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National Park Service Crater Lake U.S. Department of the Interior Reflections Summer/Fall 2014 Visitor Guide

Park News 2 ... Camping, Lodging, Food Climb a Sleeping Volcano 3 ... Ranger Programs ff Pets are Now Allowed on Three Park Trails Plus 10 Other Ways to Enjoy Your Park 4 ... Hiking Trails Take Fido for a hike! Three of the park’s 5 ... Driving Map trails are now pet-friendly. Pets on leash If you like volcanoes, you’ve come to the right place— ... Feature Articles are welcome on the Godfrey Glen Trail, Crater Lake National Park is home to more than 40 6 Lady of the Woods Trail, and Pacific of them! Every peak, cone, and hill that you see is a 7 ... Feature Articles Crest Trail. Only one pet per hiker is volcano that erupted in the past 500,000 years. (Trivia 8 ... Climate Chart permitted. To give your pet a view of question: why can’t you see the park’s youngest vol- the lake, your best bet is still to stroll cano, which is only 4,800 years old? Answer: because it along the paved paths at Rim Village. erupted underwater, below the surface of Crater Lake!) Look Inside!  ff Road work: 15-Minute Many of the park’s volcanoes are extinct. They include Delays are Possible Mount Scott, Union Peak, and Wizard Island (all of Road repairs and paving might delay which you can climb; see page 4). But the park’s most your trip through the park this summer. Hiker on powerful volcano—the one that holds Crater Lake— Thanks for your patience! Along Rim Park Profile Garfield Peak is likely to erupt again. The peaks on the rim of this Drive, the park will also be removing sleeping giant offer some of the finest views in the park. Crater Lake National Park protects the loose boulders from the slopes above deepest lake in the United States. Fed by the road (to reduce the risk of rockfalls). One of these summits can be reached by car! Cloudcap Overlook (see page 5) sits at the end of rain and snow (but no rivers or streams), the highest paved road in Oregon—7,865 feet (2,397 meters) above sea level. Two other summits the lake is considered to be the cleanest ff Park Conserves Water in can be climbed on foot. The Watchman Peak Trail (1 hour round-trip, see page 4) ascends to a fire large body of water in the world. The Response to Drought lookout with jaw-dropping views of Wizard Island. In summer, rangers lead hikes to the top at water is exceptional for its clarity and For three years running, southern sunset (see page 3). Rangers also lead hikes up the Garfield Peak Trail (2 to 3 hours round-trip), intense blue color. Oregon’s weather has been drier perhaps the most interesting trail in the park. It features a variety of flora, fauna, and panoramic than normal. Here at Crater Lake, vistas, such as those in the photos above. Apart from volcano-climbing, here are 10 other ways The lake rests inside a caldera formed last winter’s snowfall was only 50% to make your visit to Crater Lake memorable, meaningful, and fun: approximately 7,700 years ago when a of average. In response, the park has 12,000-foot-tall (3,600-meter) volcano installed low-flow toilets and faucets in collapsed following a major eruption. The all public restrooms, as well as low-flow Drive Around the Lake Tour Crater Lake Lodge eruption may have been the largest in showers in employee housing. In 2013, Rim Drive is a 33-mile (53-km) road that For a glimpse into an earlier era, check out the North America in the past 640,000 years. we reduced our water usage by 15%, encircles Crater Lake. More than 30 pullouts history exhibits—and walk through the Great Later eruptions formed Wizard Island, a but we need to do more. Please help offer dramatic views of the park’s volcanic Hall—of Crater Lake Lodge, renovated in the cinder cone near the southwest shore. us conserve water during your visit. scenery. Allow 2 to 3 hours (see page 5). 1990s but first opened in 1915 (see page 2). Today, old-growth forests and open ff East Rim Drive will be Watch the Park Film Visit the Sinnott Memorial Overlook meadows blanket the volcano’s outer Vehicle-Free on Sept. 20 & 27 Explore the park’s violent past and its With panoramic views and fascinating slopes, harboring a variety of plants and animals, including several rare species. On two Saturdays this September, the present tranquility in this 22-minute film, exhibits, this is the place to learn about the The area is central to the cultural traditions park’s East Rim Drive will be closed to shown on the hour and half-hour at the park’s geologic story and history of scientific of local American Indian tribes, and the motor vehicles. Visitors with bicycles will Steel Visitor Center at Park Headquarters. investigation (see page 2). park provides unique opportunities for have the opportunity to enjoy 24 miles scientific study and public enjoyment. (39 km) of scenic roadway without Attend a Ranger Program Have a Picnic vehicle noise and traffic. Check the Discover the wonders of Crater Lake with The viewpoints and picnic areas along • Park established: 1902 park’s website (www.nps.gov/crla) to those who know the park best. Talks, walks, Rim Drive are perfect for outdoor eating • Size: 183,000 acres (74,060 hectares) learn more about this special event. kids programs, boat tours, and trolley tours (see page 5). Stop by the Rim Village Café for • Visitors per year: About 500,000 are offered daily (see page 3). grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, and snacks. • Lake depth: 1,943 feet (592 meters) Find the Phantom Ship Relax • Lake width: 4.5 to 6 miles (7 to 10 km) Anchored near the lake’s south shore is an Find a peaceful spot and attune yourself to Welcome! island that seems to be sailing away. To see it, the sounds and rhythms of the park. The • Annual snowfall: 43.5 feet (13.2 meters) hike to Sun Notch or drive to the viewpoint Lodge veranda and the quiet pullouts on the • Last time the lake froze over: 1949 Thank you for visiting your national park. named in its honor (see page 5). lake’s north side are favorite spots to unwind. Here at Crater Lake, you’ll find opportunities to refresh your spirit, awaken your senses, Visit the Pinnacles Touch the Water and connect with the natural world. Formed during the same eruption that gave The trail to the lake shore is steep, dusty, and birth to the lake, these colorful volcanic often crowded, but the water at the bottom The National Park Service protects more spires are tucked away in the park’s is some of the world’s purest. Swim, fish, or than 400 special places, saved by the southeast corner (see page 5). simply dangle your toes (see page 3). American people so that everyone can experience our heritage. We at Crater Lake are proud to be stewards of this national Snow plow treasure. at Rim Village When is the Park Open? Park rangers and maintenance staff are Crater Lake National Park is open year-round, 24 hours here to assist you in making your visit safe, a day. Some roads, trails, and facilities, however, are rewarding, and fun. If there is anything closed seasonally due to snow. Much of the year, the we can do to help, please ask. Enjoy your park’s North Entrance Road and Rim Drive are closed to cars. They close for the season on November 1 (or park! earlier if there is significant snowfall). Artist Paul Rockwood’s conception of Crews begin plowing these roads in April, but opening Mount Mazama, the volcano that collapsed dates vary. The North Entrance Road and West Rim to form Crater Lake. If you gathered up the Drive tend to open in early June. The East Rim Drive ash from Mount Mazama’s catastrophic typically opens in early July. Highway 62 is open year- eruption and spread it evenly across the Craig Ackerman round. The road to Rim Village is also open year-round, state of Oregon, it would form a layer Superintendent except after heavy snowstorms. 8 inches (20 cm) thick. Wizard Island Rim Visitor Center Bicyclist on East Rim Drive Exhibits at the Sinnott Memorial Overlook

