You are here

Share

The rich cobalt blue waters of Crater Lake are the centerpiece for this national park in southern Oregon. Its geologic birth has left an enormous volcanic caldera, in which the lake rests today. The story of the lake’s birth is as fascinating and striking as the park itself.

Eight thousand years ago a 12,000-foot volcano (today referred to as Mount Mazama) stood high above the forests. Geologists believe that it may have taken more than 500,000 years for the magma to form this mountain. Then, a major cataclysmic eruption that occurred over a very short period of time (perhaps days or weeks) blew the top off of Mount Mazama.

Magma spewed from a vent on the northeast side of the mountain, draining the deep inner chamber. Empty, it then collapsed under the upper mountain’s weight. When the dust and smoke cleared, all that remained was a deep crater, or more technically a caldera, some 6 by 4.5 miles in diameter and 4,000 feet deep.


Renderings of Mount Mazama during peak eruption and afterwards/NPS

During the 7,700 years since that eruption, rain and snowmelt filled the crater with a lake of pure water, to a depth of 1,940 feet. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, and the ninth deepest lake in the world. Surrounding the lake, forests, streams, and meadows now cover the once-barren landscape. You’ll quickly fill a three-day itinerary, and wish you had more time to explore. But that’s what return visits are for.

If you only have three days at Crater Lake National Park, here are some suggestions for how to spend your time.

Day 1

First off, check out, and into, the Crater Lake Lodge. This elegant, restored chateau was originally built on the crater rim in 1915. There are just 71 rooms, while outside you’ll find an expansive deck that lets you peer down to the lake far below. On cool evenings, retreat to the comfortable Great Room with its crackling stone fireplace and cozy dining room.

Official REI Coupons and Rebates page

At least a week before you head to the park book a reservation for the concessionaire’s “Standard Lake Cruise” ($40/adults, $27/3-11). You can also purchase tickets once you arrive at Crater Lake, but if you request a reservation in advance of your trip you’re more likely to get the time slot you prefer.

This two-hour cruise includes a stop at Wizard Island, where you can head ashore and hike to the summit for a look inside the island’s own volcanic crater. Or, you can hike out to Fumarole Bay and catch a later boat to complete the tour around the inner caldera.

The hike to Wizard’s summit is particularly worthwhile. Not only does it give you a chance to stretch your legs along the zigzag trail to the island’s summit, but also the 360-degree views out across Crater Lake are spectacular.

Back on the boat, along with an interpretive ranger, you’ll slowly circumnavigate the lake. You’ll enjoy a close-up view of Phantom Ship, the rocky 450,000-year-old remains of the throat of an ancient volcano that existed prior to the eruptions that formed Mount Mazama.

Then there’s the Old Man of the Lake. This tree trunk, estimated by some to be 34 feet or so long, with 30 of those feet under water, bobs perfectly upright around the lake. Those who know say the “old man” has been bobbing in the lake since at least 1896. It’s believed that this hemlock tree was knocked into the lake by a landslide off of the rim, and that rocks tangled in its roots help to stabilize it in an upright position.

While the boat tour won’t fill your entire day, you do have to hike down, and then back up, the Cleetwood Cove Trail, which runs a little more than a mile in length. Going down to meet your cruise isn’t too terrible, but the hike up with a 700-feet altitude gain can be tough—especially tiring on a hot summer afternoon

Free Shipping at REI! EVERYONE gets U.S. standard free shipping on orders of $50 or more!

This summer the cruise season ends in mid-August, due to a paving project of the Cleetwood Cove parking lot, so be sure to coordinate your travel to Crater Lake if this cruise is on your agenda.

Day 2

While the main attraction of this national park is, ahem, a lake, there’s plenty to see on the forested side of the caldera rim. There are 90 miles of hiking trails—including a section of the Pacific Crest Trail—and some excellent, family friendly day hikes.

Though short, at not quite a half-mile, the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail is a refreshing walk through a cool, colorful corner of the national park. Located less than a quarter-mile from the start of East Rim Drive near park headquarters, this quiet nature trail with its gurgling creek gives you a chance to stretch your legs and take a closer look at some of the park’s colorful vegetation.


