Crater Lake National Park in Oregon is a unique and beautiful destination, with its elevation of 7100 ft (2165 m) above sea level. The park is known for its snow zone conditions, which require chains or traction tires on vehicles during winter. The Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only safe and legal way to get down to the lake shore, opening late June. However, bathing suits and basic clothing are not allowed in the lake.
The park is primarily visited by around 700,000 people annually, primarily from mid-June to mid-September. To avoid crowds, visitors should arrive before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. and take masks when physical distancing cannot be maintained. The park is busiest from July through mid-September when the weather is favorable and the entire park is open.
The best time to visit Crater Lake is from July to September when the weather is warm and all trails and facilities are open. However, the park experiences harsh winters, making it a “Snow Zone”. The best time of year to visit is June through October, as the weather will be warmer and the snow will be melted off.
Crater Lake is worth the extra drive to reach, as it is the deepest lake in the US and a very unique place to visit. Although the park is open year-round, weather conditions control what visitors can see and do, especially in May or other spring months. To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, visitors should prioritize safety and respect for the natural environment.
📹 WHAT NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK
Traveling to Crater Lake National Park? Here are the things you need to know before visiting the deepest lake in the United States …
Is it OK to swim in Crater Lake?
Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only legal access to the shore of Crater Lake, open from mid-June to late October. It allows swimming, wading, and fishing in the lake, but pets are not allowed on the trail or in the lake. If a pet is left in a vehicle with health risks, a violation notice may be issued. The trailhead is located on East Rim Drive, 4. 6 miles from North Junction. Access is dependent on road status and trail conditions, and it opens on a different date each year after roads have been plowed and assessed.
When should you not go to Crater Lake?
The park has over 90 miles of hiking trails, but they are typically covered by deep snow in May and June, making them difficult or dangerous. The lake is visible from Rim Village, but is usually hidden by clouds during periods of rain and snow. The lake is completely invisible about 20 times in May and 10 in June. Snowshoe rentals are available at the Rim Village Gift Shop until late May, and visitors can explore the park on snowshoes during these months.
Has anyone fallen in Crater Lake?
The National Park Service has issued a prohibition on hiking around the collapsed volcano’s caldera, citing the hazardous nature of the area. This prohibition follows an incident in which a 22-year-old man fell 1, 000 feet into the caldera after slipping.
Is it safe to swim in Crater Lake?
Crater Lake is a deep lake that is accessible only from June 15 to September 15 each year due to extreme snow conditions. Visitors can swim in the lake through the Cleetwood Cover Trail. Although the lake is too deep to reach a comfortable temperature, many people take the plunge to cool down after hiking the Cleetwood Cove Trail or exploring Wizard Island. However, there are no facilities for swimmers. The lake’s surface temperatures range between 32°F (0°C) and 66°F (19°C), while summer temperatures range between 50°F (10°C) and 60°F (16°C).
Water beneath the surface remains cold all year long at 38°F (3°C). The lake rarely freezes in winter due to its large heat content, windy surface conditions, and mild air temperatures. The most significant freezing event in recent history occurred between January and April in 1949. The lake was mostly covered with ice twice in 1985, in January and December.
Why can’t you dive in Crater Lake?
Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States and the deepest volcanic lake in the world, is 1, 943 feet deep and is fed by rain and snow. To protect the clarity of the lake and prevent invasive species introduction, only bathing suits and basic clothing are allowed in the water. Other items not allowed include scuba and snorkeling gear, wet suits, masks, goggles, fins, inner tubes, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, inflatable rafts, flotation devices, personal life jackets, and waders.
What is a problem in Crater Lake?
Crater Lake National Park (NP), Oregon, is known for its violent volcanic history and blue caldera lake, but it is located downwind of populated areas, agriculture, and other air pollution sources. This pollution can harm the park’s natural and scenic resources, such as vegetation, surface waters, and visibility. The National Park Service works to address air pollution effects at Crater Lake NP and in parks across the U. S. through science, policy, and planning.
Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) compounds deposited from the air can have harmful effects on ecosystem processes. Healthy ecosystems can naturally buffer a certain amount of pollution, but once a threshold is passed, harmful changes in sensitive ecosystems occur. Eutrophication increases soil and water nutrients, causing some species to grow more quickly and changing community composition. Ecosystem sensitivity to nutrient N enrichment at CRLA is moderate, but acidification leaches important cations from soils, lakes, ponds, and streams, decreasing habitat quality.
From 2017-2019, total N deposition in CRLA ranged from 1. 8 to 3. 1 kg-N ha-1 yr-1 and total S deposition from 0. 5 to 0. 9 kg-S ha-1 yr-1. CRLA has been monitoring atmospheric N and S deposition since 1983.
What is the controversy with Crater Lake?
Crater Lake Hospitality has been the subject of allegations pertaining to deficiencies in maintenance, inadequate staff training, and substandard living and working conditions. Additionally, reports have emerged concerning incidents of sexual assault and harassment among staff.
How clean is Crater Lake?
Crater Lake, located in Oregon, is the deepest lake in the United States, known for its vibrant blue color and purity. It is fed solely by rain and snow and is the cleanest and clearest large body of water in the world. Crater Lake is not a crater but an ancient caldera, which is formed after a volcano erupts and expels most of its magma. The lake is renowned for its accessibility to geologists, as it serves as an outdoor classroom. The park’s dimensions are as follows:
- Approximately 2, 000 feet long by 2, 000 feet wide.
- Approximately 2, 000 feet deep by 2, 000 feet wide.
- Approximately 2, 000 feet deep by 2, 000 feet wide.
What is not allowed at Crater Lake?
Swimming is permitted within 100 yards of Cleetwood Cove and Wizard Island, provided they remain at least 50 feet away from any boat, boat dock, or buoy. Swimming or wading within 50 feet of any boat, boat dock, or buoy on Crater Lake is prohibited, except from the public boat dock on Wizard Island when not in use by park boats. Swimmers must exit the water and clear the dock area whenever a boat is on approach, moored at the dock, or departing from the dock.
Swimming within fencing, buoys, or lines (approximately 15 feet) of bulkhead docking material is prohibited at all times. The shore of Crater Lake is not a beach, but is piled with boulders eroded from the caldera. Fishing is allowed in Crater Lake and all streams in the park, except Sun Creek and Lost Creek.
When should you not go to Crater Lake?
Crater Lake National Park is open year-round, but weather conditions affect activities, especially in May. The Rim Drive, which encircles the deepest lake, usually opens in early July, especially during heavy winter snow. This leaves visitors with limited activities compared to summer. However, May offers unique opportunities and fewer crowds, making it an ideal time for active boomer travelers to enjoy snowshoeing or hiking in the beautiful white landscape.
What are the hazards of Crater Lake?
The potential for landslides and rockfalls at Crater Lake is a significant concern, particularly in light of the possibility that such events may be triggered by seismic activity or renewed volcanic activity within the caldera.
📹 Crater Lake Travel Tips!! | Know Before You Go To Crater Lake | National Park Travel Show
In this Crater Lake video, we offer you tips to know before you go! As one of the USA’s must-see national parks, Crater Lake …
I live in Klamath Falls and just a few corrections. First there is gas available at Mazama Village along with cabins, a general store, campground and small restaurant. The reason Crater Lake does not freeze very often is not because of the Pacific Ocean it is because of it’s depth of just under 2000 feet. The caldera creates a bowl and the uv light from the sun helps retain the heat. We have dozens of lakes around here and during a normal winter most will either completely or partially freeze over. The rangers give scheduled talks on the geology and history of the lake but this is mostly in the summer. This year 2021 I heard that the formal restaurant in the Lodge at the rim will only be open to guests staying at the hotel. This is disappointing because we would go up there 4 or 5 times a year for breakfast or dinner. If visiting the Lake do take the time to go to Becky’s at Union Creek or go through the North entrance and visit nearby Diamond Lake and then continue another 15 to 25 miles and see 5 wonderful waterfalls one of which is truly amazing ( Toketee ).
