Visiting Crater Lake National Park

Jennifer Melroy
Last Modified January 26, 2024
First Published on October 31, 2020

Planning a trip to Crater Lake National Park and need some help planning your trip?

Here is the National Park Obsessed guide for visiting Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.

Table of Contents

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The Quick Guide to Visiting Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake National Park Basics

Region: Pacific-West / West Coast / Pacific Northwest

Park Size: 183,224 acres (286.29 sq miles) (741.48 sq km)

Location: Klamath County

Closest Cities: Klamath Falls, Oregon

Busy Season: June to September

Visitation: 704,512 (in 2019)

How much does Crater Lake National Park Cost?

Crater Lake National Park costs the following:

7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $30
7-day Motorcycle Pass – $25
7-day Individual Pass – $15

An annual Crater Lake National Park Pass costs $55. It is not recommended you buy this pass. For an extra $25 you can get an American the Beautiful Pass. This $80 pass offers free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units.

When is Crater Lake National Park Open?

Crater Lake National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Crater Lake National Park?

Yes, pets are welcome in Crater Lake National Park but are limited to developed areas such as roads, parking areas, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Pets are not allowed on most of the trails. Please review the Crater Lake Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Crater Lake.

Where are Crater Lake National Park’s visitor centers?

Steel Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Rim Visitor Center – Late May to Late September

Land Acknowledgment

The park now known as Crater Lake National Parks is on Takelma, Klamath, Cow Creek Umpqua, and Molalla land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

When to Visit Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake National Park Weather

Where to stamp your National Parks Passport Book in Crater Lake National Park?

The National Park Passport Book is the BEST and cheapest National Park souvenir. Every National Park Obsessed person should have one of these books.

If you are new to the National Parks, you can learn more about the National Parks Passport program here or jump right in by ordering:

The ever-popular Classic National Parks Passport
- Get 15% Off Your Next Order at the America’s National Parks Online Store with Code: NATIONALPARKOBSESSED at Checkout
Or get the National Park Obsessed’s National Park Passport & Journal

IMPORTANT: Do NOT stamp your government-issued passport.

There are two official stamps for Crater Lake National Park. Here is the list of National Park Passport Stamps you can get in Crater Lake National Park:

Crater Lake National Park (with image)
Passport 25th Anniversary

Bonus Stamps

Junior Ranger

Crater Lake National Park Passport Stamp Locations

Here are all the locations to find the Crater Lake National Park Passport Stamps. Not every stamp is available at every location.

Rim Visitor Center
Steel Visitor Center

National Park Obsessed’s Detailed Guides to Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake National Park Lodging Guides

Itineraries for Crater Lake National Park

Other Articles featuring Crater Lake National Park

Jennifer Melroy

Jennifer is a long time national park blogger and the founder of National Park Obsessed. She is a dedicated National Park lover who is working on visiting all 63 US National Parks. She has currently been to 58 of the National Parks. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge of the Parks with others and helping them learn to love the parks as much as she does.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LAND

On this site, we promote travel to the United States and beyond that are the traditional lands of Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to these lands’ past and present people.

To learn more about the people who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land.

DISCLAIMER

National Park Obsessed assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site (NationalParkObsessed.com). The information contained in this site is provided with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. You are encouraged to conduct your own due diligence before acting on the information provided on this site and should not rely on the opinions expressed here.

There is an inherent risk in all outdoor recreation activities, the reader assumes all responsibility for their own personal safety.

DISCLOSURE

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Select stock photography provided depositphotos

Visiting Crater Lake National Park