Crater Lake: A Bucket List National Park

Crater Lake National Park has been on my bucket list for at least a decade. For years I have been looking at pictures of its deep and striking blue waters and longing to see it for myself. And let me say, the pictures don’t do this place justice.

Crater Lake is located in South Central Oregon and was formed when a volcano erupted and caused the collapse of a tall mountain peak. This collapse caused the deepest lake in the United States to form. Crater Lake is over 1,900 feet deep. Since the collapse, the lake has only fed by rain and snow which maintains its clean blue quality.

Although Crater Lake is spectacular and full of natural wonder, I was genuinely surprised at how few visitors it gets compared to other national parks in the West. Even many of the Oregonians that I spoke to in other parts of the state had never even visited Crater Lake despite living only a few short hours from the lake.

If you haven’t been to Crater Lake, GO! It’s incredible.

Is your trip to Crater Lake National Park a part of a larger trip to Oregon? You may also like this article:

10 Can’t Miss Stops on the Oregon Coast

How to Get to Crater Lake

Crater Lake is located in South Central Oregon and requires a car to get there. The closest airports to the park are either Eugene Airport which is 2 1/2 hours from the park or Portland International Airport which is 4 hours away.

Where to Stay

Accommodations are somewhat limited near Crater Lake. If you’re visiting during the bust season (summer) make sure that you book accommodations ahead of time as things tend to book up quickly.

There are a couple of accommodation options in the park. The Crater Lake Lodge and the Cabins at Mazama Village offer rooms inside of the national park. If you choose to stay in the park, you can book accommodations here.

We stayed in a cabin at the Union Creek Resort in Prospect, Oregon, which was about 17 miles outside of the park. The cabins were very rustic but clean and comfortable. Union Creek Resort also had a couple different options for food. Nothing fancy, but you won’t find much else out here.

How Long to Visit Crater Lake

I could have sat and enjoyed the views of Crater Lake for a full week, it’s so beautiful. However, 2 days is definitely enough time to see most everything in the park.

Our visit was only 2-days but we were able to see most of the park. Below you will find suggestions for things to do in the park and will be able to do/see all of them in only 2 days.

Things to do at Crater Lake

Drive the Rim Drive around Crater Lake

The #1 things to do in Crater Lake is to drive the Rim Drive, a loop road that circumnavigates the lake. From the road there are many pullouts with different vantage points.

Make sure that you drive the road during different times of day. As the lighting changes, the view of the lake will change too.

There are many pullouts on the Rim Drive, but here the best ones to see. Make sure you stop at these pullouts:

• Watchman Overlook
• Discovery Point
• Rim Village
• Phantom Ship Overlook
• Cloudgap Overlook
• Pumice Castle
• Cleetwood Cove

Hike One (or More) of Crater Lake’s Incredible Trails

Crater Lake has several great hiking options in the park. During our two day visit, we completed two different hikes: The Watchman Peak Trail and The Cleetwood Cove Trail.

The Watchman Peak Trail

The Watchman Peak Trail is a moderate level trail that leads up to a fire watchtower at the top of Watchman Peak. The fire tower is used by park rangers during extreme conditions and the park is at risk of a wildfire.

The climb to the top is only 0.8 miles and is a bit steep on the way up. But at the top, you will find panoramic views of Crater Lake and the surrounding areas from the peak. The view of Wizard Island is incredible from this lookout. Plan at least an hour for this must-do hike.

Cleetwood Cove Trail

Don’t miss out on this hike! Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only trail that actually leads down to the shores of Crater Lake.

Round trip for this hike is 2.1 miles. The trail down to the lake is steep and you’ll lose 623 feet of elevation meaning that you’ll have a steep and difficult climb back up to the trail head. Make sure you bring enough water for the climb up.

If the weather is warm, you will find many people swimming in the lake. Plan to arrive early to avoid the crowds. This hike can be done in as little as 2 hours or you can bring a picnic and plan to spend the entire day here.

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Jump into the COLD Lake Water

If you’re hiking the Cleetwood Cove trail, don’t miss out on a jump into the frigid water of Crater Lake! In the summer months, taking the 30 foot jump into the cold lake waters is one of the most popular and thrilling things to do at Crater Lake.

Although I did not take the leap into the waters (I might’ve if there wasn’t an audience of 100+ people), I did take a couple of dips into the water. And let me say, this Texas girl could barely handle the cold! Wow! To put it into perspective, there were STILL snow patches on the shore of the lake. IN AUGUST. As cold as it was, I’m glad I was able to experience a quick swim in Crater Lake.

Watch a Sunrise/Sunset

Like I said earlier, the view of the lake changes based on the lighting. And my favorite view of the lake was during sunrise.

For sunset, consider watching from the Cloudgap Overlook. For sunrise, I was able to get a good view from the Rim Village area but Discovery Point and Watchman Peak would also be great sunrise spots.

Experiencing Crater Lake at sunrise was incredible. I got out of bed before 5 AM and drove 30 minutes to the lake by myself in the dark. I made it in plenty of time to watch the sun come up over the mountain peaks surrounding the lake. The scenery was so peaceful in those first few minutes of morning light. I hope to start catching more sunrises on future travels.

Check out the Pinnacles

Located 8 miles off of the main Rim Drive, the Pinnacle Overlook is another point of interest to check out. These pinnacles at steam vents from the volcano that erupted to form Crater Lake. Although the Pinnacles Overlook doesn’t provide another view of the lake, it is definitely worth a quick stop to check out these very interesting rock formations.

Crater Lake is a one-of-a-kind national park and needs to be added to your bucket list if you haven’t already visited. I can’t wait to go back!

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