Some links on our site may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, at 1,943 feet, and most people see it from a road that circles the rim. A car costs $30 to enter from May 22 to October 31 and $20 the rest of the year, per the National Park Service. You do not need a reservation. This season, however, two big things are closed: the only trail down to the water, and part of the east side of Rim Drive.
I have stood on the rim here, and every photo on this page is mine. We kept to the overlooks, and that was enough. The water is a blue I have not seen anywhere else, with Wizard Island sitting in it like a small volcano. We also stopped at the visitor center, watched the park film and looked through the gift shop before heading out.
Crater Lake National Park
| Quick facts | Crater Lake National Park |
|---|---|
| Where | southern Oregon, in the Cascade Range |
| Lake depth | 1,943 feet, the deepest in the US |
| Car entry | $30 summer, $20 winter, good for 7 days |
| Payment | card or digital only, no cash |
| Reservations | not needed to enter |
| Rim Drive | 33 miles, 30 overlooks |
| Closed now | Cleetwood Cove Trail; part of East Rim Drive |
| Road season | rim roads usually close November 1 or at the first heavy snow |
Crater Lake Entrance Fee
A private car pays $30 from May 22 to October 31, and $20 from November 1 to May 21. That covers everyone inside for seven days, per the park’s fee page. A motorcycle pays $25 in summer and $15 in winter. If you walk or cycle in, it is $15 a person, and children under 16 get in free.
The park stopped taking cash in 2023, so bring a card. A $55 annual pass also covers Lava Beds, Lassen Volcanic and Whiskeytown. That is worth it if you are doing a loop through northern California and Oregon.
Cleetwood Cove Trail Closure
Two things, per the park’s current conditions page, last updated August 17, 2026. First, the Cleetwood Cove Trail is closed all season for a major construction project. It is the only trail down to the lake shore, so there is no swimming and no trip out to Wizard Island this year.
Second, East Rim Drive is closed for road work between park headquarters and Phantom Ship Overlook. The park started rebuilding the east side in 2023, in a project it expected to take about five years. So you cannot drive the full loop. Instead, you drive out and back on the open parts, which still gives you plenty of overlooks.
How long to drive around Crater Lake?
At least two hours for the full 33 miles, per the park, and longer if you stop at many of the 30 overlooks. With the east side partly closed, plan on the west side instead. It is open, and it has the classic views of Wizard Island.
The roads open in stages each year. West Rim Drive usually reopens in May, then the North Entrance Road, and finally East Rim Drive. They close around November 1 or with the first heavy snow. Meanwhile, the road up to Rim Village stays open all year.
Best Crater Lake Overlooks
For most people, the overlooks are enough. We did not hike or take a boat, and I left happy. From the rim, you look down into the whole caldera at once. A caldera is the bowl left behind when a volcano collapses. Wizard Island is the cone of a smaller volcano that later grew up inside that bowl.
Still, give it more time than you think. The light changes the color of the water through the day, and the view from one pullout looks nothing like the view a mile on. So plan on a half day at the very least, even without a hike. Bring a jacket as well, since the rim sits high in the mountains.
The overlooks are also easy. Most sit right beside the road, with parking, so you can stop every few minutes. Our photos were taken from pullouts like these, some with a short walk through the pines to the edge.
Why is Crater Lake so blue?
Because the water is so clear and so deep. Water soaks up the red and yellow parts of sunlight and scatters the blue, per the park. That blue light travels deep into the lake and bounces back up to your eye. Near the shallow edges, you see more green instead.
The lake also has no rivers flowing in or out. It fills from rain and snow alone, and the park gets about 42 feet of snow a year. The bowl itself formed when Mount Mazama, a 12,000-foot volcano, collapsed about 7,700 years ago after a huge eruption.
Steel Visitor Center
There are two. The Steel Information Center, near park headquarters, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, per the conditions page. It reopened recently after a major renovation. Up at Rim Village, the Rim Visitor Center is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
If it is your first visit, stop at one before you drive the rim. The film gives you the volcano story, so the view makes more sense when you get there. The gift shop is a good place for a map and a souvenir, too.
Where to stay at Crater Lake National Park
Inside the park, Crater Lake Lodge sits on the rim, and Mazama Village has cabins. Both are open for the season, per the park. At Mazama Campground, loops A and B are open on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early.
Outside the park, Toketee Lake Campground on Highway 138 has 33 sites and takes reservations through Recreation.gov, per the Forest Service. It also puts you right next to the stops in the next section.
Toketee Falls Oregon
We left the park heading north and then west, and one of the best stops of the whole trip came soon after. It was Toketee Falls, with a trail down to it, and it was awesome. In fact, for me it beat Crater Lake. It is nowhere near as big, but it was more fun and more enjoyable, and it was well worth the stop. There was a lake, hot springs and camping all in the same place.
All of it sits off one turnoff on Highway 138, Forest Road 34. The Toketee Falls Trail is 0.4 miles with nearly 200 steps, per the Forest Service. At the end, the falls drop in two tiers, 40 feet and then 80 feet, over a wall of basalt. The Forest Service warns people not to climb past the fencing, because there have been serious injuries and deaths there.
Umpqua Hot Springs is a short drive farther up the same road. The trailhead is day use only, sunrise to sunset, with no camping. Parking costs $5 a vehicle, or it is free with a Northwest Forest Pass or an America the Beautiful pass. Toketee Lake Campground is the closest place to stay the night.
After that, Highway 138 follows the North Umpqua River west toward Roseburg. It is a beautiful drive, mostly thick forest and rivers. From there, the coast and the Oregon Dunes are an easy next stop. Our guide to Glacier Point in Yosemite covers the road, parking and hikes there.
When is the best time to visit Crater Lake?
Summer into early fall, when all the open roads are clear of snow. The summer fee window runs May 22 to October 31, which is a good guide to the main season. Our visit was on a clear, bright day, and that is when the blue is strongest.
Winter is a different trip. The rim roads close, and only the road to Rim Village stays open. So if the drive is the point, go before November.
Also, fill up the tank and pack food before you drive up. The park is remote, and services on the rim are limited. That matters even more this year, because the partial closure means extra miles driving out and back.
Wizard Island Boat Tour
Skip planning a swim or a boat trip to Wizard Island this year, since the only trail to the shore is closed. Do not count on driving the full loop either. Also, skip arriving with cash only, because the entrance takes cards and digital payment only. Finally, do not step past the rim fences for a better photo. The overlooks give you the view safely.
Frequently asked questions about Crater Lake
How deep is Crater Lake?
1,943 feet at its deepest, which makes it the deepest lake in the United States, per the National Park Service.
How much does it cost to get into Crater Lake?
$30 per car from May 22 to October 31 and $20 the rest of the year. The pass is good for seven days.
Is East Rim Drive open?
Not right now. Part of East Rim Drive is closed for a multi-year rebuild, so you drive out and back on the open sections.
Can you swim in Crater Lake?
Not this season. The Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only way down to the water, is closed all year for construction.
Does Crater Lake require reservations?
The park does not require reservations to enter.
Published September 21, 2026.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.