Thinking of paddling the water, swimming in the deep blue, or dropping a line at Crater Lake? It’s a mixed bag.
Private boating and floatation devices are not allowed on Crater Lake. Think about it: the caldera walls rise about 2,000 feet from the lake, and aside from the Cleetwood Cove ramp, there’s no other access to the lake water. Oh, and the Cleetwood Cove boat dock is a steep, 1.1-mile (1.7 km) trail dropping 700 feet (213 m) down to the water’s edge. That’s like going down (and later climbing back up) 65 flights of stairs (not 65 steps, 65 flights), with a single flight averagint 13 - 16 steps.
Ok, so how did they get the boats down there for tours around the lake? By helicopter! A 2023 article by klamathfallsnews.org details how Crater Lake Hospitality, planning to resume boat tours of the lake and Wizard Island, had three new boats deposited on the lake via helicopter.
Speaking of boat tours, you can reserve a spot on one of the boats to take the standard tour of the lake’s perimeter, a tour of the lake perimeter with a 3-hour stop at Wizard Island, or a direct shuttle to Wizard Island. Learn more about these tours and book a reservation at this page.
If you feel like taking a dip in the chilly water of Crater Lake (57oF / 14oC), you can do that. The only legal access to the lake is via the Cleetwood Cove trail, and swimming is only allowed within 100 yards (300 feet / 91 m) of Cleetwood Cove and within 100 (300 ft / 91 m) yards of Wizard Island, provided swimmers remain at least 50 feet (15 m) away from any boat, boat dock or buoy. To read more about the Cleetwood Cove Trail, what you can and can’t wear into the water, and bringing pets, click here.
If you can’t take your own boat onto Crater Lake, can you at least fish from the shore? During the summer when public boat tours are operating, fishing is permitted around the lake shore and from the docks and shore of Wizard Island. Access to and from the island is via scheduled boat tours from Cleetwood Cove.
You can also fish at any of the streams within the park except Sun Creek and Lost Creek.
Fishing from the Wizard Island research dock, Crater Lake National Park / NPS file
What might you catch? According to park staff:
There is no evidence that native fish ever lived in Crater Lake. However, between 1888 and 1941 the lake was stocked with seven different species of fish, only two of those species thrive today. It is currently estimated that the lake supports approximately 60,000 kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka; landlocked sockeye salmon) and rainbow trout.
All streams in the park are open for fishing except Sun Creek and Lost Creek. These two creeks are closed because they are habitats for native bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). The park is engaged in a long-term project to restore a sustainable population of bull trout, the only fish native to the streams within Crater Lake National Park. Bull trout are a threatened species and are protected by the Endangered Species Act.
To read about fishing regulations and lake/stream access, click here.