Food & Dining Visitor Centers National Park Service Services The Annie Creek Restaurant, located in There are two visitor centers in the park. U.S. Dept. of the Interior Mazama Village, serves breakfast, lunch, Rangers are ready to answer your questions and dinner (7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. during the and help with trip-planning. The Crater Lake & Facilities peak season, June 20-September 1). Options Natural History Association sells books, include gourmet burgers, vegetarian lasagna, maps, postcards, and other items (see page 8). a soup & salad bar, and pizza, including take- Crater Lake Visitor Guide out. Wireless internet is available at $4 per The Steel Visitor Center, located at Park Summer/Fall 2014 Camping hour. In 2014, the restaurant is scheduled to Headquarters, is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to The park has two campgrounds. Both sit be open from May 23 through October 5. 5:00 p.m. A 22-minute film is shown on the This is the official trip-planner and news- in forests south of the lake. Holders of an hour and half-hour. It explores the park’s paper of Crater Lake National Park. It is “America the Beautiful” Senior Pass or Access The Crater Lake Lodge dining room offers significance and the lake’s violent, volcanic published twice a year and funded by the Pass are entitled to a 50% discount. For a list fine dining in a casual atmosphere. The menu past. The Rim Visitor Center, located in Rim Crater Lake Natural History Association of campgrounds outside the park, ask at a features gourmet Northwest cuisine made Village, is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 through sales made in the visitor center visitor center. with local ingredients. Reservations are p.m. from June through late September. bookstores. recommended for dinner (5:00-10:00 p.m. Mazama Campground (212 sites) is located during the peak season, June 13-September Park Mailing Address: 7 miles south of Rim Village near Highway 62. 30) but are not taken for breakfast (7:00- Exhibits PO Box 7, Crater Lake, OR 97604 In 2014, it will be open from May 30 through 10:30 a.m.) or lunch (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.). The Sinnott Memorial Overlook, perched October 5, weather permitting. 75% of the Appetizers, drinks, and desserts are also on a rock ledge behind the Rim Visitor Cen- Phone: 541-594-3000 campsites for July, August, and September ter, features an enclosed exhibit room and an Website: www.nps.gov/crla available from 2:30 p.m. until closing in are reservable in advance by calling 888-774- Email: [email protected] the Great Hall and on the veranda. Dinner open parapet with spectacular views of the 2728 or online at www.craterlakelodges.com. reservations can be made by calling 541-594- lake. The overlook contains a relief model The rest are available on a first-come, first- 2255 ext. 3217. In 2014, the dining room will and exhibits on the park’s geologic story and served basis. Typically, there are sites available be open from May 16 through October 12. lake research. Ranger talks are presented Accessibility Internet until late afternoon or early evening. The Except for the Sinnott Wireless internet is free daily from June 27 through September 1 (see Memorial Overlook, for guests of Crater Lake campground offers tent sites ($21 per night) The Rim Village Café serves lighter fare page 3). The overlook is open daily (weather developed areas in the Lodge and The Cabins as well as RV sites ($29). Some of the RV sites including salads, soup, snacks, breakfast permitting) from late June through October. park are generally ac- at Mazama Village. Pub- have electric hookups ($35). There are many pastries, and grab-and-go sandwiches. The Hours are 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. in July and cessible to individuals lic Wi-Fi is available at pull-through sites; some can accommodate café is open year-round. Peak season hours August, 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in June and Sep- with mobility impair- Crater Lake Lodge and RVs as long as 50 feet (15 meters). Each are 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. (June 13-September 1). tember, and 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in October. ments. Wheelchair- the Annie Creek Restau- site has a picnic table, fire ring, and food The overlook is located down a steep, historic accessible paths include rant for $4 per hour or locker. Black bears are rarely seen, but walkway with stairs and, unfortunately, is not the Rim Village prom- $10 for 24 hours. The Mazama Village Store sells groceries, enade and the Pinnacles campers are advised to store all food in their camping supplies, firewood, and gasoline accessible to people with limited mobility. Trail. The Godfrey Glen, Lost & Found locker or their vehicle. The campground has from May 17-October 6. Peak season hours Sun Notch, and Plaikni Contact a ranger at drinking water, flush toilets, showers, and are 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. (June 6-September 2). Crater Lake Lodge features exhibits on the Falls trails are accessible either visitor center or laundry facilities. A nearby general store sells history of tourism in the park and the history to wheelchair users call 541-594-3060. groceries, firewood, and gasoline. You can and renovation of the lodge. The exhibits are with assistance (see contact the campground directly during the Lodging open daily, around-the-clock, from May 16 page 4). Multiple pull- Phones summer at 541-594-2255 ext. 3610. Mazama The park has two motels, both operated by Cell-phone coverage in through October 12. They are located on the outs on Rim Drive have Xanterra Parks & Resorts. For information wheelchair-accessible the park is unreliable. Campground is operated by the park’s ground floor, west of the lobby. wayside exhibits. Some Reception depends concessioner, Xanterra Parks & Resorts. and reservations, call 888-774-2728 or visit ranger programs are ac- on your location and www.craterlakelodges.com. For a list of cessible to people with provider. Pay phones Lost Creek Campground (16 sites) is for lodging options outside the park, ask at a Gifts & Books limited mobility and are located outside the tent-camping only ($10 per night). It is visitor center. The Rim Village Gift Shop is open all year. other impairments (see Mazama Village Store located on the spur road to the Pinnacles Peak season hours are 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and inside Crater Lake page 3). We are work- Overlook. It usually opens in early July and Crater Lake Lodge (71 rooms) is located (June 13-September 1). The Annie Creek ing hard to