Last weekend, we visited Crater Lake National Park in the Cascade Mountain range of Oregon. Two weeks ago, one of Mark’s friends visited us in Florence and wanted to see Crater Lake. When we started researching, we found out that the only trail to the waters edge was closing on September 14th for three years. Cleetwood Trail is a little over a mile long but drops 700 feet in elevation, making it a short but very challenging hike.
The imminent closing of the trail made finding lodging a bit of a challenge. Everything was booked up in the park, and there isn’t much around it. I ended up booking a cabin at a campground in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The Rocky Point Resort, about an hour drive away from the park, was mainly focused on fishing on the Upper Klamath Lake. The cabin was actually very nice for a campground cabin. It had all the linens, a microwave, a kitchenette, and a restaurant in the campground. That ended up being very fortuitous because there is nothing in the area. To get to a grocery store, you would have to drive at least 40 minutes. We decided to go on Wednesday of last week to spend all day Thursday at Crater Lake.
We got up early Thursday morning and headed straight to the park. We decided to eat breakfast at Annie Creek Restaurant and Gift Shop. It is run by the park, and is outside the south entrance. The breakfast was top-notch, and we were able to get right in the park without waiting in line.
From there, we decided to drive to the Rim Village Visitor Center to gather information and to see the Crater Lake Lodge, which is still open. It’s been there since the 1930s. There isn’t air conditioning, but due to the elevation, you rarely need it; you can open your windows and get plenty of cross-breeze. It was in the mid-70s when we were there, at the beginning of September. They frequently have snow into June. So if you go earlier in the summer, make sure that you check for road and trail closures.
Once we got there, we decided to do the rim drive, a 30-mile drive around Crater Lake. The drive features 30 pullouts and over 90 miles of trails, with the Pacific Crest Trail crossing to the north. I highly suggest getting one of the park newspapers at the visitor center. It provides information on all the pullouts and the numerous geological wonders that can be seen at each. One of the many amazing things about Crater Lake is that as you’re going around the rim, the view of the lake changes, and if you take the time to visit the park, do the drive. It is also the only way to get to the Cleetwood trail, which is the one I wanted to take to the edge of the water.
Cleetwood is a little over halfway around the rim drive. Since we brought the pups with us and Mark had hiked it two weeks earlier, He waited with the pups at the trailhead. Dogs are only allowed on a few of the trails in the park, mainly around the Rim Village. There were many people on the Cleetwood trail of all ages. It is best to bring water and trekking poles and to take it slow. It is very steep but has switchbacks with flat areas to sit and rest. As I was hiking the trail, it became apparent why the park needs to do maintenance on it. It is very worn in spots, with loose small stones that would make it easy to slip.
Additionally, the marina at the bottom was destroyed in a storm several years ago. The top part of the trail has shade about â…” of the way down. But be aware that towards the bottom, you will lose the shade and be in full sun. Many of the hikers swim in the lake at the bottom. But I just wanted to take the time to look. The water is a very clear blue, which is somewhat surprising considering the depth of the lake. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States at 1943 feet. The hike up was a challenge. Hiking at a high elevation affects your breathing. So, I was in no hurry. The views were just as stunning going up as they were coming down. It is difficult to put into words the grandeur of Crater Lake. Over 7,000 years ago, a volcano erupted and then collapsed in on itself, and the lake was formed. Wizard Island in the middle is a miniature volcano, and everywhere you look, there is evidence of the impact of that major eruption, from lava fields to steam vents formed of pumice. It is a stupendous sight to see.
Mark and the pups were waiting for me at the top, and we continued our journey around the rim, stopping at most of the pullouts and looking for all of the phenomena connected to the lake. It was a wonderful trip, and I’m thrilled we made the time to see it. The park will remain open while the trail and marina are worked on. Even though you won’t be able to hike down to the water or take a boat tour on the lake, the park is still worth seeing. If we go back, we will try to stay at either the lodge or the campground in the park. The park is designated as a Dark Sky park, so we would like to be there at night to see all of the stars:)
On a funny sidenote, Lexi had a little bit too much fun in the very fine volcanic sand around Crater Lake. So we decided to go home via Eugene, where we could use one of the self-service dog bath places to bathe her and Otto. Those of you who know me know that I do not function without coffee. While researching a coffee shop on our route, I found one, 90 minutes away, and came across a review mentioning a spectacular waterfall in the same town. So we decided to go there for coffee, and then stop to see the second-tallest waterfall in Oregon. It was called Salt Creek Falls, and it was spectacular. It also necessitated me doing my third very steep hike of the week. So by the time I was done, my calves were not happy with me. But it was well worth the effort.
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