Things to Do at the Park

Things to do: Hiking, Camping, Skiing, etc.

Ranger-Guided Snowshoe Walks – November 27, 2008

Crater Lake National Park is pleased to announce that our popular ranger-guided snowshoe walks are about to resume for the 2008-2009 winter season. The walks will start on Saturday, November 29, and will be offered every weekend through April of 2009.

Crater Lake swimming chilly – July 16, 2008

People planning on taking a quick dip in the waters of Crater Lake should be prepared to be chilly. Based on readings from a buoy in the lake, the temperature is 57.7 degrees.

Exploring the “Other Half” of Our National Parks: Stargazing Under Protected Dark Skies – June 14th, 2008

The renowned amateur astronomer and telescope maker, John Lowry Dobson, 92, once said, “National Parks are special places where dark skies and curious minds collide.” Dobson and the famed Sidewalk Astronomers have spent three decades taking their home-made telescopes to the national parks to meet park visitors willing to stay out after dark to help them explore the “other half” of their parks.

Crater Lake: Taking the Plunge – September 4, 2008

I am never sure which is tougher: Standing on the edge of the rock overlook and building up the nerve to jump, or feeling the body go into shock after jumping off that 20-foot high ledge and being immersed in Crater Lake’s anything but warm water.

Garfield Peak offers new vantage point to Crater Lake: Hikers can enjoy spectacular views from the top or stops along the way – August 28, 2008

CRATER LAKE — Familiar views of Crater Lake take on new vantages from the Garfield Peak trail, and that’s part of its allure. It’s 1.7 miles from the trailhead just east of Crater Lake Lodge to the top of the 8,054-foot elevation Garfield, an elevation gain of almost 1,000 feet. While making the top might be a lofty goal for some, the trip can be shortened by stopping about a quartermile short of the summit at viewpoints that overlook the Phantom Ship.

Crater Lake National Park: Trees, wildflowers, dazzling views on trail to Crater Peak – August 14, 2008

Most everyone who visits Crater Lake National Park takes at least a peek at the lake. For hikers, there’s another way to take a peak at Crater Lake. Among the park’s lesser hiked trails is one that leads to Crater Peak, a 7,263-foot elevation summit that gets its name from its extinct crater. Crater Peak is located toward the sound end of the park and can be seen while traveling the East Rim Road.

Plenty of backcountry solitude – August 14, 2008

The September issue of Backpacker magazine says 2007 statistics show Crater Lake has only one backcountry user per 127 acres. Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, not known as a haven for hiking or backpacking, is the park with the most solitude, with one backcountry user per 1,119 acres. In the Western U.S., the only other national park with a better ratio is Great Basin National Park in Nevada, with one user per 184 acres, giving it the sixth best ratio.

Crater Lake rangers guide free hikes – February 23rd, 2008

Rangers at Crater Lake National Park will guide free, one-mile walks through forests and meadows along the crater’s rim from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through April 27.