Park Hours of OperationThe park is open year-round, 24 hours a day. You can arrive at any time. No reservations are needed to enter the park. However, many of the park's roads, trails, and facilities, are closed seasonally due to snow. Visit the Current Conditions page to find out what's open in the park today. SeasonsWinter (November throughApril) and summer (July through mid-September) are two very distinct seasons at Crater Lake National Park, when hours and operations are well defined. But May, June, and October are months when openings and closings are not as predictable.Even though the park is open year round, the operating hours for many of the facilities and services change depending on the season. With late or even early snowfalls, unpredictable snow melt, and the timing of snow removal, it is difficult to determine from year to year when certain facilities or services may be available. This is also true for concession managed facilities including the campground and boat tours. The Current Conditions page is the best resource to find information about current operations, facilities, roads, visitor centers, and more. Seasonal Road ClosuresCrater Lake is one of the snowiest inhabited places in the USA. Each winter, deep snow forces us to close the park's Rim Drive and North Entrance Road to automobiles. Rim Drive becomes a route for skiing and snowshoeing. The North Entrance Road becomes a snowmobile trail. These roads close for the season with the first big snowstorm, or on November 1, whichever comes first. To show the variabilty in seasons the first table reviews the closing dates since 2009.
Seasonal Re-Opening of the Park's RoadsThere are no set dates for reopening the closed roads. Typically, plowing begins on West Rim Drive in mid-April and all roads are ready to open by mid-July. However, opening dates depend on winter snow totals, late snow fall and other weather related events, and factors such as road debris, equipment and road crews. Read about the process of "spring opening" here. The following table represents recent opening dates and snow depth at the time of opening.
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Last updated: October 2, 2022