Things to Do at Crater Lake
Our Family’s Journey Through America’s National Parks: Expert Tips & Trusted Insights for Crater Lake
Our Fall Break 2024 trip included a trip to Lassen Volcanic, Redwood, and Crater Lake National Parks. When I was planning our itinerary, filling up the days at Lassen Volcanic and Redwood seemed easy, but initially I couldn’t find much to do at Crater Lake. To me, it just seemed like this big blue lake that was pretty to look at. Boy was I wrong. There are so many things to do at Crater Lake! From staying in the historic Crater Lake Lodge, driving around the rim, and hiking down to the lake itself, our family was in for a treat.
With Crater Lake being our 24th National Park as a family, we’ve traveled around the country hiking trails with our kids, discovering hidden gems, and picking up tips along the way. You can trust our experience to help plan your next trip!
How to get to Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park is in the southern part of Oregon, south of Bend and north of Redwood National and State Parks. The closest airport is 2 hours away at Rogue Valley International in Medford, Oregon. Given that, most people add this on as part of a road trip, like we did on our way north from Redwood. Either way, you will need a car to get around at Crater Lake.
There are three entrances to the park – a southern and western entrance off Hwy 62 that both lead to Mazama Village and a seasonal entrance in the north off Hwy 138. This entrance opens in June or July, depending on snow fall. We came in the western entrance before heading to Park Headquarters.
When to Visit Crater Lake
While this park is open year-round, the things to do at Crater Lake depend on when you visit! People often visit in the summer as it is warm with less rain. Spring and fall, while often sunny, also experience rain and snow. October often bring snow that lasts until June! The annual average snowfall at headquarters is 41 feet! If your goal is a beautiful view of the lake, this snow obscures your view.
We visited in early October which was perfect! It was sunny and the snow held off until the week after we left. A light jacket was helpful as it was slightly cool and windy on the rim. Evenings were chilly, so I needed a heavier sweater under my jacket.
Something to keep in mind when planning what time of year to visit are the amenities available and if Rim Drive is open. Mazama Village Store is only open during the summer. Here you’ll find the only source of gasoline within the park. Rim Drive is often closed until mid to late June due to the snow. Plan accordingly!
Where to stay at Crater Lake and Nearby
There are several places to stay within Crater Lake National Park and the surrounding area. Below I’ve included information about each, but make sure you check our their websites for up to date info.
Crater Lake Lodge
We were lucky enough to snag a room in the historic Crater Lake Lodge. Reservations open 365 days in advance and I HIGHLY recommend booking then if this is where you want to stay. This beautiful lodge was built in 1915 and holds 71 rooms, several of which overlook the lake. And let me tell you, the view over Crater Lake from the rooms and the back patio is magnificent! Here you will find the comforts of a traditional hotel.
The lodge is open from mid May to mid October. Specific dates for each season are listed on the website where you can make reservations.
Crater Lake Lodge also has the dining room. Learn from our mistake: make reservations ahead of time, especially if you have little ones that won’t make it for a late dinner! We highly recommend the Bison Summer Stew and Seared Salmon. You are able to make reservations and check out the menu ahead of time on their website.
The Cabins at Mazama Village
If you are looking for something a little more rustic, the Cabins at Mazama Village offer furnished beds with a private bathroom near the Annie Creek Restaurant and Mazama Village Store.
These 10 cabins each with 4 private accommodations containing 2 queen beds (so 40 rooms) are only open in the summer and also require reservations ahead of time.
Camping
Within Crater Lake National Park, there are two campgrounds. Both are only open in the summer, so despite having a camper van for our Fall Break trip, we didn’t stay at either site.
Lost Creek Campground
This campground is first-come, first-serve and tent only out on Pinnacles Road. No campfires are allowed here, only camp stoves. Unfortunately, this campground was closed for all of 2024. Hopefully, come July 1 of 2025, it will be reopened. Check out its status before making plans!
Mazama Campground
This campground is also only open in summer, and becomes reservation only after July 1. There are tent and RV sites as well as the nearby Mazama Village Store with available firewood to be used in designated fire rings. Depending on your need for creature comforts, this campground also features showers, flush toilets, internet, and laundry!
