Two overnights at Crater Lake
We made two visits to Crater Lake this year, one at each end of its short season.
The season opens
Last May, we wrapped up our annual Oregon birding trip with a stop at Crater Lake National Park. We were lucky: the season had just begun and I was able to book a lake-view room at the historic Crater Lake Lodge. Perched on the rim of the crater, the lodge offers spectacular views over the lake — especially from its deck, where you can relax in a rocking chair, rest your feet on the ledge, and sip a beer or Irish coffee while enjoying the beauties of this unique place. In the evening, after a meal in the lodge’s dining room, you can sit by a roaring fire and read or chat or doze… or whatever suits your fancy. The lodge is a wonderful place for a brief and relaxing sojourn; we found that an overnight was about enough for us.
So early in the season, the perimeter road was still blocked by deep snow, and you could only drive — or walk — perhaps a mile west from the lodge. (We learned that the rim road wouldn’t be entirely cleared until sometime in July!) Arriving in the early afternoon, we checked in and then explored the small part of the area that was accessible.
A trail follows the top of the crater, and we walked out to see what we could see. It was a marvelously sunny and clear day, and views over the lake were spectacular. Though I took dozens of pictures, I found it’s not easy to capture a sense of this special place.
Closing the season
This month we made another trip to Oregon, again stopping at Crater Lake — this time at the start of our visit. We were again lucky: the lodge was closing at the end of the week, and the rooms had all been booked for months. However, someone’s last-minute cancellation and our timely phone call to the reservation desk combined to secure us a room for one night. Perfect!
We arrived just after noon and were allowed to check in early. Beggars can’t be choosers, so we had the least desirable type of room this time. Still, it was comfortable and did not overlook the dumpsters, as we’d feared, but offered a respectable view over the parking lot and toward the mountains to the south. We wouldn’t be spending much time in there anyway, so it was all good.
We made an early dinner reservation and then set out to see what we could see, walking clockwise along the rim trail. The afternoon light lent the lake a silvery shimmer.
In the morning, we rose early to witness the glow of dawn over the lake. When I looked at these photographs, all of which feature views of Wizard’s Island, I was struck by the luminosity and glowing colors apparent at this time of day.
We didn’t have time for a hike, so we opted to drive around part of the 33-mile Rim Road, which was still not completely open. This time, however, the blocks were due to roadwork, rather than to snow. For our pre-breakfast drive, we took the counter-clockwise direction, going as far as we could before being obliged to turn around. To our disappointment, much of the road in this direction was a good way from the rim, so aside from a few lookout points, views of the lake were in scarce supply.
We got back to the lodge in time for breakfast, then packed up and set off along the rim road in the opposite direction. We were headed to Bend, so this was more or less on our way. The light had shifted and clouds were moving in, so we only stopped a couple of times to see the lake from new perspectives before continuing on our way.
Here’s a toast to President Theodore Roosevelt,
who in 1902 signed the legislation
that made Crater Lake our sixth national park.
Go, Teddy!!
Connections
- National Park Service: Crater Lake National Park
- Crater Lake Lodge