Best Time to Visit Crater Lake National Park
AugustBest month to visit
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Visit Crater Lake in August
August offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~3.4× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
632K
2025
Busiest month
Jul
3.4× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.1× avg
10-yr trend
falling
-19.4%
More photos of Crater Lake
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Crater Lake by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 33°F / 20°F | 9.2 h |
| February | Very quiet | 44 Poor | 34°F / 19°F | 10.3 h |
| March | Very quiet | 46 Fair | 36°F / 20°F | 11.6 h |
| April | Very quiet | 47 Fair | 40°F / 23°F | 13.2 h |
| May | Quiet | 45 Fair | 49°F / 29°F | 14.5 h |
| June | Very busy | 44 Poor | 57°F / 34°F | 15.2 h |
| July | Very busy | 42 Poor | 69°F / 41°F | 14.9 h |
| August★ best | Very busy | 48 Fair | 69°F / 42°F | 13.8 h |
| September | Very busy | 48 Fair | 63°F / 37°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Quiet | 37 Poor | 51°F / 30°F | 10.8 h |
| November | Very quiet | 41 Poor | 38°F / 23°F | 9.5 h |
| December | Very quiet | 41 Poor | 33°F / 19°F | 8.8 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00351946, ~3 mi away).
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About visiting Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park is a National Park in OR and a moderately visited park, drawing about 632,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 19.4%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 3.4× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.1× — a 34-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 65% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 55°F in August down to about 26°F in December, with the wettest stretch in December and meaningful snowfall around December. About 3 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is August: best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.8 hours in midwinter to 15.2 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $30, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Crater Lake inspires awe. Native Americans witnessed its formation 7,700 years ago, when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak. Scientists marvel at its purity—fed by rain and snow, it’s the deepest lake in the USA and one of the most pristine on Earth. Artists, photographers, and sightseers gaze in wonder at its blue water and stunning setting atop the Cascade Mountain Range.
Weather & conditions
July, August, and September are your best bets for warm, dry weather. In May, June, and October, sunny days alternate with periods of rain and snow. Winters at Crater Lake are long and snowy. Storms from the Pacific Ocean dump an annual average of 41 feet (13.5 meters) of snow at park headquarters. When it's raining or snowing, the lake is usually hidden by clouds. Crater Lake is completely invisible about 50% of the time in the winter!
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Crater Lake
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Crater Lake National Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. August is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Crater Lake
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated July 2026The closest airport to Crater Lake National Park is Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR), about 82 mi (2 hr 7 min drive) away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR)Best for flights | 82 mi | 2 hr 7 min | Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Roberts Field Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) | 117 mi | 2 hr 40 min | Alaska Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Eugene Airport (EUG) | 147 mi | 3 hr 31 min | Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Portland International Airport (PDX) | 254 mi | 5 hr 38 min | Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines |
| Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO) | 338 mi | 7 hr 2 min | Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) — about 2 hr 7 min from the park.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $30, typically valid for several days.
Frequently Asked Questions
August offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight at Crater Lake National Park. The park is busiest in July (about 3.4× the average month) and quietest in January.
July is the busiest month at Crater Lake National Park, running roughly 3.4 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Crater Lake National Park, at about 0.1× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Crater Lake National Park recorded about 632,242 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-19.4%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Crater Lake National Park averages about 55°F (August). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) is the closest airport to Crater Lake National Park, about 82 mi (2 hr 7 min drive) away.
There is no airport inside Crater Lake National Park. Fly into Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) and drive the rest of the way — about 2 hr 7 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Crater Lake
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Fourmile Lake water qualityGrade A · 34 mi · OR
- Crescent Lake water qualityGrade A · 38 mi · OR
- Crescent Lake water qualityGrade A · 38 mi · OR
- Lake of the Woods water qualityGrade A · 39 mi · OR
- Crescent Lake water qualityGrade A · 40 mi · OR
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.