The 1919 general information circular advertised several new attractions in the park that were designed to enhance the visitor’s experience. The public camp grounds on the rim west of the lodge had been enhanced, one of the principal improvements being the installation of a large tank and pumping equipment to furnish an ample water supply not only for drinking and cooking purposes but also for showers. Sightseeing opportunities had been improved by a
splendid new trail from Crater Lake Lodge to the shore of the lake. . . [It] has given pleasure and refreshment to thousands, and, as was expected, elderly people and visitors wholly unaccustomed to climbing availed themselves of the opportunity to make the delightful trip from the lodge to the edge of the lake, thence in motor boats around the lake to Wizard Island and the Phantom Ship, and to other points of interest. The new trails to Garfield Peak and the Watchman were also exceedingly popular during the past season. A trail to the summit of Union Peak was constructed last year.
Five small launches, ten steel rowboats, and a 36-foot boat had been ordered by the Crater Lake Company to replace seven rowboats and a small launch that had been damaged in a storm the previous September. In addition to these boats that were available for rent by the hour or day, an expanded schedule of launch trips on the lake was provided:
| Launch trips: | |||
| Wizard Island and return, on regular schedule, launches leaving lake shore at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m., per person | .50 | ||
| Wizard Island and return, special trip, per person | 1.00 | ||
| Around Wizard Island and Phantom Ship and return (about 15 miles), per person | 2.00 | ||
| Around the lake | 2.50 | [6] | |
Visitation to Crater Lake increased by more than 20 percent in 1920 to 20,135. NPS Director Mather reported on the reasons behind this increase:
Travel to Crater Lake Park has each year shown a healthy increase over the previous year, and again this season we have a most gratifying increase over last year, despite the gasoline shortage and other circumstances that threatened several times to discourage or curtail long tours by automobile. It was noted also that motorists were more inclined to stop over in the park, and camp with their own outfits longer, than it has heretofore been their custom to do. There certainly exists here a splendid opportunity for the development of interest in camping and fishing, but to get the very best results in encouraging this use of the park the Diamond Lake area should be added. With a road from Crater Lake to Diamond Lake the park would become at once one of the best recreation areas of the Pacific coast and would be patronized by motorists from Canada to Mexico.
Weather conditions again played a significant factor in the increased visitation. In this regard Superintendent Sparrow observed:
After strenuous efforts, snow plowing and shoveling, the road to Anna Spring via the south entrance was opened for cars on June 13, and from the west entrance on the 17th. The road from Anna Spring to the lodge was passable for automobiles June 26, and the Rim Road around the lake on July 26. This is the earliest opening of roads within the park of which we have any record.[7]