improve our Lodge. Gift Shop, in Mazama Village, is open from level of accessibility for closes in mid-October. Registration is self- in Rim Village, overlooking the lake. In all park visitors. We wel- Picnic Areas service, and reservations are not taken. The 2014, it will be open from May 16 through May 23 through October 5. Peak season hours come your comments. Picnic areas are found campground often fills up, so arrive early October 12. Rooms range from $167 to $294 are 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. (June 20-September throughout the park to secure a site. It has running water, sinks, per night. Advance reservations are highly 1). Both gift shops are operated by Xanterra ATMs (see page 5). The Rim and flush toilets. Each site has a picnic table, recommended. The Cabins at Mazama Parks & Resorts. You can also shop online at The Mazama Village Village picnic area has fire ring, and food locker. Payment can be Village (40 rooms, $144 per night) are located www.craterlakelodges.com/shop. A different fire grates. Most picnic Store and Rim Village made by cash or check. This campground is 7 miles south of Rim Village. Operating dates selection of books and gifts is also available at Gift Shop have ATMs. areas have vault toilets but no running water. operated by the National Park Service. for 2014 are May 23 through October 5. the park’s two visitor centers (see page 8). Drinking Water Water faucets can be Post Office found at Rim Village, A U.S. Post Office is open Fires Pets Wildlife Mazama Village, and Monday through Satur- Fires are allowed only in designated Pets are welcome in some areas. Never feed wildlife. This includes inside the Steel Visitor day in the Steel Visitor rings in the Rim Village Picnic Area Pets on leash are allowed on the birds and squirrels. Feeding animals Center. Bottled water Center. Summer hours and campgrounds. Fires may be re- Godfrey Glen Trail, Lady of the is dangerous for you, bad for them, can be purchased at the are 9:00 a.m.–noon and Know stricted at certain times; ask a ranger. Woods Trail, Grayback Drive, and and harmful to the ecosystem. Rim Village Café, the 1:00–3:00 p.m. Pacific Crest Trail. Leashes must not Feeding, touching, disturbing, or Mazama Village Store, the Food exceed 6 feet (1.8 meters), and only approaching wildlife is prohibited. and the bottom of the Recycling Store food properly. Generally, this one pet per hiker is allowed. Pets Combination trash/ Rules Cleetwood Cove Trail means sealed in your vehicle or a are not permitted on other trails, recycling bins can be (when boat tours are campground food locker. Backcoun- or off-trail. Pets on leash (or other- Golden-Mantled found around the operating). try campers should use bearproof wise physically restrained) are also Ground Squirrel park at more than 20 canisters or hang food from a tree. allowed in developed areas, pro- locations. Recycling Emergencies Exposing wild animals to our food vided they stay within 50 feet (15 is currently limited to Dial 911 to report any alters their behavior, is bad for their meters) of parking lots, roads, picnic emergency, 24 hours a aluminum cans and health, and can be dangerous for us. areas, and campgrounds. Popular day. First aid is available plastic bottles. All bins Crater Lake National Park belongs places to walk a dog include Rim at visitor centers and can accept both. to everyone. We all share respon- Hiking and Climbing Village and Mazama Campground. the ranger station at sibility in protecting it. Please take Stay on trails. This prevents erosion, Pets are not allowed inside build- Park Headquarters. Restrooms a moment to become familiar protects vegetation, and protects ings, including Crater Lake Lodge Restrooms with flush with these important regulations. other hikers. Shortcutting trails is and the Mazama Cabins. The above Entrance Fee toilets and running For a full list of the park’s rules, prohibited. Hiking and climbing rules do not apply to service animals The entrance fee for water are located in visit www.nps.gov/crla/parkmgmt/ inside the caldera are strictly here to assist people with disabilities. Help Keep Wildlife Wild. Crater Lake National Rim Village, Mazama lawsandpolicies.htm. prohibited. The only exception is Solid excrement must be picked up Please DO NOT FEED! Park is $10 per family Village, and the Steel the Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only immediately by the person in control car, good for 7 days. Visitor Center (9:00 Camping safe and legal access to the lake of the pet and disposed of in a trash The rate is higher for a.m.–5:00 p.m.). Vault Camping is limited to developed shore. Serious injuries and deaths or solid-waste receptacle. commercial vehicles. toilets are located at campgrounds and some backcountry have occurred from falls inside the Your fees are put to most picnic areas, areas. Permits are required for caldera. The walls consist of steep, Viewpoints work improving visitor Watchman Overlook, backcountry camping (see page 3). unstable rocks and soils. Stay back from the edge of services and facilities. and both ends of the the caldera. Do not go beyond Thank you for support- Cleetwood Cove Trail Driving Park Features established fences and rock walls. Clark’s ing your national parks! (see map on page 5). Use pullouts to enjoy the views. Leave rocks, plants, animals, and Falling may cause injury or death. Nutcracker Do not stop in the road. Observe artifacts undisturbed for others to Gasoline Showers & Laundry posted speed limits, and watch for enjoy. Collecting, defacing, destroy- Weapons Self-serve gasoline is Coin-operated showers wildlife, bicyclists, and pedestrians. ing, or disturbing natural, cultural, Firearms are prohibited in all posted available at Mazama and laundry machines Off-road travel is prohibited. or historical features is prohibited. park buildings. Village from May 17 are available at Mazama through October 13. Campground. 2 Trolley Tours Rim Drive is one of America’s most scenic byways, but it’s hard to appreciate the views with your eyes on the road. Fortunately, you can leave the driving to someone else. Ranger-guided trolley tours circle Crater Lake daily. Tours begin and end at Rim Village, spend 2 hours traveling clockwise around the lake, and stop at a minimum of 4 scenic overlooks. See below for departure times and ticket prices. The buses are enclosed, climate-controlled, wheelchair accessible, and seat 25 passengers. They resemble old streetcars, but they run on modern technology: powered by compressed natural gas, they emit 30-40% less pollution than gasoline-powered vehicles. The trolleys are owned and operated by The Shuttle Inc. of Klamath Falls.

