|
Below you
will many features to enjoy:
Sinnott Memorial
Overlook and Museum
Built in 1930 and 1931, the Sinnott
Memorial Overlook is located below the caldera rim at Rim Village. A short but steep path
begins near the Rim Visitor Center. The Overlook and its accompany museum are available to
visitors as staff is available. Exhibits focus on the history of research on the lake and
the geologic history of historic Mt. Mazama. Ranger talks relating the formation of Crater
Lake are given from the Overlook daily at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m
from June 26 through September 5th.
Boat Tours
The boat tours are accessible only by hiking the one
mile Cleetwood Cove trail located on the north side of Crater Lake. It climbs 700 feet in
elevation and is recommended only for those in good physical condition. It is not
recommended if you have heart, breathing, or leg problems.
Temperatures on the lake may be much cooler than those at the trailhead so bring extra
clothing and a hat. There is no water available at Cleetwood Cove. You will need to bring
your own. Composting toilets are available at the boat dock. A vault toilet is available
at the trailhead.
Tickets are purchased at the top of the trail. No reservations are taken. Allow at least
one hour to drive from Rim Village to Cleetwood Cove parking area and to hike down the
steep trail.
What can we learn from Crater Lake? Why is it important geologically and ecologically? And
when's the last time you were inside a caldera? This two hour, ranger lead tour is
operated by the Xanterra Parks & Resorts in cooperation with the National Park Service to
provide visitors with an expanded knowledge of the lake and its resources, whether
visible, submerged, or intangible. Boat tours are scheduled to begin in
early July - however, inquire at the park visitor centers to insure correct
information.
Cost: $20.00 for adults $12.00 for children 11 and under and free for those 24
months and under. Prices Subject to Change.
Wizard Island Options:
Boats stop at Wizard Island. It is possible to stay on the
island and take a later boat back. However, your return journey is dependent upon
available space on returning boats. You are not guaranteed a ride back until the final
tour of the day, possibly arriving at the Cleetwood Dock as late as 6:30 p.m. There are
two hiking trails on Wizard Island. There is no camping allowed on the Island. Keep in
mind that Wizard Island is a remarkable place: an infant cinder cone with all the expected
hazards: extremely rough lava, loose cinder, and dry conditions. Use caution when hiking.
A pit toilet is located at the dock area. There are no other facilities provided for the
public on Wizard Island.
Hiking and Biking
This national park has over 180,000 acres of which only 11,500 are taken up by the lake.
The remaining 93% is land based, most of it backcountry. In fact, portions of the park
await designation as wilderness. There are approximately 90 miles of hiking trails in the
park -- with each one offering the visitor a chance to take a closer look at nature or
study a geological feature. You can hike for several days or wander quietly as long as you
like. In addition to the many trails that start inside the park, there are several
connections with paths in the surrounding National Forests. A good example is the Pacific
Crest Trail, which runs all the way from the Mexico to Canada and passes through Crater
Lake's backcountry.
No bicycles are allowed on any park trails. Bicycling is allowed only on paved roads, the
Grayback Motor Nature Trail, and the dirt trail entering the park on the east side near
the Pinnacles.
Start your trip at the information desk located in the Steel Center in Munson Valley or
the Rim Village Information Center. Park staff will also issue free backcountry permits
for overnight stays and inform you of the regulations designed to protect these areas.
Bring plenty of food and water. Wear comfortable shoes or boots. If you plan on drinking
stream water, you need to treat it with a reliable purification system. You should also be
prepared for any extremes of weather. Temperatures can change dramatically in the course
of a day. Snow has fallen in all twelve months of the year here. This information should
be helpful in planning your trip to Crater Lake. Take time to enjoy the spectacular views
of the lake but include time to relax and enjoy the green forests, cool mountain streams,
and other magnificent features of Crater Lake's backcountry.
The following is a partial list of day hikes at Crater
Lake National Park. The list is organized according to
estimated time length for completing the hike. Please
note that steep terrain of Crater Lake means time,
length and difficulty are not directly related. Times
are given are estimates of how long it will take to
complete the trail and return to the trailhead. Trails
listed as strenuous should be taken only by people in
good physical condition.
