One Day at Crater Lake National Park in Summer: The Best Hikes to Take

Crater Lake is the only National Park in Oregon and contains the deepest lake in the United States at 1,949 feet deep. Spending one day at Crater Lake National Park is the perfect summer escape and makes for a fantastic Oregon weekend trip. You can also add it to an Oregon road trip. 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!

History of Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake was once an impressive volcano named Mount Mazama. Native Americans witnessed its collapse and told the tale in their legends. The collapse of the volcano created this deep lake and surrounding crater. In 1853, a few gold prospectors stumbled on the lake when searching for gold. 

William Gladstone Steel next visited the lake in 1870 and began to try to establish it as a National Park. He named many of the features of the lake including Wizards Island. In 1886, geologists came to the area and began studying the lake. Finally, Crater Lake became a National Park in 1902. The Crater Lake Lodge opened in 1915 and the Rim Drive in 1918. 

Best Time to Visit

The best time to spend a day at Crater Lake is during the summertime. In summer, all of the trails and drives are open. Also, this provides you with the opportunity to jump into the lake if you dare! During the wintertime, more winter activities are offered such as snowmobiles and snowshoeing. 

How to get to Crater Lake National Park

The closest airport to Crater Lake National Park is the Rogue Valley-Medford Airport, located in Medford, Oregon. However, sometimes, the flights there can be pricey, so you can also opt to fly into Eugene or Portland. 

From Medford, follow the 62 east to the West Entrance. 

From Eugene or Portland, take the 5 south to Highway 58. Then get on Highway 97. This takes you to the North Entrance. 

From Klamath Falls, take the 97 to the 62 to get to the South Entrance. 

Transportation Around Crater Lake National Park

To get around during your one day at Crater Lake National Park, you will need a car. The West Rim Drive and East Rim Drive for a 33-mile loop around the lake. This Crater Lake itinerary has you follow the West Rim Drive to the East Rim Drive from the West Entrance. 

Hours and Admission

Crater Lake is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. During the wintertime, several of the roads throughout the park are shut down due to snow. During the winter months, you cannot enter from the North Entrance and the majority of the Rim Drive is closed. This is usually from about November to June, but check the Crater Lake website for current conditions. 

It costs $30 in the summertime or $20 in the wintertime per car to get into Crater Lake. This fee is good for 7 days. If you plan on visiting multiple National Parks in a year, invest in an America the Beautiful pass to save some money. 

Where to Stay

TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best National Park hotels here!

If you want to stay inside the park, you can choose to camp at the Mazama or Lost Creek Campgrounds or opt to stay at the Crater Lake Lodge or Cabins at the Mazama Village. However, the lodge can be a bit pricey, so keep that in mind when budgeting. The Lodge begins at $200/night and the cabins at $165/night.

To save some money, opt to stay in Medford which is about an hour away. We opted to stay at the Resort at Eagle Point which was a fantastic choice! The resort is right on a golf course and the perfect comfy retreat at the end of the day. It cost $135/night versus the higher cost of staying inside the park. 

What to See During One Day at Crater Lake National Park

There are so many fun things to do during one day at Crater Lake National Park. Whether it is viewing the lake, hiking, or swimming, Crater Lake has something for everyone. The 33-mile Rim Drive will take you around the lake and has over 30 pull-offs for spectacular views.

Day 1

Discovery Point

Start out your one day at Crater Lake National Park with your first view of Crater Lake. At the Rim Village Visitor’s Center, you can get an awesome first look at the lake. Named Discovery Point, this spot is close to where gold prospector John Hillman first saw the lake in 1853. 

Watchman Overlook

Next, stop at the Watchman Overlook for another view of the lake. If you have more than one day at Crater Lake National Park, you can also opt to complete the 1.6 mile Watchman Trail that allows for Panoramic views of the lake. This overlook also gives you the best views of Wizard Island. 

Cleetwood Cove Trail

Distance: 2.2 miles round trip

The number one trail you must complete when spending one day at Crater Lake National Park is the Cleetwood Cove Trail. This trail is the only trail that leads down to the lake. The hike down will take about 30-45 minutes. Once down at the lake, you have the option of jumping in from some rocks or you can wade in to swim around. Note that the hike back up may take a bit longer as it is a 700-foot incline. There are plenty of benches for you to relax along the trail. 

From July to September you can also catch a ferry to Wizard Island from the docks at the bottom of the trail. This ferry costs $55 and you get to spend 2 hours exploring Wizard Island. The boat can get windy so bring a light jacket. 

Cloudcap Overlook

The Cloudcap Overlook is the highest point in the park at 7865 feet, so you will get some awesome views of Crater Lake from this stop.

Phantom Ship Overlook

The Phantom Ship Overlooks offers the best view of Phantom Ship, the other small island of Crater Lake. It is popular due to its resemblance to a sailboat and is made of lava. The Phantom Ship is over 400,000 years old and the oldest in the park. 

Pinnacles Trail

Distance: 0.8 miles round trip

Although not one of the best trails in the park, this trail will take you to the Crater Lake National park sign. It is a super flat path. Along the way, you can see some volcanic spires that reminded me of Bryce Canyon National Park. This trail is super quick and will take maybe 30 minutes to complete. 

Plaikni Falls

Distance: 2 miles round trip

Another easy trail to complete during one day at Crater Lake National Park is the Plaikni Falls Trail. This hike takes you through a forest area to a waterfall. You can opt to put your feet in the water once you get there. This trail will not take you more than an hour to complete. 

More Than One Day at Crater Lake National Park?

If you have more than one day at Crater Lake, you can do some other hikes. In total, Crater Lake has over 90 miles of trails. 

Annie Creek

Distance: 1.7 miles round trip

This hike takes visitors through a canyon with a stream running through it. It is a moderate hike with a 200-foot elevation change. Plan to spend an hour or two on this hike. 

Sun Notch

Distance: 0.8 miles

The Sun Notch Trail is another short trail that takes you to views of the Phantom Ship. It is a super short and accessible trail. 

If you stay overnight in the park, make sure to stargaze as sometimes you are able to see the Milky Way. You can also go fishing for salmon and trout at Cleetwood Cove. No matter what, there is a ton of fun to be had during one day at Crater Lake National Park. 

Tips for Spending One Day at Crater Lake National Park

• Bring a swimsuit or a change of clothes if you want to go into the lake. 
• Bring plenty of water and snacks.
• The bathroom situation isn’t the best along the Rim Drive, so keep that in mind during the day. The Visitor’s Center has flush toilets but most other places are vault toilets or porta-potties. 
• Remember Crater Lake is at a higher elevation so keep that in mind when hiking. 

If you are staying in Medford, make sure to check out some of the local wineries such as Dancin Vineyards or Ledger David Cellars. If you are looking for somewhere to eat, try El Arriero for some delicious Mexican food. If planning a longer trip, head up to Portland after spending one day at Crater Lake. 

Share this lesson!