Boat Tour on Crater Lake Sunset over Crater Lake Trolley Tour on Rim Drive

required for persons under 16 years of age and are strongly Swimming Kids: Boat Tours Activities recommended for all cyclists. Swimming is allowed in Crater Join a park ranger for a 2-hour cruise Lake, but the water is cold! Most You Can around Crater Lake. See the box below for departure times and ticket prices. people swim for just a few minutes. Bicycling on park roads is physically Become Boat tours on Crater Lake are operated Backcountry demanding yet can be exceptionally Swimming is permitted only at by Xanterra Parks & Resorts in partner- rewarding. The most popular route Cleetwood Cove and at Wizard a Junior ship with the National Park Service. Camping is the 33-mile (53-km) Rim Drive, Island, which requires a boat tour to Park Ranger! Over 95% of the park is managed featuring spectacular views but reach. The shoreline at both loca- Tickets as wilderness. Although some areas also long, steep grades and climbs tions is rocky; there are no beaches. Each boat holds 37 passengers. 18 Are you between 6 and 12 years tickets for each tour (July 4-Sept. 19 are closed to backcountry camping totaling 3,800 feet (1,158 meters). old? Do you want to learn while only) are available for advance purchase (for example, there is no summer For details, pick up a bicycling Snorkeling, scuba diving, and long- having fun at Crater Lake National by calling 888-774-2728. The remaining camping with a view of the lake), handout at either visitor center. distance swimming are not allowed. Park? Here are 2 different ways: 19 tickets for each tour (and all tickets exploring the park’s old-growth In 2012, after assessing the threats from June 27-July 3) are available from • Pick up a free activity book at automated kiosks inside Crater Lake forests and volcanic landscapes can posed by aquatic invasive species, either visitor center. Explore the be a rewarding experience. Fishing the park placed a ban on the use of Lodge and the Annie Creek Gift Shop. park, complete the activities, These tickets go on sale exactly 24 Originally, Crater Lake contained snorkels, wet suits, diving gear, and then return the book to a ranger no fish. Between 1888 and 1941, hours in advance of each tour. Sales All campers not staying in the park’s other equipment that could serve to earn a Junior Ranger BADGE. continue until the tour is sold out or developed campgrounds must ob- however, 6 species were intro- as vectors for the introduction of until 2 hours remain before departure. tain a backcountry permit. The only duced. Today, only rainbow trout non-native organisms. We hope you • Meet behind the Rim Visitor At that time, if a tour is not sold out, Center at 1:30, 3:00, or 4:30 and kokanee salmon remain. Fish- will understand our caution on this remaining tickets can be purchased exception is through-hikers on the p.m. (June 27-Sept. 1) and Pacific Crest Trail, who may instead ing is allowed at the bottom of the issue and the importance of pro- from a ticket booth (open daily at 8:30 participate in a free, 20-minute a.m.) at the top of the Cleetwood Cove sign the trail register as they enter Cleetwood Cove Trail, where you’ll tecting the lake from a threat to its activity. Complete one activity to find .25 miles (.4 km) of rocky Trail, until 45 minutes before departure. the park. Permits are free and are ecology that could be irreversible. earn a Junior Ranger PATCH. Ticket holders should arrive at the available at Park Headquarters, from shoreline. Wizard Island, reachable trailhead at least 45 minutes before the visitor center or ranger station, by tour boat, is also open to fishing. Wildlife Viewing their tour to allow time to hike down between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. the 1.1-mile (1.7-km) trail to the lake. Fishing licenses are not required. The park is home to many animals, There are no restrictions on but they can be difficult to spot. The Types of Tours Bicycling the size, number, or species most visible animals are deer and Standard tours are 2 hours long, ranger- narrated, and circle the entire lake. Bicycling at Crater Lake is allowed taken. Cleaning fish in the lake is squirrels. Herds of elk are some- They pass close to Wizard Island but do on paved roads and on the unpaved prohibited; pack out your catch. times seen in the meadows along not stop. The 9:30 a.m. Wizard Island Grayback Drive. Bicycles are To prevent the introduction of Rim Drive. Bobcats and mountain Tour includes a standard tour plus a not allowed on park trails, with non-native organisms, no organic lions are present but rarely seen. visit to Wizard Island, where passengers one exception: the Pinnacles bait of any kind may be used. This Lucky observers might spot a fox, disembark for 3 hours to hike, fish, Trail. Park roads are narrow with includes fish eggs, PowerBait, and black bear, marmot, porcupine, swim, and relax on their own. (Up to few shoulders and considerable live or dead fish. Fishing is limited grouse, or bald eagle. Dawn and 6 tickets per day are also available for people wishing to spend 6 hours on the dusk are the best times to look. automobile traffic. Helmets are to artificial lures and flies only. island.) The 12:45 p.m. Wizard Island Shuttle consists of a 1-hour (round-trip) ride to the island plus a 3-hour stay there. It does not circle the entire lake May 16–June 26 June 27–Sept. 1 and does not include a narrated tour. Ranger-Led Activities & Sept. 2–Oct. 12 See page 4 for details on the island’s two hiking trails. 11:30 a.m. Ranger Talks at Rim Village Check 1:00 p.m. What to Bring Join a ranger to deepen your understanding of Crater Lake. Topics vary; check posted schedules. posted  Bring plenty of drinking water. Bottled Meet at the Sinnott Memorial Overlook for the talks at 11:30, 1:00, and 2:30. Meet on the back 2:30 p.m. schedules porch of Crater Lake Lodge (accessible to wheelchairs) for the 4:00 talk. (20 minutes) 4:00 p.m. water is available for purchase at the bottom of the Cleetwood Cove Trail. 1:30 p.m.  Bring a lunch or snack, especially if Junior Ranger Activity Check visiting Wizard Island. Light snacks Kids participate in a ranger-led activity to learn about Crater Lake and earn a Junior Ranger 3:00 p.m. posted are available for purchase at the top patch. Meet behind the Rim Visitor Center. Geared for ages 6 to 12. (20 minutes) 4:30 p.m. schedules of the Cleetwood Cove Trail.  Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat are Afternoon Hike recommended for sun protection. The boats are not covered. Hike with a ranger to discover Crater Lake. Trails vary by day of the week. See page 4 for trail  Bring a jacket. Weather on the lake details. For Garfield Peak, meet on the back porch of Crater Lake Lodge. For Sun Notch and Check can be windy and chilly. Plaikni Falls, meet at the trailhead. Be sure to carry drinking water. 2:00 p.m. posted  Wear sturdy footwear, especially if Sunday, Wednesday: Sun Notch (1 hour, easy, great views of the Phantom Ship) schedules visiting Wizard Island. Mon., Thurs., Sat.: Plaikni Falls (1.5 hours, easy, hike to a hidden waterfall) Tuesday, Friday: Garfield Peak (2.5 hours, 1000’ elevation gain, spectacular views) Hiking to Cleetwood Cove The Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only July 4-31 7:30 p.m. legal access to the shore of Crater Watchman Peak Sunset Hike Lake (see map on page 5). The hike is August 1-10 Ascend to a breathtaking viewpoint and watch the sun go down over the Cascade Mountain 7:15 p.m. Sept. 1-7 6:30 p.m. steep and strenuous: in 1.1 miles (1.7 Range. Meet at the Watchman Overlook, a parking area with wooden fences 3.8 miles (6.1 km) August 11-20 7:00 p.m. Sept. 8-14 6:15 p.m. km) it drops 700 feet (213 meters) in northwest of Rim Village. Flashlights are not needed. See page 4 for trail details. (1.5 hours) August 21-31 6:45 p.m. elevation. Walking back up is equivalent to climbing 65 flights of stairs! The Evening Program June 27-July 31 9:00 p.m. Check trail is recommended only for those in Relax under the stars as you learn about the park. Check posted schedules for topics. August 1-20 8:30 p.m. posted good physical condition. It should not Meet at the Mazama Campground Amphitheater, between loops D and E. (45 minutes) Aug.21-Sept.1 8:00 p.m. schedules be attempted by anyone with heart, breathing, or walking problems. It is not accessible for people with mobility Rim Drive Trolley Tour Circle the lake on a ranger-narrated tour of impairments. Hikers should wear sturdy Rim Drive. See the top of this page for more 10:00 a.m. Sept. 2-Oct. 12 shoes and carry water. Vault toilets are Ticket Prices information. Tickets are sold from a trolley parked 11:00 a.m. (weather permitting): located at the top and bottom of the by the Community House in the middle of Rim $25 Adult (age 14 to 59) 12:00 p.m. 10:30 a.m. trail. Depending on snow conditions, Village. Tickets may be purchased the day of the the trail usually opens in late June and $22 Senior (age 60 and up) 1:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. $15 Child (age 5 to 13) tour, or the day before, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 closes in late October. p.m. To reserve tickets further in advance, call 2:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Free Young Child (under 5 years) 541-882-1896 or visit www.craterlaketrolley.com. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. $70 Family Rate (2 adults plus kids) Tours cover a variety of topics. (2 hours)

