“Explore the Majestic Beauty of Crater Lake National Park: A Guide to Activities and Attractions”
There is a saying, “Heaven is a place on earth,” and Crater Lake National Park is probably one of the prime examples of a piece of heaven right here in this beautiful earth of ours. Located in the Cascade Mountain Range, southwest of Oregon, Crater Lake National Park was established in 1902. It is one of the oldest national parks present in the United States and is the only national park present in the state of Oregon. Within the park lies one of the most beautiful creations of nature, The Crater Lake, a wonder of nature born out of destruction. The majestic lake was formed approximately around 7700 years ago when the volcano Mount Mazama collapsed on itself. With a depth of 1949 feet or 549 meters, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and is the ninth deepest lake in the world. Often referred to as Lake Majesty, Crater Lake is a sight for the eyes. A first glimpse at the lake will leave you in awe. The clear blue water reflecting the surrounding snowcapped mountains, along with the vibrant greenery of the trees surrounding it, sure does make it feel like heaven.
For those looking to leave the busy, hectic city life for a quick getaway, Crater Lake National Park is just the perfect place to be. And for those seeking to add to their travel diaries, Crater Lake National park just might stand out at the very top. And not to leave out the thrill-seekers, the park is equipped with swimming, skiing, cycling, snowshoeing, and many more activities to get your blood pumping. The entire national park encompasses approximately 183,224 acres of land, all just waiting to be explored. So if you’re planning your next journey, Crater Lake National Park just might be the one for you.
In this article about Crater Lake National Park, we have put together a list of all the various activities that you can engage yourself in upon your visit to Crater Lake National Park. So keep on reading.
1. Rim Road Drive
As probably the best way to experience Crater Lake National Park, the Rim Road Drive will leave no stones unturned. A 33-mile drive around the entire perimeter of the lake, visitors will be able the see the lake from every angle possible. With complete paved roads, the Rim Road Drive will provide visitors will over 30 scenic lookout points, all best suited to give the best experience possible. Visitors are requested to stop at the lookout points and just stand in awe at the beauty of the lake, and all that surrounds it. All the major attractions of Crater Lake National Park lie on or near Rim Road Drive. So don’t rush yourself. Instead, take your time as you drive around the majestic lake. For those looking to push themselves a little further, they can also cycle the Rim Road Drive instead of driving for a different kind of feel.
During heavy snowfalls in the winter season, the Rim Road Drive is closed, depending on the condition of the road. It is usually sometime during November or could possibly be earlier in some cases. Somewhere around mid-May and late- June, the West Rim Drive will reopen, and The East Rim Drive will reopen around mid to late June.
In case you’re wondering about just exactly what you will be able to see during the 33 mile Rim Road Drive, we’ve got you covered. One of the major attraction points is the Pinnacles Overlook. Here, you will be able to witness the remnants of volcanic ash frozen in time to form a 100-foot-tall rock formation. Pumice Castle Overlook is another hotspot that you shouldn’t miss. From there on, you can stop at Videa Falls to overlook a wondrous cascading waterfall. Some other hotspots within the drive are the Phantom Ship Overlook, Watchman Overlook, Discovery Point, and Cloudcap Overlook.
2. Camping
There is just something magical about lying in the bed of nature in the dead of night and just gazing at the stars. Whilst on an adventure, the best way to end a long hard day of hiking and exploring is simply to camp. The mellow sound of wood crackling in the fire, the leaves of nature dancing to the tune of the wind, and the star-studded night sky is an experience everyone must have at least once in their lifetime. If you are visiting Crater Lake National Park, you can either stay in hotels located within the parks, or you can just camp it out in tent-out sites. Some of the tent sites are equipped with basic facilities such as restrooms, while others will take you back to primitive times. For those who do not feel like or fancy sleeping out in a tent, they can stay in lodges within the park. All of the lodges are equipped with state-of-the-art services and facilities. Plus, they also come with a beautiful view of the lake and its surroundings.
While staying in lodge sure sounds comfy, camping might be the best way to fully experience the beauty of the park. There are actually quite a lot of benefits to camping. First of all, it is cheaper as compared to staying in lodges. Also, some of the campsites have access to waterfalls. But probably the best experience of all might be during the nighttime. Because Crater Lake National Park is located at an elevation of somewhere around 7000–8000 feet, it offers an absolutely surreal view of the sunset and the sky during nighttime. On a clear, dark moonless night, the park is illuminated with bright glowing stars with the backdrop of the Milky Way galaxy just visible enough to enthrall the viewers. Visitors can also witness satellites roaming in the sky.
3. Sunrise View
There is nothing quite like witnessing the sunrise in the early morning, shedding light into all the beauty of Mother Nature. Pair that with a place like Crater Lake National Park; then you have a treat for the eyes. The higher elevation of the park provides a spectacular view of the sunrise. However, it does require some planning to witness the sunrise, but once you have done that, your eyes will thank you for not missing it. You will need to get yourself into some of the higher points within the park, such as Watchmen Towers, to fully experience the beauty of the sunrise. So be sure not to miss out on watching the sunrise if you are planning to visit Crater Lake National Park.
4. Hiking
I’m sure hiking is an experience most of us have already experienced at least once in our lifetimes. So it might not sound surprising to know that you can hike in Crater Lake National Parl. And why wouldn’t it? An adventure to a place like Crater Lake National Park will inevitably be incomplete without a hike. So be sure to carry all your hiking gear because you will definitely need it. Within the park, there are several hiking trails ranging from simple to extreme. Visitors, depending on their skill and experience, can choose which trail they would like to take for their hike. The different trails are located around the entire perimeter of the Crater Lake. We have listed and described some of the trails which we thought were the best ones to not miss out on below.
