We are hiring. Click here to see our available positions & apply

Experience

Experience Crater Lake National Park or the Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve depending on your interests, time and ambitions. Hiking and other amenities are available to enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of the Park or Monument & Preserve.

You can click Here for a map of Crater Lake National Park

 

Things to do at Crater Lake National Park

TAKE A HIKE

During the summer, you can explore old-growth forest or wildflower meadows. Climb mountains for great views of the lake or hike into the lake itself. For more detailed information on the trails in the park, click Here.

RIDE YOUR BIKE AROUND THE LAKE

You can ride your bike around the lake. In late-Spring, typically in June, the Rim Drive starts to open up. As plows clear the snow, more pavement becomes available for walkers, bicyclists and then automobiles. Typically, the entire Rim Drive is open by the beginning of July. Winter weather starts to close the Rim Drive in October or November. Click Here for more information about bicycling in Crater Lake National Park.

TOUCH THE WATER

Whether just hiking down the Cleetwood Trail for a swim or joining a boat tour of the volcano, visiting the shore of Crater Lake is a unique experience. Typically the trail is accessible from July to October, depending on the snow we had during the winter season. If interested in a boat tour click Here.

SEE THE PINNACLES

The pinnacles are towering needle-like formations of rock, called fossil fumaroles, projecting from the Sand Creek Canyon floor. They were formed under sheets of volcanic pumice that preceded Mazama's collapse. To reach the pinnacles. Turn on to East Rim Drive off of Munson Valley Road, then turn right on Pinnacles Road.

Photograph of the Pinnacles above

WINTER FUN

Winters at Crater Lake can be long and snowy. Storms from the Pacific Ocean dump an average of 524 inches (13.3 meters) of snow at Park Headquarters. With Highway 62 open year round, you can always access the park for winter fun. Join a free ranger-led snowshoe walk on weekends through the end of April. Which includes free use of park snowshoes during the walk. For folks with their own equipment, information on the park's cross-country ski and snowshoe trails can be found by clicking here
For snowmobilers, Diamond Lake Resort grooms the North Entrance Road. A ten-mile ride on the marked route brings you to an amazing lake overlook.

 

You can click Here for the new map of the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve

 

Things to do at Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Watch a short video outlining tips and need-to-know facts for your visit to Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve click Here. Come prepared for seasonal changes, construction expectations and potential limitations click Here.

GO ON A CAVE TOUR

Explore a mountain inside and out. Twist and bend through angled marble passages deep underground on a ranger-guided tour of the Oregon Caves. Wonder at the smooth flowstone, stalactites and stalagmites. Above ground, you can hike old growth forests and high mountain meadows. Visit, discover and have fun! Cave tours operate late March through early November. Surface Hiking trails remain open year-round. Click Here for the details and types of cave tours we offer.

SEE THE CHATEAU

The Chateau at Oregon Caves is one of the National Park's "Great Lodges," and a National Historic Landmark. This picturesque six-story lodge offers 23 overnight rooms, a fine dinging room with views of a wooded canyon, and a 1930's era coffee shop. Each of the rooms in the Chateau has its own unique charm. All visitors are invited to enjoy the majestic lobby at any time. The Oregon Caves Chateau - Closed for Repair & Rehabilitation until further notice.

GO FOR A HIKE

Discover six enjoyable Hiking trails that meander through the ancient forests of the Siskiyou Mountains. Explore high mountain meadows, view the largest Douglas-fir tree by girth known in the state of Oregon, spot salamanders within a stream or connect to the Cascades to Caves route.

BECOME A JUNIOR RANGER

Earn a Junior Ranger badge and help protect and preserve for future generations.

 

 

Other Useful Links

Crater Lake National Park Site - http://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm

Crater Lake National Park Webcams - http://www.nps.gov/crla/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm

Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve Site - http://www.nps.gov/orca/index.htm

Crater Lake Trust - http://www.craterlaketrust.org/

Friends of Crater Lake National Park - http://friendsofcraterlake.org/

Crater Lake Hospitality Site - https://www.travelcraterlake.com/

Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau - http://friendsocac.org/

Crater Lake Country, find things to do and plan your visit - https://craterlakecountry.com/

Illinois Valley Community Development Organization - https://ivcdo.org/

Any Place America Camping Resource - https://www.anyplaceamerica.com/