Standard Tours Crater Lake Boat Tour Sept. 2-14: 9:35 a.m. see schedule to left Ticket Prices For a different perspective on Crater 10:30 a.m. Lake, take a ranger-narrated boat Standard $37 Adult (age 13 and up) 11:30 a.m. tour. See the right-hand column of Sept. 15-19: Tour $25 Child (age 3* to 12) this page for detailed information. 1:30 p.m. Standard Tours Wizard Island $52 Adult (age 13 and up) Note: Taking a boat tour requires 2:30 p.m. Tour $34 Child (age 3* to 12) hiking down—and back up—one of 3:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m. Wizard Island $42 Adult (age 13 and up) the steepest trails in the park. Tours Wizard Island Tour 1:00 p.m. Shuttle $28 Child (age 3* to 12) cover a variety of topics. (2 hours) 9:30 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Wizard Island Shuttle *Kids must be at least 3 years old to take a boat tour. Engine noise, sun exposure, wind, Wizard Island Shuttle 9:30 a.m. and occasional rough water make tours extremely unpleasant for infants and toddlers. 12:45 p.m. The Cleetwood Cove Trail drops 700 feet (213 meters) to the lake shore. Activities are free of charge except for trolley & boat tours. Programs are subject to cancellation due to weather or unforeseen circumstances. Sketch from Road Guide to Crater Lake. 3 Let’s Go Hiking!

Hi, I’m Ranger Emily. We have 90 miles (145 km) of hiking trails here at Crater Wizard Island from Lake. Our most popular day hikes are the Discovery Point Trail listed on this page. If you are visiting in June or July, be aware that some trails might still be closed by snow. Please help us protect this special place by following Swimmers at a few important rules: Cleetwood Cove

Lewis Monkeyflower on the Castle Crest Trail No hiking or climbing inside the caldera! The walls are dangerously steep and unstable. The one exception is the Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only legal access to the lake shore. Leave all rocks, plants, animals, and artifacts undisturbed for the enjoyment of future hikers. Overnight backpacking requires a permit, available at Park Headquarters between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Some areas are not open to backcountry camping. Pets are allowed on the Godfrey Glen Trail, Lady of the Woods Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail. Pets must be leashed; only one pet per hiker (see page 2). To protect vegetation and prevent erosion, please stay on the trails.

Castle Crest Lady of the Woods Sun Notch Trail The Pinnacles Godfrey Glen Plaikni Falls 0.5 miles (0.8 km) loop trail 0.7 miles (1.1 km) loop trail 0.8 miles (1.3 km) loop trail Round-Trip 0.8 mile (1.3 km) 1.1 mile (1.8 km) loop trail 2.0 miles (3.2 km) 100 feet (30 meters) 120 feet (37 meters) 150 feet (46 meters) Elevation Gain 10 feet (3 meters) 50 feet (15 meters) 100 feet (30 meters) 20 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes Time 30 minutes 30 minutes 1 hour Flowers, Meadow, Creek Historic Architecture Views of Phantom Ship Highlight Volcanic Spires Peaceful Forest Waterfall, Flowers Loop trail through a beautiful Loop trail around Park Short uphill walk through a Easy walk along the rim Easy stroll through an old- Easy walk through an old- meadow. Abundant wild- Headquarters. Self-guiding meadow to the rim of Crater of Pinnacle Valley. Great growth forest, with some growth forest to a waterfall. flowers in July. The trail is brochures, available at the Lake. Great views of the views of volcanic spires. Use canyon views. Dirt path; Many flowers in July. The first rocky and slippery in places. trailhead, describe how early Phantom Ship. Use caution Description caution near cliffs. Trail ends accessible to wheelchair 3/4 is accessible to wheelchair Self-guiding brochures are park architects integrated near cliff edges. Accessible to at park boundary. Accessible users with assistance. users with assistance, but the available at the trailhead. their designs with the natural strong wheelchair users with to wheelchair users with Self-guiding brochures are final, short climb to the falls landscape. assistance. assistance. Open to bicycles. available at the trailhead. might be too steep.

