lake began to fill.
Mount Mazama is still not extinct and it might awaken in near future to transform this peaceful landscape!
Ready to plan your trip - Check out these details!
DAY 1
We were stationed at Fort Klamath during our visit to Crater Lake National Park. So we started our morning in the Park by first stopping at the Park Headquarters – Steel Visitor Center.
After talking to the Ranger, we came to know that some of the trails were still closed due to snow cover and a small portion of the East Rim Drive was closed too. We got our Park’s maps and other tips from the Ranger and headed towards our first trail for the day.
A natural rock formation pillar named Phantom Ship at Crater Lake National Park
Sun Notch Trail
Sun notch Trail is located on the East Rim Drive and it is an easy 0.5 mile trail leading to the views of the Phantom Ship. The trail had patches of snow, but it was easy to follow. Phantom ship is the smallest island in the Crater Lake which derives its name as it resembles a ghost ship. It is natural rock formation and it is about 500 ft by 200 ft in size.
On the way, we stopped at Vidae Falls which has an adjoining picnic area. As the road from Sun Notch to Skell Head on East Rim Drive was closed for vehicles due to snow, we headed back towards Park Headquarters to get onto West Rim Drive.
Scenic Rim Drive
From the Steel Visitor Center, we decided to drive the entire West Rim Drive, till the Skell Head. We took frequent stops as needed to capture the splendid views of the Crater Lake and admire the beauty of the Park from the Rim area.
The first viewpoint we stopped at was the Watchman Overlook. This is no doubt one of the best viewpoints on the Rim. From here you can see clear views of the Wizard Island and also the various formations on the east side of Crater Lake. The overlook is located at roughly 8013 ft high.
Soaking in the views of deep blue Crater Lake
Continuing our drive, we then stopped at North Junction for some more views of Crater Lake. Immersing ourselves with the surroundings we took a couple more stops at Palisade Point and then Skell Head. We took a nice long lunch sitting around the rim and admiring the gorgeous lake views.
The total scenic drive is ~ 33 miles circular loop, but as part of the road was closed, we headed back towards the Rim Village Area on the Scenic Rim Drive.
Rim Village area has a cafe, gift shop, Crater Lake Lodge and access to quite a few trails. We first went to the Sinnott Memorial Overlook. Along with some great views of the Crater Lake, there are some interesting information boards highlighting Lake’s history and the scientific research that is being conducted still now to understand different facets of this nature’s extraordinary beauty.
From there we got onto the trail towards the Discovery Point. This trail is an easy stroll along the rim of the Crater Lake and is 2.2 miles round trip. After the hike, we came back to the Crater Lake Lodge for our supper. There is nothing more relaxing than having a glass of wine, with some stunning views of deep blue water right in front of you.
Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully.
Kristen Butler
Stargazing
Our Day 1 adventure didn’t just end with the sun setting in the Park. Crater Lake National Park is also known for its great night sky. After taking in the views of beautiful sunset we headed over to Watchman Overlook which is the recommended spot for viewing the night sky. It was very windy and chilly at night even during July, but we witnessed some amazing views of the milky way and the twinkling of the stars.
Stunning Milky Way shinning over Crater Lake
During our Day 1 at the Park we witnessed the Crater Lake from the Rim far off from ~ 8000 ft high. So before we left the Park, it was inevitable that we had to embark on the trail which is the only access to the world’s most pure water!
Day 2
Cleetwood Cove Trail
If you want to even dip your toes in Crater Lake’s water you need to hike the moderately strenuous Cleetwood Cove trail! This is a 2.2 mile round trip trail with loose gravel all along the way. This trail is highly recommended and we believe your adventure won’t feel complete if you skip it.
A visit to the National Park without hiking this trail will seem incomplete. Because at the end of the trail you will probably get once in a lifetime opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of this serene,calm and purest lake of them all!
The trail starts from a Parking lot for the trail on the Rim Drive. This trail can take around 2 hours excluding the time you spent at the lake or if you plan to take any boat tours offered by the Park. It has an elevation of ~700 ft with 11% grade.
Crater Lake National Park offers boat tours of the lake and also a tour of the Wizard Island. All these tours start at the bottom of this trail near the boat deck. We had our booking for the Wizard Island Tour during our visit. But due to still icy conditions in the lake, the tours were postponed for a week and we couldn’t experience the Wizard Island up and close.
Panoramic view from Shore of Crater Lake
Saying that, the trail was still the highlight of our trip at Crater Lake National Park. You not only get to capture some of the spectacular lake views, but also a chance to experience the “Crater Lake Blue” landscape to the fullest!
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge
After the hike, we headed out of the National Park towards the Klamath Falls city. Klamath Falls has a huge wildlife refuge near the Tule Lake. On our way towards the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge, we saw American National Bird – Bald Eagles and Hawks.
If you are interested in bird watching, a visit to the national wildlife during winters is highly recommended as a lot of eagles nestle here during their migration.
We went to the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge visitor center and the Ranger gave us two maps. The map had details about the scenic drive with dedicated bird viewing spots at some places. We drove for a couple of hours till sunset capturing ducks, swans and other birds in the Tule Lake basin area. Check out some of our captured moments showing the colorful and elegant flocks of birds roaming in this area!
You can spend hours at Crater Lake National Park just looking at the scenic views along the rim during your visit. Although, drive around the rim takes only a couple of hours. We recommend all to spend a couple of days traversing the Park, so that you can explore the natural history around the Lake.
We combined our experience at Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge along with Crater Lake National park.Since we felt these areas are quite close and it might enhance our trip even further! Lava Beds National Monument is another great exploration area to add to this mix, which is close to the Klamath Falls.
Plan your visit
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Crater Lake National Park is open all year.
Most of the North end of the Rim road and the North Entrance is closed during winters until July.
To enjoy the Park to the fullest, plan your visit any time after 2nd week of July. July and August are often crowded. To skip the crowds but still enjoy the views September and early October is ideal.
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The closest international airport to the Crater Lake is Portland International Airport (PDX) about 244 miles to the north.
Fort Klamath, OR is the nearest city to the National Park ~ 20 miles with food and lodging facilities.
One can enter the Park’s volcanic scenic byway road via OR-138 while driving from North and OR-62 while driving from South.
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Annie Creek Restaurant at Mazama Village and Crater Lake Lodge dining room serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Rim Village Cafe is open daily 9am - 8 pm - vegetarian options available.
Crater Lake Lodge and Mazama Village Cabins inside the Crater Lake National Park, provide lodging facilities.
Camping facilities are available at Mazama Village.
We hope you enjoy the deepest, purest and the most bluest lake in the United States during your visit. Feel free to share your comments and questions below.
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