Project to Rehabilitate Rim Village Begins!

Date: April 01, 2005
Contact: Michael Justin, (541)594-3008

Crater Lake National Park is launching an exciting new project to improve visitor services and safety at Rim Village. The project includes relocating the existing parking lot at Rim Village to the rear of the cafeteria building and restoring the current parking lot area to a walking plaza. This design will relieve conflict between pedestrians viewing the lake and vehicle traffic accessing the area. A portion of the existing cafeteria building will be

 rehabilitated as a year-round facility for gift sales and food service. In the future, the original 1928 camper’s store will be renovated as a year-round visitor contact station and interpretive center.

On April 1, 2005, the Llao Rock Café and Gift Store at Rim Village will close to the public for the season so that preparations for the project can begin. Beginning May 1, weather permitting, the gift store will reopen in the historic Community House at Rim Village and food service will be provided nearby with a temporary food service facility. During April, limited food and beverage items will be available at the National Park Service Visitor Center at park headquarters.

Beginning June 1, and during the first phase of construction through summer 2005, most of the pre-existing parking lot will be closed to parking. However, there will be some parking along the promenade at Rim Village.

Because of the parking limitations and as a safety measure, Rim Village will be closed to oversized vehicles during congested periods as necessary. Oversized vehicles include any vehicle larger than a full sized single rear-wheel 1-ton pickup truck or any vehicle towing a trailer or other vehicle. The only access for oversized vehicles will be for those with prior reservations at Crater Lake Lodge, vehicles with handicapped plates or placards, and authorized administrative, support and construction vehicles.

We expect some congestion during the middle of the day and on weekends at Rim Village, which is the most popular destination in the park. Visitors may want to consider bringing a picnic lunch and driving out East Rim Drive or West Rim Drive to one of the many scenic pullouts to enjoy lake views from those spots instead of Rim Village. While we certainly hope visitors will come and enjoy the park this summer, we want to provide the information you may need ahead of time to plan your visit.

In undertaking this project, we hope to enhance both educational and interpretive services, provide year-round viewing of Crater Lake, and provide upgraded commercial services to our visitors, while protecting the historic landscape of The Rim Village Historic District.