East Rim Drive, 0.5 miles Behind the Steel Visitor East Rim Drive, 4.4 miles End of the Pinnacles Road, 2.4 miles (3.9 km) south of Pinnacles Road, 1.2 miles (0.8 km) east of Park Head- Center, on the south side (7.1 km) east of Park Trailhead 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Park Headquarters. (1.9 km) southeast of the quarters. Can also access of the building. Headquarters. Location the Phantom Ship Overlook. Phantom Ship Overlook. from the Steel Visitor Center.

The flowers here are The trail’s name refers to a This U-shaped valley was The Pinnacles are chimneys Trail is named after William Snowmelt, not Crater Lake, nourished by springs sculpture of a woman carved carved by glaciers that once Nature Note formed when hot ash cooled Godfrey, a ranger who died is the source of Plaikni Falls’ emerging from the hillside. into a boulder along the trail. flowed down Mt. Mazama. after the big eruption. in a blizzard here in 1930. water. Easy Easy

Discovery Point Trail Fumarole Bay Watchman Peak Annie Creek The Phantom Ship from Sun Notch 2.0 miles (3.2 km) Round-Trip 1.8 miles (2.9 km) 1.6 miles (2.6 km) 1.7 miles (2.7 km) loop trail 100 feet (30 meters) Elevation Gain 150 feet (46 meters) 420 feet (128 meters) 200 feet (61 meters) 1 hour Time 1 hour 1 hour 1½ hours Lake Views Highlight Swimming, Fishing Panoramic Views Creek, Canyon, Flowers Trail along the rim of Crater Rocky trail along the shore Moderate ascent to a fire Moderately strenuous trail Lake through a pretty forest of Wizard Island. Becomes lookout above Wizard Island. through a deep, stream- of whitebark pines and hard to follow upon reaching Spectacular views in all cut canyon. Lots of water, mountain hemlocks. Fine Description Fumarole Bay; there is no directions. Great place to wildflowers, and sometimes views of the lake and Wizard official endpoint. The bay’s watch the sunset. Trail may wildlife. Self-guiding Island. Use caution near cliff shallow, clear water is good be closed until early July due brochures are available at edges. for fishing and swimming. to snow. the trailhead.

West end of Rim Village, Wizard Island dock, reachable 3.8 miles (6.1 km) northwest Mazama Campground, Hikers at where the paved walk be- Trailhead only by boat tour or shuttle of Rim Village. Park at the behind the amphitheater, Plaikni Falls comes a dirt path. Can also Location from Cleetwood Cove. See viewpoint surrounded by located between loops D and start from Discovery Point. page 3 for information. wooden fences. E. Limited parking in E Loop.

Gold prospector John Wesley Abundant lichen on the tree Built in 1932, the peak’s The creek provides the park’s Hillman first spotted Crater Nature Note trunks is an indication of historic fire lookout is still drinking water, named the best Lake near this point in 1853. excellent air quality. used by rangers today. tasting in Oregon in 2004. Moderate

Wizard Summit Cleetwood Cove Garfield Peak Trail Mount Scott Crater Peak Union Peak 2.2 miles (3.5 km) 2.2 miles (3.5 km) 3.6 miles (5.8 km) Round-Trip 4.4 miles (7.1 km) 6.2 miles (10.0 km) 11 miles (17.7 km) 760 feet (232 meters) 700 feet (213 meters) 1,010 feet (308 meters) Elevation Gain 1,250 feet (381 meters) 765 feet (233 meters) 1,600 feet (448 meters) 1½ hours 1½ hours 2 to 3 hours Time 3 hours 3½ hours 5 to 6 hours Views, Summit Crater Swim, Fish, Boat Tours Panoramic Views Highlight Panoramic Views Forest, Views, Solitude Panoramic Views Rocky climb to the top of The only legal access to Rocky climb to a high peak. Gradual ascent of the park’s Moderate-to-strenuous walk Long forest walk followed Wizard Island. Spectacular the shore of Crater Lake. Spectacular views along the highest peak. Great views to the summit of a small by a very steep climb. Great lake views, interesting Strenuous trail with a steep way and at the top. Diverse in all directions. Best in volcano. No lake views, but views from the top and geology. A 0.3-mile (0.5- grade. The trail descends to a plant life, many wildflowers. Description morning, when the light is fine views of the Klamath interesting geology, but no km) path leads around the rocky shoreline at Cleetwood Top section may be closed ideal for lake viewing. May Basin to the southeast. view of Crater Lake. Top 90-foot-deep (27-meter) Cove. See page 3 for detailed until mid-July due to snow. be closed until mid-July due A peaceful walk through section may be impassable crater at the summit. information. Use caution near cliff edges. to snow. forests and meadows. until mid-July due to snow.

Wizard Island dock, reachable North side of the lake, 11 East end of Rim Village. East Rim Drive, 14 miles East Rim Drive, 3 miles Highway 62 at the Pacific only by boat tour or shuttle miles (17.6 km) from Rim Follow the paved promenade Trailhead (22.5 km) east of Park (4.8 km) east of Park Crest Trailhead, 1 mile (1.6 from Cleetwood Cove. See Village if traveling clockwise behind Crater Lake Lodge. Location Headquarters. Headquarters at the Vidae km) west of the Crater Lake page 3 for information. on Rim Drive. Falls Picnic Area. road junction.

