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Crater Lake National Park offers 90 miles of fantastic hiking
trails. 33 miles of the magnificent Pacific Crest Trail also runs
through the park, making it a must-see for those brave and adventurous
enough to tackle that endless and rugged trail. The trails in
Crater Lake are usually snow-free from mid-July to early October.
Most of the park is wilderness, with current estimates at 90%.
Those who wish to spend a night in the backcountry need a free
wilderness permit which is available at both visitor centers and
from on-duty rangers.
It's important to remember that Crater Lake National Park averages
44 feet of snow a year. Be prepared for severe winter weather
at any time. Remember that Cleetwood Trail is the only legal access
to the shore of Crater Lake. Pet's are not allowed on Crater Lake
trails, and please do not feed wild animals. This will only habituate
them to human food and could cause behavior which could be fatal.
Since most of the trails in Crater Lake sit between 6,000 and
9,000 feet, it's important to be properly acclimated.. Take it
easy the first day and drink plenty of water. Use sunscreen and
other devices which protect you from the sun. Many cases of altitude
sickness first start by severe dehydration from sunburn and overexertion.
Taking a few warm-up hikes is always a good idea.
Main Hiking Trails of Crater Lake:
Sun Notch Viewpoint - 0.5 miles round trip. Crater Lake views,
Phantom ship.
Castle Crest Wildflower Garden - 0.5 round trip. Famous display
of wildflowers in mid to late summer.
Cleetwood Cove Trail - 2 miles round trip. This is the only legal
way to reach the shore of Crater Lake. While this trail is great
fun going down, remember that you are dropping 700 feet to the
lake shore, and will have to return! The park recommends that
those with heart, breathing or leg problems should avoid this
trail completely. This trail does not open until late June and
closes in mid-October. If you want to fish Crater Lake, this is
it.
Godfrey Glen - 2 mils round trip. Nice, level hiking. The trail
takes you through old growth forest, wildflowers and an overlook
of Annie Creek Canyon.
Watchman Peak - 1.4 miles round trip. This trail gains 500 feet
in elevation and takes you to an old fire tower which overlooks
spectacular Wizard Island. Moderate difficulty.
Annie Creek Canyon - 1.7 miles round trip. This trail takes you
to a steep canyon, small stream and forest. Nice place to see
small wildlife.
Garfield Peak - 3.4 miles round trip. Tough ,1,000 foot elevation
gain. Big views of Phantom ship.
Mt. Scott - 5 miles round trip. Very tough hike. You are looking
at a 1,500 foot elevation gain to the highest point in the park
(Mt. Scott at 8,929 feet). Also contains old fire tower and the
biggest views in the park.
Pacific Crest Trail - This wondrous hiking trail has 33 magnificent
miles through Crater Lake National Park. The stretch from Mt.
Hood to Crater Lake is 400 miles, and the oldest section of the
Pacific Crest Trail. In 1972, the rest of the 2,638 mile trail
was completed. Note that the traditional Pacific Crest Trail did
not skirt the rim of Crater Lake. To remedy that, trail crews
cut an alternative trail in June, 1995 which takes hikers right
to the rim, and then some. There are six miles of rim trail along
the caldera, making the alternate route a must do for through-hikers.
Through-hikers who have signed the trail register at the entrance
to Crater Lake do not need a backcountry permit.
Wizard Island
Scuba Diving
Crater Lake National Park offers an outstanding scuba experience
for the experienced diver. The lake is available to divers from
June 15th to September 15th. You need to have a diving permit
which you can get at between 8 am and 4:30 pm at the Canfield
Building in the park headquarters on the southern portion of the
park.
Remember that Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the U.S., and
on of the clearest lakes in the entire world. This creates a unique
setting for the scuba enthusiast.
To reach the lake, you must hike the strenuous Cleetwood trail.
There is a boat tour at the bottom of the trail which can take
you to Wizard Island, opening up your diving choices. Call 541-594-2211,
extension 402 for information on the boat tours. This is some
remote, wilderness diving so bring food and fluids.
Diving is not allowed within 100 feet of Cleetwood dock. The park
recommends a quality 0.25 inch wet suit Private boats are not
allowed on Crater Lake. The park preserves Crater Lake as a scenic
wonder, and only official boat tours are permitted. The park also
does not allow solo diving. Flags are required at all times. Crater
Lake requires all divers to be certified in NAUI, PADI or other
dive certifications and proof of these certificates must be brought
when retrieving a permit from the park. You can find air refills
in Klamath Falls, Medford, Phoenix and Grants Pass. The nearest
decompression chamber is in Seattle, a whopping 500 miles to the
north.
Crater Lake National Park favors the popular Leave No Trace ethic.
This means leaving natural features intact, packing out your litter,
not harassing wildlife, not using fresh trees for firewood, not
building bonfires in small fire rings, keeping small groups while
hiking to reduce impact, obeying signs which indicate sensitive
vegetation areas, not blasting radios, not shouting, and other
low impact behavior. Crater Lake is truly a wilderness park. This
is the first thing you really notice about it.
Gentle falls in Crater Lake National Park.
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