Backcountry Camping
Not gonna lie, I am 100% unfamiliar with backcountry camping. At this stage in our life with a cautious 6 year old and daredevil 8 year old, I’m not ready for managing so many moving parts. Maybe some day.
In any case, you can backcountry camp here year-round, but you must obtain a free, in person permit from Park Headquarters, during regular business hours, no more than 1 day in advance. Make sure you follow all regulations.
Nearby
There are a variety of places to stay near Crater Lake with the closest about 20 miles south of the headquarters in Fort Klamath. If nothing is available there, there are several other options in the surrounding area not too far away. Just like other lodging, I would recommend reserving something as soon as possible to make sure you have a place to stay! For a list of places with reviews, check out these cabins and resorts.
How much does it cost to visit Crater Lake?
In order to support all the things to do at Crater Lake, the park collects admission fees. There’s a variety of passes available. If you are only visiting Crater Lake this one time, a standard pass is your best bet. The price of this depends on the type of vehicle and time of year. However, if you plan on visiting Crater Lake twice in one year, an annual pass makes more sense. Now, if you like to explore more than one National Park each year, I would highly recommend the America the Beautiful pass. Double check to see if you qualify for discounts!
Things to Do at Crater Lake
Crater Lake Rim Drive
Rim Drive is the scenic drive that will not only take you around the rim of the caldera, but it will deliver you to a multitude of overlooks and hikes. This 33 mile drive takes about 2 hours, depending on your stops. In general, the road starts to open in May and as the snow melts, you are able to drive completely around Rim Drive.
If you’d like someone else to drive you around the rim, so you can focus on the sights, jump on the Crater Lake Trolley! The trolley only runs in the summer, usually July 1st through September 30th, and, as you can imagine, is very popular. Each tour last 2 hours and includes narration from a park ranger. Make your reservations early.
Hiking around Crater Lake
Like I said, we came in from the south. Our initial plan was to do the Annie Creek Trail (2.2 miles, moderate) to see the deep stream-cut canyon and Annie Creek, but we were tired after an early morning wake up call, so we decided to save it for the next trip. Hopefully next time will be earlier in the season to see the wildflowers!
First stop after the traditional National Park sign photo, was the Steel Visitor Center. Here we learned all about the history of Crater Lake. The video was so interesting! We definitely recommend visiting.
After buying our souvenirs, we hit our first hike – Lady of the Woods. This 0.7 mile loop hike circles behind the Visitor Center to a stone sculpture known as, you guessed it, Lady of the Woods. Now, I’ll be honest. We missed it. We were too busy checking out the creek, but it was still a good hike!
After this, we headed east to Vidae falls. This waterfall is a beautiful roadside stop, but if you’re driving too fast, you’ll miss it tucked back in a crevice. Also, the signs point to the wrong side of the road…Vidae Falls is on the north side of the road.
Our first glimpse of the lake was at the top of Sun Notch Trail, just up the road from Vidae Falls. At 0.8 miles, this easy hike gives you the opportunity to see Phantom Ship and multiple views of the bluest lake you’ll ever see.
If you look at our map, we had Phantom Ship Overlook on the list next. Despite the name, we thought the view of Phantom Ship was actually better on Sun Notch Trail.
On the road toward Pinnacles is another waterfall – Plaikni Falls. This easy 2 mile round trip out and back hike takes you to the base of 20′ waterfall.
At the end of Pinnacles road is a 0.8 mile easy out and back hike that overlooks a canyon filled with volcanic pumice spires. This hike is a must do as the scenery is in stark contrast to the lake.
From there, we headed to the Sinnott Memorial Overlook. Along with the beautiful panoramic views, there are educational exhibits about the creation of the volcano and caldera.
The next day, we started out early, first stopping at Watchman Overlook and then continuing on to Cleetwood Cove. At 2.2 miles, this hike is the only lake access and where the boat tours take off (more on this to come!). My family loved this hike! Going down, the 1.1 mile trail descends 700 feet. This is the easy part. At the bottom you can wade, swim, or fish in the lake. We dipped our feet in, but not for long! In the summer, the water temperature averages 57 degrees, but in the fall it is so much colder!
