Crater Lake National Park
Traveling with kids to Crater Lake is a volcano adventure. Over a hundred thousand years ago, Crater Lake wasn't a lake at all, it was Mt. Mazama. When volcanic Mt. Mazama erupted, the top of the mountain collapsed inward, forming an open caldera, five miles wide and 4,000 ft deep. Over time, the caldera filled up with rain and melted snow, forming Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States.
Steel Visitor Center
- Arriving at the south entrance to Crater Lake, stop into the visitor center theater to watch a short movie about Native Americans who lived around the lake, or second movie about Crater Lake and the national park.
Rim Village
- At the Rim Village is the Crater Lake Lodge, Rim Village Cafe (with light meals, snacks, and drinks), visitor information, and a paved walk along the caldera rim, providing panoramic lake views.
Rim Village Visitor Center
- Pick up Junior Ranger booklets, and see the posted schedule of Junior Ranger activities (20 min., for kids 6 - 12).
Sinnott Memorial Overlook
- From the visitor center, walk down the short path to the Overlook, which has a model of Crater Lake, a short animated movie that shows how the lake was created, and exhibits about the geologic history and water research at Crater Lake.
Rim Drive
- The Rim Drive is divided into West Rim Drive and East Rim Drive, and makes a loop around the lake. On the Rim Drive are many different overlooks (don't overdo it, kids will be happier stopping at fewer overlooks, rather than leaping in and out of the car all the time). Here's a few of our favorites:
Pumice Castle Overlook
- Amidst rock layers of the caldera, a bright orange rock formation stands out, like a medieval castle guarding the lake. This overlook is 2.4 miles east of the Phantom Ship Overlook, 1.1 miles west of the Cloudcap Overlook.
Phantom Ship Overlook
- The Phantom Ship rock formation is the oldest at Crater Lake, all that's left from an eruption 400,000 years ago. From the view at this overlook, the Phantom Ship looked to us like a ship chugging away from the shore into the center of the lake.
Sun Notch Trail
- It's just a short walk through the meadows to the rim, and from here look directly down over the Phantom Ship formation. Bring your binoculars to view trees and birds (bald eagles, swallows) on the island.
Tip:
Along the Rim Drive, there are many overlooks, and the scenery is spectacular for family photos. However, stone guard rails are there for a good reason.
Do not
step over the stone walls to take photos, you'll stand on cliffs that drop straight down to the lake!
Cleetwood Cove
- The cove has only access to Crater Lake itself.
CLEETWOOD COVE TRAIL IS CLOSED for rehabilitation, it will take several years.
Also no Crater Lake boat tours and trips to Wizard Island.
Check NPS website for latest information: Cleetwood Cove
Winter activities
- Crater Lake is a snowy wonderland in winter, and totally different than a visit in summer. During the winter months, the road is open to Rim Village (the Rim Drive around the lake is closed).
Go snowshoeing
- One February, on President's Day weekend, we headed up to Crater Lake for a morning of snowshoeing. It had just snowed, the day was sunny, and the scenery spectacular - the caldera rim and evergreen trees covered with snow, a brilliant blue lake below. Trails are marked - we took the West Rim ski route.
Also, for kids 8 and up, there are 2 hour ranger-led snowshoeing walks, November to April. Check the schedule online:
Winter Activities
Editor's note: We rented snowshoes and even for the non-experienced, it was super. Snowshoeing is just like walking, but be sure to dress for snow (the usual warm clothing, boots, gloves etc.)
Sledding
- Bring your own sleds and go sledding in the gentle slopes around Rim Village, or other open areas.
The Rim Village Cafe is open, stop in for
hot chocolate
.
