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Oregon · the United States
The blue lake in the crater of a volcano that collapsed about 7,700 years ago, the deepest in the United States, and in the valley nearby Medford and Ashland, the city of the Shakespeare festival.
In the photo: Crater Lake and Phantom Ship, Oregon
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Crater Lake National Park is in southern Oregon, in the Cascade Range. The lake fills the caldera of the former Mount Mazama, a volcano that collapsed after a major eruption about 7,700 years ago. It is roughly 590 meters deep, a national record, and the water, fed only by snow and rain, has a very intense blue.
Rim Drive circles the caldera, with viewpoints over the lake and Wizard Island, a volcanic cone in the middle of the water. Snow covers the area for much of the year, and the park is one of the snowiest places in the United States.
The most convenient base is the Rogue River valley to the west. Medford has the airport and the largest selection of services. Ashland, 20 km away, is a college town known for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which occupies three theaters in the downtown area.
This destination brings together 2 cities: Medford, Ashland.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau / geoBoundaries (public domain). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (MFR) · 5 km to Medford
Rogue Valley–Medford International Airport (MFR) receives flights from West Coast cities. By car, I-5 connects Medford to Portland and California. From the valley to the lake it’s about 120 km of road.
Suggested arrival point: Medford
Largest city in the Rogue River valley in southern Oregon, with an airport and the main services for visitors to Crater Lake National Park, about two hours away. Nearby is Jacksonville, a 19th‑century gold‑rush town with a well‑preserved downtown.
A college town in southern Oregon, known for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which stages plays by Shakespeare and other authors in three theaters. Lithia Park, along a creek, begins at the central square.
The local experience
A repertory theater company founded in 1935, with three stages in downtown Ashland, including an outdoor theater inspired by Elizabethan-era stages.
Park surrounding the caldera of a collapsed volcano, with the deepest lake in the United States, Wizard Island and the Rim Drive, the road that circles the rim.
Small gold‑rush town from the 1850s, 8 km from Medford, with a downtown of brick and wood buildings protected as a National Historic Landmark.
A 37-hectare park along Ashland Creek, which begins at the main square, featuring gardens, ponds, trails and a mineral spring fountain.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
In summer, from July to September, when the rim road and the trails are usually open. From October to June snow closes much of the park’s roads; the south entrance and Rim Village are often accessible in winter, depending on the weather. Ashland’s festival season runs from spring through fall.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Two days allow visiting the lake in one day and Ashland the next. With three days you can hike in the park and see a festival play.
Medford and Ashland offer the widest range of accommodations. Inside the park there are limited lodging and campgrounds, which are busiest in summer. Small towns along the Rogue River road are another option.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Two days: one in the park, driving around the caldera, and another in Ashland. With three days you can include hikes and a festival play.
Yes. There is no regular public transport to the park, and Rim Drive is driven by car. There are organized tours from the valley.
Yes. It’s about 120 km, roughly two hours’ drive to Rim Village. Leave early to have time to stop at the viewpoints.
From July to September, when the snow has usually melted and Rim Drive is open. In winter the park typically gets heavy snow and much of the road network closes.
