Seeking route guidance

[Lynne]

We are planning to visit Crater Lake. We have reservations at Mazama Village and will be coming from Bend, Oregon. It looks like we would take route 97 and can enter the park from the north via 138 but this would require driving on the parks rim road to get to the campground. Or should we go further south on 97 and enter from the south via 62? We are driving 35ft winnebago, V10 gas towing 4 dr Jeep wrangler. We would appreciate comments from anyone familiar with these routes. Thank you!

 

[RRR]

Your choice. Entrance from the north is fine. the road through the park isn't all that bad till you get to the lodge,then it is a cluster at the junction and narrows down. There is a about a 6% grade downgrade that is 3 (?) miles long before you get down to the campground, watch for fallen rock. It has several 20-25 MPH turns and a couple that are slower, so don't think it is a freeway. I have done it several times towing our Focus, (RIP Little Red) you will be fine. Just take normal precautions.

There is a couple of pullouts when you get to the lake,but it can be problematic if you can squeeze in, also there is oversize parking at the Lodge/visitor center but lot of people think their Yugo is a large vehicle and park in them. The spots a rather tight and not real long and there is maybe less than 10 of them.

I think the loop road is closed this year due to sourly needed construction o the trolley's might be the way to go. They likely run them then turn around at construction.

Snack bar at the visitor center is decent but pricey. The restaurant down by the campground is surprising good and the prices were in line and service was great. Stop in at the lodge and look around, great view of the lake and the construction is amazing. Food at lodge is great too, but be prepared for the cost.

47 years ago this month my wife-to-be (We didn't know that yet) and several of my family members woke up to about two inches of snow at the Lodge. They were playing Christmas music, saying Merry Christmas. Good times!

Enjoy the stay at campground, it is nice and quite.

 

[Lynne]

RRR, thank you very much for your detailed response! We appreciate the additional information regarding the park. We are looking forward to getting there early September and you say it could possibly snow!! That will be fun for us Floridians! Thanks again!
Lynne

 

[Wendy]

My mother lives in LaPine and we spend part of each summer there. We visit Crater Lake most years, sometimes in the towed, sometimes in our 33’ gasser towing the SUV or our 73 VW. You can get to the campground either way but we find it easier to go in the south entrance with the RV and skip the congestion in the park. It’s a beautiful park. Enjoy.

 

[RRR]

I just saw this on local news, I knew that NPS brought in some boats to tour the lake. Down side is that it is something like a 1-1/2 mile hike down to the boats and steep. All aboard: Crater Lake welcomes three new boats, begins offering cruises

 

[Lynne]

Interesting, brought them in by helicopter! I did sign up for a boat tour. The climb will be a challenge for us but we drove all the from Florida to see this magnificent site, so we're going to go for it! Thanks for sharing that article.
Lynne

 

[Lynne]

My mother lives in LaPine and we spend part of each summer there. We visit Crater Lake most years, sometimes in the towed, sometimes in our 33’ gasser towing the SUV or our 73 VW. You can get to the campground either way but we find it easier to go in the south entrance with the RV and skip the congestion in the park. It’s a beautiful park. Enjoy.

Thank you for your response. I read the park's description of the road around the park and it's the narrow road, no shoulders, steep drop offs and sharp curves that makes us nervous. It will add miles for us to go south and then north on 62 so we shall see what my husband decides. Thanks again!