Sun Notch View - Time: 20
minutes, Length: 0.25 miles one way, Elevation: 7000 - 7115 ft., Difficulty: moderate,
Trailhead: 4 miles east of Park HQ on East Rim Drive, marked by a sign. Feature: Overlook
of Crater Lake and Phantom Ship, scattered wildflowers, dry meadow. Use caution near steep
edges.
Godfrey Glen - Time: 30
minutes, Length: 1.00 miles, Elevation: 6000 - 6050 ft., Difficulty: easy, Trailhead: 2.4
miles south of Park HQ.
Castle Crest Wildflower Garden
- Time: 30-45 minutes, Length: .4 mile loop from Rim Drive, 1 mile loop from Park HQ,
Elevation: 6400 - 6500 ft., Difficulty: easy but some uneven ground and rocks, Trailhead:
1) East Rim Drive, 0.5 miles from park HQ, or 2) Across road from Park HQ parking lot.
Features: Small brook, lush vegetation, and spectacular blooms of wildflowers in summer
months.
The Watchman - Time: 1 hour,
Length: 0.7 miles. one way, Elevation: 7400 to 8056 ft, Difficulty: difficult, steep,
Trailhead: "The Corrals", 3.7 miles northwest of Rim Village on West Rim Drive.
Features: Panorama of surrounding area, overlook of Wizard Island, a historic fire lookout
and an interpretive map of local peaks and landforms.
Annie Creek Canyon - Time - 1
hour and 15 min, Length: 1.7 mile loop, Elevation: 5800 to 6000 ft., Difficulty: moderate,
Trailhead: Amphitheater at Mazama Campground. Features: Deep stream cut canyon, creek
habitats, wildflowers and occasional animals.
Cleetwood Cove (lake shore trail) -
Time - 1 hour, Length: 1.1 miles, one way, Elevation: 6850 to 6176 ft., Difficulty,
strenuous, 11% grade, Trailhead: Parking area 4.5 mi. east of North Junction. Features:
Access to lake shore and boat landing.
Garfield Peak - Time: 2 to 3
hours, Length: 1.7 miles, one way, Elevation. 7050 to 9060 ft, Difficulty: difficult,
Trailhead: Rim Village Parking Lot. Features: Panorama of surrounding area, excellent
views of Crater Lake, occasional small animals, wildflowers, and an overhead view of
Phantom Ship.
Mt. Scott - Time: - 3 hours,
Length: 2.5 miles. one way, Elevation: 7450 to 8929 ft., Difficulty: - strenuous,
Trailhead: 14 miles east of Park HQ, across East Rim Drive from road to Cloudcap junction.
Wildlife
Viewing Opportunities
Spring at Crater Lake National Park- is a very long season or merely a heartbeat,
depending on your perspective. With the disappearance of the several feet of snow that
blankets the area until early summer, wildflowers bloom, transitory birds return, trees
bud, and animals play in the abundance of summer. The largest park residents are the deer
and elk that roam the woods of the park from June until October. A herd of pronghorn
antelope also migrate across the Pumice Desert in the northern end of the park in early
summer as the snow finally leaves the ground. These ungulates, a word used to describe
hoofed animals, indicate that summer is here; that the plants and trees are in the midst
of their growing season.
Pine martens, mice, squirrels, and rabbits are just a sampling of winter wildlife who stay
active by feeding on pine seeds, hemlock bark and other gifts left by summer's vegetation.
Deer must migrate to lower elevations, sometimes traveling up to thirty miles to the Rogue
Valley where a food supply is still available. Deer and elk feed mainly on different types
of grasses and lichens, as well as twigs and bark of hemlock, lodgepole pine, and Douglas
fir. Carnivores, or meat eaters, don't suffer the same food loss as deer when plants are
snowed in.
