Winter Services and Facilities

Winter park map Click to enlarge

Visitor Information
For information, stop at the Steel Information Center in the Park Headquarters area, three miles below Rim Village. Throughout the winter, a ranger is available to answer questions, provide assistance, and write backcountry permits from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, with the exception of Christmas day. Visitors may also watch a 16-minute film and buy books, postcards, and other items for sale by the Crater Lake Natural History Association.

Self-service information is also available in the cafeteria and gift shop building at Rim Village.

Backcountry Permits
Backcountry permits are required for overnight camping. Permits may be obtained from a ranger at the Steel Information Center during the hours when it is staffed. Permits may also be obtained at the Canfield Building (Ranger Station) at Park Headquarters from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, seven days a week. At Park Headquarters, continue down the hill past the Steel Information Center. The Canfield Building is on the right.

Winter backcountry travel can be hazardous. When you register for a permit, be sure to ask for up to date information about avalanche hazards and a current weather forecast.

Food and Gifts
Throughout the winter, the park's concessioner operates a cafeteria and gift store at Rim Village. They are open daily from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm and until 5:00 pm on weekends and holidays. When the road to Rim Village is closed due to heavy snowfall, no food service is available within the park.

Ranger-Led Programs
Join a park ranger or volunteer for an ecology walk on snowshoes! Walks for the public are offered at 1:00 pm on weekends from Thanksgiving through the end of March. Meet at the Rim Village information desk inside the cafeteria and gift shop building. If the road to Rim Village is closed due to heavy snow, meet at the Steel Information Center. Walks last about 1½ hours. Snowshoes for the guided walks are provided free of charge by the National Park Service. Snowshoeing requires minimal skills, but participants should be in good physical condition. Due to the size of our snowshoes, children must be at least nine years old to participate.

In addition to the regularly scheduled walks, school groups and other organizations may make reservations for walks at other times by calling (541) 594-2211 Ext. 401.

Crater Lake Lodge
The historic Crater Lake Lodge will open for the summer season on May 20, 2000. Reservations can be made by contacting Crater Lake Lodge, Inc. at (541) 830-8700, FAX (541)830-8514, P.O. Box 2704, White City, OR 97503.

Other Visitor Services
A U.S. Post Office, located in the Steel Information Center at Park Headquarters, is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. No lodging, gasoline, or evening food service are available in the park during the winter. These services may be found in communities surrounding the park.

Driving Distances in Winter

Klamath Falls	60 miles	100 km
Medford	80 miles	130 km
Roseburg	130 miles	210 km
Bend	145 miles	235 km
Eugene	180 miles	290 km
Portland	300 miles	485 km
San Francisco	450 miles	725 km
Seattle	475 miles	765 km

Winter Travel

Regional map Click to enlarge

During the winter (typically from late October through mid-June), the North Entrance to Crater Lake National Park and the Rim Drive around Crater Lake are closed because of deep snow. Visitors must enter the park from the south or west on Highway 62. If you are traveling from the north, use either Highway 97 or Highway 230 to connect with Highway 62.

The road to Rim Village is plowed daily. From there, Crater Lake can be viewed on clear days throughout the long winter season. However, due to heavy snowfall, it is often necessary to close the road between park headquarters and Rim Village for hours or even days at time.

"Spring opening," the clearing of snow from Rim Drive before summer, begins in mid-April. Road crews usually reach the park's north entrance about mid-June. The Rim Drive is usually open all the way around Crater Lake by sometime in July.

Travel Advisory!
Road conditions vary, but can often be icy or snowpacked. Be alert to current driving conditions and come prepared with traction tires or devices. Gasoline is not available in the park until late May. Remember to fill up your tank at one of the nearby towns (Chiloquin, Prospect, Diamond Lake, Ft. Klamath) before coming to the park.