HoursThe park is open year-round, 24 hours a day. You can arrive at any time. No reservations are needed to enter the park. Many of the park's roads, trails, and facilities, however, are closed seasonally due to snow. Visit our Current Conditions page to find out what's open in the park today. 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 trail 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.
Opening the Park's RoadsWe typically begin plowing closed roads in mid-April. But it takes a long time to open them up; there are no set dates. Read about the process of "spring opening" here. In general, opening dates depend on winter snow totals, but other factors play a role. The two main variables are equipment breakdowns and the weather in April, May, and June. The North Entrance and West Rim Drive can open as early as mid-May or as late as the end of June. The East Rim Drive fully opens sometime between mid-June and late July.
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Last updated: May 1, 2022