The dead trees at the summit Below 200 feet (61 meters), Rocky slopes along the trail Mt. Scott is the park’s highest Upper Klamath Lake is the Union Peak is the core of an have been killed by dwarf the water in Crater Lake are home to American pikas Nature Note peak—8,929 feet (2,721 largest in Oregon, but its av- old volcano eroded by gla- mistletoe, a parasitic plant. stays 38ºF (3ºC) year-round. and yellow-bellied marmots. meters) in elevation. erage depth is only 14 feet. ciers during the last Ice Age. Strenuous Strenuous

4 To Diamond Lake, Roseburg, and 5 Pacific Crest National Gasoline Lodging 0 1 2 3 4 5 Kilometers MOUNT THIELSEN Scenic Trail (PCT) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Miles WILDERNESS Other hiking trail Picnic area Food service North (UMPQUA and WINEMA NATIONAL FORESTS) Pets are prohibited Campground Store on all hiking trails Summit Rock Beaver Offroad driving is Backcountry campsite Showers Meadows 6050ft UMPQUA NATIONAL 1845m prohibited (permit required)

FOREST PCT parking Creek uir M k

r ) ( Fo Cascade Mountain Pass st Ea ogue River 5925ft R 1846m North Entrance Station 5850ft Lake West 1783m T in y

Creek a To Medford and 5 hah Minne Cre ek

Boundary Springs D Gaywas Peak E S 6781ft E 2067m R T (open summer only) ROGUE RIVER R ID G WINEMA E NATIONAL NATIONAL FOREST FOREST E Timber Crater G Bald Crater 7424ft ID 2263m R 6478ft 1975m NT SCE CRE ek PUMICE DESERT Cre National eek Cr ert Des

ICE DESERT Area of Detail PUM Regional Map to Portland to 230 138 97 Bend Pacific Crest Eugene k NATIONAL 20 ee Oasis Butte to Roseburg, Bend, National Scenic Cr CRATER LAKE and Eugene Trail FORESTS 5842ft 58 1781m NATIONAL PARK 97 t n le NORTH ENTRANCE ROAD Si (open summer only) 5 Diamond CRATER LAKE 138 Lake k ree Chemult Bert C NATIONAL PARK Roseburg 138 230 CRATER LAKE Union Creek Red Cone NATIONAL Sphagnum Bog 7363ft Grouse Hill Prospect PARK Fragile wetlands, 62 k 2245m 7412ft NATIONAL ree no camping 62 Fort C 2260m Chiloquin FORESTS 234 Klamath Lookout Bluff Cleetwood Cove Trail Grants 6118ft (to tour boat landing) Pass 62 1865m ter Cra Medford 97 199 Klamath Ashland Spruce Lake to Redding Falls d o e o v Steel o k tw C ee Bay e Cr Scout Hill Llao Rock le 6376ft C to California 8049ft r North Entrance Road1944m a to Portland Pacific Crest 2453m Cratere Lake & Rim Drive are North Junction B CLOSED in winter National Scenic 7025ft National Park (see page 3) Trail 2142m Llao Bay Merriam Cone EAST RIM DRIVE WEST RIM DRIVE Devils Backbone -486ft (open summer only) (open summer only) -1788ft -148m Grotto -545m Pothole Butte Cove 6150ft 1875m Deepest point l S e below lake surface F n F Watchman Overlook U n -1943ft L a B h -592m C T Wizard T

Watchman Peak l Crater Lake O l C Island S k 8013ft e ree k Average surface elevation: C ole 2442m S Poth De 6940ft 6173ft er e Cloudcap Overlook ol 2116m 1882m B r 7865ft yb a y Creek e m a 2397m e Lightning u B Lightning F C Springs r Springs -1548ft e Trail Pumice Castle Overlook e k -472m 7100ft Discovery 2165m Mount Scott Point Danger (highest point in park) Castle Rim Village Bay C Rim Café & Gift Shop 8929ft ree 2721m W k Sinnott Memorial Overlook h i Phantom Ship sk Rim Visitor Center e y Overlook Discovery Crater Lake Lodge Phantom To Medford Point Trail Ship AN and 62 C Plaikni DE has RS ki Bay Falls ON C B r Pacific Crest L e UF e 4850ft Garfield Peak F k National Scenic Sun S 1479m S Trail 8054ft a Castle Creek Notch n 2455m d Little Park U n Lady of the i Headquarters o C n Steel Visitor Center Woods Trail r e D e

U k 6450ft Park Boundary Ca stle Castle T 1966m T

O C Creek Crest r N e Trail EAST RIM DRIVE e 62 k (open summer only)

to Vidae Falls I D Medford G k Thousand and e E e Springs 5 r Whitehorse C L C Ponds o a

n s v Annie t e o

s Lost Creek r Spring n C n u W r

M he eler Grayback Drive (gravel road open to hikers, ROGUE RIVER Annie bicycles, horses, and pets, Spring Godfrey Glen Trail S but closed to motor vehicles) C un r Entrance ee k C NATIONAL Station r e Annie Creek Trail Cre e Dry Butte ek k

k G 5735ft Annie Creek r R TH o A E P 1748m FOREST Restaurant F Y IN A R B NA n ID A CLE Pinnacles Union & Gift Shop n G C S ie Peak Crater Peak E K Trail 7263ft Trail Mazama Village t Pinnacles Huckleberry Mountain s 2214m 6370ft a C E Overlook 1942m r e Sa e n k d 6004ft Rocktop Butte 1830m 0 1 2 3 4 5 Kilometers 6400ft C 1951m re e 0 1 2 3 4 5 Miles k

Union Peak North Visitor Center Lodging Gas Picnic Area Hiking Trail 7709ft 62 2350m Pacific Crest Campground Groceries Showers Restrooms Paved Road to Klamath National Scenic k Wheelchair- Food Service Laundry Restrooms Unpaved Road e Trail Falls and 97 Accessible Trail (no water) e

r 6253ft C 1906m

A 6091ft n t PUMICE n 1857m WINEMA NATIONAL in Highlights of the Rim Drive i Scoria Cone e rm FLAT 6648ft a C S V 2027m ree A Baldtop k N FOREST Rim Drive is a 33-mile6200ft (53-km) road that Discovery Point (1.8 km) west of the Cloudcap Overlook D