- Pinnacles Overlook — The Pinnacles Overlook is a place that is quite different from the scenes that you will see in the park. As the name suggests, here you will be able to witness rocks that have been shaped into needle-like formations over a long period of time. The rocks are volcanic ash spires that have been carved into existence through the effects of wind and erosion over time. The Pinnacles Overlook is situated 6 miles from the main road, with paved roads leading up to it.
- Discovery Trail — Hiking along the Discovery Trail is like walking back in time to when Crater Lake was first discovered. Back in 1853, a man with the name John Wesley Hillman is thought to have taken the exact route leading up to his discovery of the lake. The trail will lead you through dense forests just to bring you out into the spectacular view of Crater Lake and Wizard Island.
- Watchmen Trail — The Watchmen Trail is a short but steep hike. This trail is about 0.8 miles long and will lead you to an elevation gain of about 420 feet. Here you will end up at one of the park’s first two fire lookout towers, built-in 1932. With a spectacular view of Crater Lake and Wizard Island, visitors can also stand in awe as they watch the sunset with all the bright red and orange colors just draping the surrounding mountains and the lake.
- Sun Notch — This trail is possibly the shortest and the easiest one within the park. The Sun Notch trail is about 0.8 miles of flat trail, which will lead the viewers up to the Phantom Ship viewpoint. The Phantom Ship is a small ship like an island located within the lake. It’s quite the view.
- Mount Scott — A 4.4-mile-long trail up to the highest point in the park might sound grueling at first, but the reward for getting to the top is breathtaking. The trail will leave the visitors with an elevation gain of about 1200 feet. And from here, the park’s visitors will be able to see the entirety of Crater Lake at once. It is a photographer’s dream. The hike might be strenuous for some, so be sure to carry all the essentials before making the trip to Mount Scott.
These are just some of the hiking trails that are available in Crater Lake National Park, which we found to be quite interesting. Some of the other trials are as follows:
- Castle Crest
- Fumarole Bay
- Annie Creek
- Union Peak
- Garfield Peak
- Plaikni Falls
- Cleetwood Peak
- Godfrey Glen
5. Boat Ride
A boat ride on the deepest lake in the United States? Yes, please! This is by far, one of the most recommended things to do whenever you visit Crater Lake National Park. Just imagine a smooth cruise in the silent water as you soak in the beauty of the snow-capped mountains surrounding it. If you are looking to take the boat tour, you will be presented with two options. A standard Lake Cruise and a Wizard Island Tour. The first one is a basic two-hour tour around the lake, while the second option is a fragmented tour. It includes a 45-minute tour up to the patron islands, 3–6 hours on Wizard Island for those looking to explore and have a little adventure, and finally, a 75-minute journey along the perimeter of the lake. A National Park Ranger will accompany the visitors through the entirety of the boat ride.
Regardless of the option of the boat ride you choose, it sure does make for one beautiful experience. Floating along the remains of a once majestic volcano is surely a mighty experience.
6. Swimming
In case you’re looking to spice up your adventure, you can always go for a swim in Crater Lake. Yes, you read that correctly, you can swim in Crater Lake. So whip out your swimming trunks and dive right into the crystal clear blue lake. For those looking to swim, there are only two spots where swimming is allowed. You can swim either from Wizard Island or you can swim from the Cleetwood Cove Trail. Now, the water is absolutely cold at around 55F degrees. So, regardless of whether you’re a professional swimmer or not, the coldness of the water will surely leave you shaking. But it is definitely worth it. Swimming in a crater? How many of us can ever imagine having experience as such?
7. Fishing & Wildlife Viewing
For the fish aficionados, visitors are permitted to fish at the same two spots where they are allowed to swim. One is on Wizard Island, and the other one is on the shorelines of the Cleetwood Cove Trail. The lake is home to just two species of fish, the rainbow trout and the kokanee salmon. No fishing license is required to be able to fish, although there are certain rules and regulations that need to be followed.
Likewise, Crater Lake National Park is home to some of the most exquisite and beautiful wildlife Mother Nature has to offer. From Mountain Lions to Elks to squirrels and many more, visitors can experience the true beauty of the park as they witness different wildlife roaming freely around the park, enjoying the offerings of nature. Unlike watching animals in a zoo, witnessing them in their natural habitat is a surreal experience. But be sure to maintain your distance. Highly recommended not to feed the animals in the park.
8. Skiing
Now, this might just be for the thrill-seekers out there. But there is no limit to who can enjoy the fruits of nature. There are dozens of ski trails to go skiing on, all ranging from easy to hardcore extreme. Just like with hiking, visitors, depending on their skill levels, can choose the trail they would like to ski on. This might probably not be on everyone’s to-do list, but it sure is fun sliding down the snow in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We’ve made a list of all the trails that are available in Crater Lake National Park below:
- Discovery Point
- Mazama Loop
- Raven Trail
- Sun Notch
- Hemlock Loop
- Watchmen Overlook
- Summit of First Climb
- Dutton Creek Trail
- Videa Falls
To sum up the article, Crater Lake National Park is one of the most beautiful places to visit. For those who’ve not yet set foot in the park, it is highly recommended that you do. The park is a piece of history, a remnant of the past, a creation of destruction. There is so much to see, so much to do, and so much to feel within the park itself. From the majestic views to the different recreations to the wildlife, Crater Lake National Park is definitely an American Icon and wonder of the world.