My and my family have visited Crater Lake several times during summer time. Went down to touch the water and swim. I can tell you that the water is not that cold to swim. I always see a lot of people, specially, young people jumping from rocks into the water. I have swam myself in the water and with a go pro camera one can capture the most amazing shots under Crater Lake.
It is not always clear deep blue. I have seen it very yellow from the tree pollen. I was born in Medford, Oregon and I frequently visit Crater Lake. One of my favorite places to visit, following Yellowstone and the Giant Redwoods. I have been going to Crater Lake for over 60 years. And I took my girlfriend for her first ever visit. She was absolutely thrilled.
Most of Oregon has stunningly beautiful scenery. It’s a bummer the visitors center doesn’t have any reference to the geology of the area. The lake has a constant level of water that doesn’t have an outlet implies a subterranean lake beneath the lake people enjoy. It’s on my bucket list of beautiful places to see.
We were there in Mid June. The line-up to get into the park was 45 minutes and as it turned out the only thing open was the visitor center, gift shop and lodge. The rim road was closed. The views were beautiful but given how long it took to get there (and get in!), it was a fail. We wished we had spent our time seeing other sites.
Thank you for this article. I am on a quest to visit all 50 states by age 50. I hit Michigan August 2023, and I’m booking Oregon for early October, 2023. I’ve been going back and forth about the drive to/from Crater Lake and “is it worth it?” I had COVID in February, 2023, and I’m still having some long COVID effects. I hiked at The Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe, NM, in June, 2023, and at about 7,000 feet, I got winded so quickly. It was exhausting. So, Crater Lake is similar height, and to be honest, the lack of things to do there other than drive around really doesn’t make the five hours from Portland worth it.
Ya the cell signal out there can be quite spotty. There’s specific spots where u won’t get any signal by another area close by or within 100 to 200ft u will get signal. My last visit there I noticed the entire climb up watchman peak u do get Internet. Also there is gas there, the 1 dual gas station there is in the south entrance at that lil store in the mazama camp ground area
The descriptions of this park could be the descriptions for pretty much every national park I have ever visited-remote, no internet, not great food. I am not there for any of that, I am there for the National Park. I was hoping for a little more detail on what makes the park great and nice places to look at Crater Lake.
Definitely bring a extra hoody or jacket i was cold on the boat ride also the boat ride could be a hour shorter .the hike down and back up is tough .im 71 and hike several times a week in wisc but this 700 foot walk back up is pretty strenuous but fun.if you are out of shape just take your time walk at your speed dont try to keep up to the athletes .
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Loving the photo-bombing cyclist right in the centre of the screen at 0:50 😎 He has no idea he’s famous now… I always wonder how many articles I am just obliviously in the back of! I was convinced that must have been salt or something instead of snow at the side of the road as I thought it looked way too warm. So was part of the park closed due to the snow? The crater is really stunning! I hate it when people don’t stick to the trails. Damn those mosquitos! What is that noise in the background at 6:20? Is it a bug? It sounds almost like an alarm!
It does look very beautiful there! Crazy that the massive eruption so long ago made Crater Lake – April I liked your tongue twister. It always makes me nervous driving in national parks like this (even getting to some of our provincial parks here in Ontario) because I’m always afraid of running out of gas and water. So good tip to fill up and check where the next station is just in case. If I was in the US I would definitely buy the annual pass. I’m not sure what we have here for day visits so I’m going to look into it.
The water of this lakes only looks blue actually we all know that water has no colour,water absorbs colors in the red part of the light spectrum. Like a filter, this leaves behind colors in the blue part of the light spectrum for us to see. The ocean may also take on green, red, or other hues as light bounces off of floating sediments and particles in the water.