Downtown was a ghost town.  The streets were quiet with a peaceful tone and we could count how many people we passed within a fifteen minute time period without having to move on to the second hand.  It was the halfway point for us; a bed indoors with a hot shower to reset our stench and stomachs before folding the laundry and packing ourselves into the car for the last destination of our trip, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.

At the 1st week of July, the north entrance to the park had only opened days before we drove past the welcome sign, paid an entrance fee of $30, and towards the mouth of an aged volcano.  

The first drive through a new landscape always brings the feeling of rovering onto a new planet; surveying an unfamiliar landscape with the childlike joy of when imagination, excitement, and discovery collide.  We rose in elevation and parked at the first vista alongside the dozens of cars with outpourings of travelers from unassumed worlds. 

I can’t quite explain the feeling that dominoed through me when first seeing Crater Lake.  Like a rainstick that has been turned upside down, the sight entered into my mind and flowed down into every part of my body with rejuvenation of energy.  We had arrived.

Our stay was two nights, leaving early on the 3rd morning, so we needed to gain an understanding of the park and what we had access to because although we were visiting in the beginning weeks of July, Crater Lake experiences snow pack year round.  

The Community House was the best check in point to speak with park rangers about the current conditions and open trails and pick up some souvenir stickers for the hydroflasks.  We were notified that the entire east rim was closed due to road damage from winter, so we needed to pivot and identify new hiking trails because we didn’t have access to half the park.

With slight discouragement and very limited cell phone service, we parked to the side of the road where the all trails app could pull up trailheads and we could get a hold on our hiking itinerary. 

Day 1: Watchman Peak Trail is about a 2 mile hike to the top of a peak that overlooks the entire lake, driving alongside the road, you can see many visitors starting the steady incline that wraps around on a clearly marked trail (until you reach large patches of snow pack).  It’s a popular trail with good reason.  The views of Crater Lake from the old lookout tower are unmatched and information boards give history and facts about the crater.   Round trip, including time spent at the top, took us about an hour and I highly suggest this hike as one to be enjoyed early in the visit.

We arrived in the early afternoon, had time for the hike, and still made it to the campground with enough daylight to set up all of our equipment before the stars started shing.   

There is only one comprehensive campground in the park, Mazama Campground.  The campground is a small suburb setup on the south western side of the park with trailer, tent, and cabin sites for reservation.  The sites are large but usually sold out so make reservations early on and be prepared to be around a lot of people.   

Day 2: Crater Peak Trail was an unexpected beast.  We were disappointed to not have the challenge of summiting Mount Scott, having the highest elevation in the park, but John the park ranger recommended the alternative and we went with it.  The hike averaged about 7 miles within 3 hours.  My personal highlights were the meadows of wildflowers, circulating butterflies, and the steep climb. 

By the end of the hike, we drove around the rim of the lake until we hit road closure and made a u-turn to return to our campsite.  The hike had depleted us so we made sure to replenish our salts and electrolytes with CLIF BLOKS.  If you have ever experienced muscle cramps in the middle of the night trying to sleep, you know to supplement. 

We were lucky the first night with the site next to us being vacant and the site to our right was a quiet family group.  The second night brought us to contemplation of packing up after dark and just calling it quits.  We had a two family group move in while we were hiking and the noise ordinance had no impact on the young children or the adults yelling at them.  

I really wanted to complete the Cleetwood Cove goal, so we stuck it out and made a pact that we would get up and pack up with the sunrise. On the way home, we would make the last stop of Crater Lake National Park.

Day 3: Cleetwood Cove was recommended to us by a park ranger we met at the top of Crater Peak Trail.  When planning the trip, one of my main intentions was to jump into the ice cold temperatures of Crater Lake; the Cleetwood Cove trailhead is the only authorized path to the lake’s edge.  He advised us to start early, as the hike is the most popular trail in the park.  

Please don’t be misled by the hiking distance of a single mile; this hike is strenuous but can be handled by most physical levels if pacing is adjusted.  We trotted down knowing the return climb would be a healthy challenge, but the cold plunge and ritual of being cleansed by the earth’s bath was worth every heavy breath. 

By the top, mosquitos were in full swarm, as they had been the entire trip, and we were ready to say goodbye to Crater Lake.  With one final drive down to the southern end of the park, we exited with stories to share and another world to add to our own.  

Thank you for letting me share with you-

Love,

Leah