Wildflower blooms peak between mid-July and mid-August in Crater Lake National Park/NPS

The trail, built by the Boy Scouts in 1929, roams through an area with more than 200 species of wildflowers. There are pinkish Monkey Flowers, purple lupines, yellow Buttercups, purple Monkshood, blazing red Paintbrush, and Skyrocket Gilia. The bloom peaks between mid-July and mid-August.

When the Scouts built the trail, they created an ovalshaped loop that crosses the main spring-fed creek four times, along with numerous seeps and springs. Wooden bridges and native flagstone steppingstones help keep your feet dry.

For another hike, try the 1.7-mile hike to the top of Garfield Peak, with distant views of the South Sister to the north, the Klamath Basin to the east, and the 14,162-foot Mount Shasta to the south. The Garfield Peak trailhead is just to the east of Crater Lake Lodge along the Rim promenade.

Also recommended is the short Sun Notch Viewpoint hike that leads to an amazing view of the lake with Phantom Ship in the foreground, and the Pumice Desert at the North Entrance to the park. This sprawling “desert” was created 7,700 years ago by the climactic eruptions of Mount Mazama, which blanketed this area with more than 200 feet of ash and pumice. The landscape is dotted here and there with volcanic rocks and even some “volcanic bombs” tossed out by eruptions from surrounding volcanoes. (Note: Rock collecting is prohibited here.)

A more strenuous hike would be the 2.2-mile trail to the summit of Mount Scott, the highest point in the park at 8,929 feet. The trailhead is near the picnic area across from the turnoff to Cloudcap Overlook along East Rim Drive. This hike has outstanding views of the entire Crater Lake caldera, the Klamath Basin to the southeast, and Mount Bailey and Mount Thiessen, adjacent to Diamond Lake, to the north.

Day 3

Take a drive along the Rim road. It’s only 33 miles long but has many differing views of the lake, as well as a few short excursions to overlooks and other points of interest. Be sure to pick up a guide to the drive, published by the Crater Lake Natural History Association, in one of the park gift shops or visitor centers.


The trail to the summit of Wizard Island zigs and zags its way to the top, providing gorgeous views of Crater Lake/Kurt Repanshek

Along the road, you’ll pass the Sun Notch Viewpoint Trail with its view of Phantom Ship; the spur road to the Pinnacles (fossilized fumaroles) of Sand and Wheeler creeks, another view of the Phantom Ship and Chaski Slide from the roadside pull out at Kerr Notch, and at a subsequent pullout, the wonderful overlook of the colorful Pumice Castle, a volcanic outcropping within the inner caldera. There’s the Cloudcap Overlook, which at 7,900 feet above sea level is the highest point on Rim Drive. Or try Cleetwood Cove, along the Cleetwood Cove Trail to the guided boat tour, or spend some time fishing in the lake for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon (no limits for either), or the Watchman Overlook with its trail to The Watchman, a fire lookout which offers an unobstructed view of Wizard Island and the inner caldera.

If you visit during a full moon, hike to The Watchman after dark and marvel at the shadow cast by Wizard Island on the lake surface. While many visitors stop, look at the lake, and move on, there’s a lot more at this park for you to enjoy. There’s more to see at Crater Lake than is obvious, and relaxation is key to any vacation.

Featured Article

Comments

Excellent article Kurt.  I wish there were family discounts for the boat tour.  To get the most out of the Watchman hike at full moon, take it just before sunset, that's when you'll see the shadow of Wizard Island stretch across the lake as the sun reaches the horizon.  Then, look to the east and watch the moon rise just as the sunsets.  You can almost feel the rotation of the Earth.  It's just awesome!


VISIT: craterlakeinstitute.org


The Annie Springs Entrance station Operation needs to be re-evaluated.  There have been intolerable wait times for visitors attempting to enter on both Memorial Day and July 4th Holiday Periods.  Traffic has been backed up all the way onto Hwy. 62.

This Operation Needs to be directed by a competent person who understands how to efficiently deploy personnel during easily predictable busy visitation periods.  On the One Hand, Crater Lake NP invites visitors, but on the other, cannot manage their arrivals.


While in the area there are several waterfalls, including Eayson Falls, Clear Water Falls, and White Horse as well as others.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.