Nature

Crater Lake National Park

The deepest lake in the United States, so blue it hardly looks real.

Oregon
2 min read

Photo: Athleticamps derivative work: User:Maps and stuff (cropped to 2.5:1 ratio… · CC BY-SA 4.0

Crater Lake guide: the Rim Drive, Watchman Peak at sunset, Wizard Island, the way down to the water, winter snow, the entrance fee and the best months.

What to expect

About 7,700 years ago, the volcano Mount Mazama erupted and collapsed, leaving a caldera that slowly filled with rain and snowmelt. Today Crater Lake is 592 meters deep, the deepest lake in the United States, and because no rivers flow into it, its water is exceptionally clear and intensely blue.

The 53-kilometer Rim Drive circles the caldera with about 30 overlooks. Watchman Peak and Cloudcap Overlook are classic viewpoints, and Wizard Island, a cinder cone rising from the water, appears in nearly every photo.

The only way down to the shore is the steep Cleetwood Cove Trail, and summer boat tours leave from its dock. The trail and the boats depend on conditions each year, so check the park’s website before you plan around them.

Crater Lake gets about 13 meters of snow in an average year, so most of the Rim Drive is closed from fall until early summer; only the road to Rim Village is plowed in winter, when rangers lead snowshoe walks along the rim.

Crater Lake: top things to do

1Driving the full Rim Drive
2Sunset from Watchman Peak
3Wizard Island seen from the rim
4A ranger-led snowshoe walk in winter

Best time to visit

July to September, when the whole Rim Drive is usually open.

Insider tips

The north entrance and most of the Rim Drive usually open in early July; check the road status.
Pack warm clothes, as the rim sits at about 2,100 meters.
Mazama Village has the only gas in the park, and it is open only in summer.

Fees, passes and parking

What	Price
Private vehicle	$30 per vehicle, 7 days (summer)
Private vehicle	$20 per vehicle, 7 days (winter)
Motorcycle	$25 per vehicle, 7 days (summer)
Per person (on foot or bike)	$15 per person, 7 days
Annual pass for this park	$55 per year

America the Beautiful pass accepted: $80 a year for US residents, $250 for others (also covers the $100 fee).
Winter rates apply while most of the Rim Drive is closed by snow; only the road to Rim Village is plowed.
US residents enter free on a few fee-free days.

Checked Oct 28, 2026. Official prices