Now comes the hard part, climbing back up. The NPS strongly encourages you to know your limits. And they aren’t kidding. We are pretty fit people. We hike miles, we play sports, and we still had to take several breaks on the way up. We bribed kids, and ourselves, with candy to keep going. The NPS says the 1.1 mile trail up is “comparable to climbing 65 flights of stairs.” They’re right.
So after convincing you that you most definitely need to see this lake up close, here’s the bad news. A rockfall led to the destruction of the dock and it is in dire need of repair. Starting in 2025, the Cleetwood Trail will be closed to rehabilitate the trail, improve the high risk rockfall zones, replace the dock with a marina, and replace the composting toilets near the marina. Per park planning, they expect this to take both the 2025 and 2026 summer seasons. If this is an important part of your Crater Lake experience, like it was for us, check on the status of this project before you plan your trip.
Boat Tours on Crater Lake
As I mentioned, at the bottom of the Cleetwood Cove Trail, you can board a boat to explore more of the lake, including Wizard Island. The 2 hour standard lake cruise takes you around to see Wizard Island, Phantom Ship, and the rest of the lake. For a closer look at Wizard Island, the boat will not only take you around the lake, but also drop you off for 3 hours to explore the island. If you aren’t interested in a tour, they will just shuttle you to the island as well.
Unfortunately with the closure of Cleetwood Cove for rehabilitation, the boat tours will be on hold as well. For now, tours are closed for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Search for The Old Man
Before heading to Crater Lake, we heard about The Old Man – a 450 year old 30′ upright log that floats around the lake shrouded in mystery. What keeps it upright? How far does it travel around the lake? Does it really control the weather? We had to find it!
First seen in 1896, research began shortly thereafter. The Old Man has been found to travel an average of 0.67 miles a day and while he is always seen upright, nothing has confirmed why. Theories include a change in density of the submerged portion versus large rocks at the base keeping it from sinking. As far as weather control, the story goes, in 1988, scientists tied up the Old Man to avoid hitting him with a submersible. Before they could launch, storms and snow blew in August! After the scientists secretly untied the Old Man, the weather returned back to normal. What do you think?
Explore Crater Lake Lodge and Rim Village
Even if you aren’t staying at the Crater Lake Lodge, you can still enjoy it! The great room is perfect for relaxing after a long day hiking and exploring. There is a beautiful fireplace with comfy chairs and tables for hanging out. We spent several hours playing cards and Yahtzee around that fireplace. They also serve hors d’oeuvres and drinks before dinner, which you can take out onto the patio. Post up in a rocking chair and gaze over the beautiful lake!
While you’re in the lodge, check out the history exhibit on the opposite side of the great room. It explains the history of the lodge, the people that have visited over the years, and the reconstruction to the lodge to keep it functional.
From the lodge, head outside to follow the Rim Promenade, a beautiful path that follows along the rim with great views of the lake, to the Rim Visitor Center and Rim Cafe. The cafe is a quick option for a meal if you aren’t interested in the dining room in the lodge. The gift shop has a variety of souvenirs.
Stargazing
The night sky over Crater Lake is perfect for stargazing! We were lucky enough to catch the Aurora Borealis over the lake during our visit. What a once in a lifetime experience! Even without the Northern Lights, the stars here are beautiful. We spent time on back patio watching the stars, but you can also hike up Watchman Peak for a better view. At 1.6 miles total and 420 feet of elevation gain, it’s a moderate hike up to 360 degree views of the lake. This would be a perfect place to set up your tripod for some astrophotography. The Park Rangers also host night sky programs during the summer.
Bottom Line: Things to do at Crater Lake
With a list like this, you shouldn’t have any problems finding unforgettable things to do at Crater Lake during your visit! From cruising around the rim for breathtaking views of the lake, hiking the trails, gazing up at the stars, and staying at the historic Crater Lake Lodge, there’s no chance to be bored during your trip to Crater Lake. As you plan your visit, be sure to embrace the adventure, make lasting memories, and remember to wander more together.