Elk are the largest of the park's animals, with females weighing as much as 700 lbs. and
males weighing up to 1100 lbs. They commonly come into the south and western areas of the
park as snow allows, usually around mid-June. The species native to the park, Roosevelt
Elk, were hunted nearly to extinction in the park by early settlers. To help the
population, 15 elk were from Wallowa County, Oregon. Oregon's first state
game warden, William L. Finley, brought in 15 elk from the National
Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1912, to live in a protected
enclosure at Billy Meadows north of Enterprise. Another 15 were
brought in 1913. The Crater Lake elk are descendants of these. The effort was successful; today, more than 160 elk
(approx) have been counted
within the park in recent summers. Deer winter with elk and generally live in the same
regions.
All of these beautiful animals travel in both daylight and during evening hours. Please
obey all speed regulations and be very watchful as you travel park roadways for your
safety and theirs. Henry David Thoreau wrote, "Perhaps what moves us in winter is
some reminiscence of far-off summer. The cold is merely superficial - it is summer still
at the core, far, far within." It is the wakeful summer core that maintains the
sleeping winter of Crater Lake. Deer and elk are a welcome indication of this transition.
Camping
There are two developed campgrounds at Crater Lake. Mazama Campground is located near the
Annie Springs Entrance Station. Lost Creek Campground is accessed by taking East Rim Drive
to the Pinnacles road. Campsites are all on a first come, first served basis. No
reservations are taken. Camping opportunities are also available at several locations
outside the park.
Mazama Campground - This 198 site campground is operated by Xanterra
Parks & Resorts. Call 541-594-3704 for prices regarding sites per night. Fresh water, flush
toilets, a dump station, pay showers, and laundry facilities are available. There are no
utility hookups. Fires are permitted in designated fireplaces only. Firewood is available
for purchase at the Mazama Store. Campers are allowed to collect only dead and downed
wood. Mazama Campground is open from June 11 to October 4, 2004, weather
permitting.
Lost Creek Campground - A 16 site tents-only campground is operated by the National
Park Service. It normally opens in July and closes for the season in mid-September. Check
at the park visitor centers at 541-594-3100 for exact opening and closing dates
& rates. Sites are first come-first serve, they do Not Reserve by
phone. These sites fill by early afternoon, so campers should
select sites upon arriving in the park.
Visitor Services
Food
and Beverages - Crater Lake National Park offers three types of
dining. The Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room is located in the Crater
Lake Lodge and offers fine dining featuring Northwest regional
cuisine. The Lodge Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner from May 26 to October 17, 2004. The Café is located adjacent
to the Gift Shop at Rim Village and serves breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. The Café is open year-round with decreased hours in the
winter. The Watchman Buffet is upstairs from the Café and offers a
dinner buffet. Its hours are 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. from June 11
through September 12, 2004.
Lodging - The historic Crater Lake Lodge, perched on the rim of
Crater Lake, has 71 rooms and is open from May 26 to October 17, 2004
The Mazama Village Motor Inn is located at Annie Springs, near the
Route 62 junction. Two units are designed for wheelchair
accessibility. The Motor Inn is open from June 4 to October 4. Check
in is at the Mazama Village Store. To reserve rooms in advance,
contact 541-594-2255 ext# 3705.
Automotive Needs - Gas is available Seasonally. Unleaded
gasoline, oil, and some basic automotive needs are available at the
Mazama Village Store. Regular and Diesel fuels are not available.
There are no mechanics available in the park. Tow services come from
Chemult or Prospect, Oregon.
Mazama Village Store - The store is located at the Annie
Springs Entrance near the junction with Route 62. Convenience store
items, a coin operated laundry, and shower facilities are available.
Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from June 4 to June 11; 7:00 a.m. to
10 p.m. from June 11 to September 7; 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from
September 7 to closing on October 4, 2004
For more information about Crater Lake please call 541-594-3100
or you can visit this website at
www.craterlakelodges.com
(Please Do Not Call SouthernOregon .com)
BACK TO
SOUTHERN OREGON LAKES PAGE
or
BACK TO
SOUTHERN OREGON AREA PROFILES PAGE
Add More Information!
If you would like to add more information about this area to
this page, Contact Us and supply your text info and we will add it in!
If you would like a different Area of Southern Oregon added to
our main Area & City Profile page, Contact Us and supply your text
info and we will add it in as well! |