1890m

encircles Crater Lake. It is one of America’s junction and 2.4 miles (3.9 km) east of the The Pinnacles Imagine seeing Crater Lake by accident. It was

most scenic byways, with spectacular views in near this spot, on the back of a mule in 1853, Phantom Ship Overlook. R S I D t Cre Stuart Falls u e n ke k all directions. The loop is typically open from G n that gold prospector John Hillman became the W la E B i ld early July to late October. It can be driven, Phantomc Ship Overlook first European-American to stumble across a t C r without stopping, in about an hour, but at C e d what he calledGoose “Deep Nest Blue Lake.” Nestled againstr the shore, Crater Lake’s “other e e e R 7249ft e k least 2 to 3 hours are necessary to enjoy the 2210m k island” escapes detection by many park visi- varied sights. The road is narrow, so buses Watchman Overlook tors. Though it resembles a small sailboat, the and motorhomes should use caution. There This pullout offers an unmatched view of island is as tall as a 16-story building. It’s made are more than 30 scenic pullouts along the Wizard Island, a cinder cone that erupted out of erosion-resistant lava, 400,000 years old— SKY LAKES WINEMA NATIONAL route, many of which have roadside exhibits. of Crater Lake approximately 7,300 years ago. the oldest exposed rock within the caldera. Sun Mountain WILDERNESS 5550ft Be sure not to miss these 7 “must-see” stops. To find this unmarked pullout, driveFOREST 3.8 miles 1692m (ROGUE RIVER and WINEMA NATIONAL FORESTS) For more information, pick up the excellent Goose(6.1 Eggkm) west of Rim Village and look for a Pinnacles Overlook 7124ft Tom MountainRoad Guide to Crater Lake National Park 2172mviewpoint lined with wooden fences. This overlook is well worth the 6-mile SUN PASS STATE FOREST Bessie Rock 6876ft 4400ft Cinnamon Peak 1341m 5900ft 6367ft (482096m pages, Jerry$5.95) Mountain at either visitor center. 1799m (10-km) detour from Rim Drive. Colorful 1941m Cloudcap Overlook spires, 100 feet (30 meters) tall, are being eroded from the canyon wall. The Pinnacles View from the East Rim Drive This overlook sits at the end of a 1-mile (1.6-km) spur road, the highest paved road are “fossil fumaroles” where volcanic gases in Oregon. Whitebark pines cling for survival rose up through a layer of volcanic ash, here, dwarfed and contorted by the harsh cementing the ash into solid rock. winds. Vidae Falls Pumice Castle Overlook Look for this cascading waterfall between Stop here to see one of the park’s most Phantom Ship Overlook and Park Head- colorful features: a layer of orange pumice quarters. A spring-fed creek tumbles over rock that has been eroded into the shape of a glacier-carved cliff and drops 100 feet (30 a medieval castle. Watch carefully for this meters) over a series of ledges. In summer, unmarked viewpoint, located 1.1 miles wildflowers flourish in the cascade’s spray. 5 Without fire, forests become unnaturally dense with live trees and dead woody debris. And this is where our current challenge lies. The park’s decades-long accumulation of trees, branches, twigs, needles, Watchman and logs has set the stage for a potential conflagration, a fire so hot Fire Lookout and intense that it would actually have a negative impact on forest health. “In our ecosystem,” explains Funderburk, “the most beneficial fires are generally those with mixed severity, with some patches left untouched. What we’re trying to prevent is a blaze that consumes a Crater Lake’s fire season is short but intense. large section of the park and burns with such intensity that it cooks the Between mid-June and soil, kills all the trees, and renders that zone unproductive for many mid-October, lightning years.” We have to be careful—all the more so because of climate starts an average of 13 Greg Funderburk, change, which is making Crater Lake’s summers longer and warmer. fires in the park each year. Fire Management Officer That’s why Funderburk and his crew are still forced to suppress the majority of fires that erupt in the park, especially in mid-summer, when conditions are driest. Of the 18 fires ignited here by lightning in Nobody Home? 2013, only three—all in September—were allowed to grow, although A Question of none burned more than a few acres, due to rain and snow. The rest If you hike to the top of Mount Scott or were suppressed by firefighters on foot, sometimes with support from Watchman Peak this summer, you’ll likely aircraft. (The park abandoned its fire roads in 1970; most of the park find the fire lookouts empty. As recently as is now managed as wilderness.) Nevertheless, we are making slow 10 years ago, both buildings were staffed Suppression progress, creating a mosaic of small burned areas that will provide daily, but now they’re infrequently used. some defense against large fires in the future. Since 1978, when Once, the lookouts were essential: spotters managers began looking for opportunities to let fire affect the park’s determined the location of fires through Healthy Forests Require Fire, landscape, a total of 18,000 acres (7,300 hectares) have been burned. triangulation. Nowadays, the park employs aircraft to fly above new fires and pinpoint but Reversing a Century If you see a plume of smoke during your visit, let us know! Many their coordinates using GPS. of our fires are first reported by the public. If you have cell-phone of Suppression is Not Easy reception, call the park’s dispatch office at 541-594-3060 and re- Lookouts still serve one vital purpose— main where you are. Otherwise, take note of your location, the they help ensure the safety of crews on the Here’s a fact that may surprise you: Crater Lake occupies only 7% of fire’s approximate distance from you, the direction of the smoke ground. When firefighters approach a blaze on foot, visibility is limited. Surrounded the park that bears its name. The vast majority of Crater Lake National (a compass reading is helpful), and whether it’s continuous or by trees (and sometimes smoke), they Park is comprised of old-growth forest. These trees (and the biodiver- intermittent. Report your sighting to the nearest park employ- may not be able to detect changes in sity that they harbor) are central to the park’s significance. Protected ee. You can also help by making sure that any campfires you from logging, some of the trees here are ancient and giant. Even so, 15,000 the fire’s behavior and direction of travel. start in the park are completely extinguished before you de- An observer in a lookout can relay this parts of the forest are not in good health. A century of fire suppres- part. In 2013, three wildfires in the park were human-caused. sion has had a number of negative consequences that are now proving important information to them via radio. difficult to reverse. Restoring fire to the landscape—and restoring the Undoing the effects of a century of fire suppression is not health of our forests—is a challenging task. easy. It requires patience and caution. Fire is a powerful force; it can be hard to control. But over time, by continu- In 1902, when the park was established, the consensus among federal ing to allow small fires to flourish, we will make big strides When Fire’s Not land managers was that protecting our nation’s forests meant preventing toward safeguarding the park’s biodiversity, reducing the them from burning. Early detection and aggressive suppression were the risk of a catastrophic event, and restoring the health of policies of the day. To spot fires quickly, the park erected lookouts atop the Answer our old-growth forests. 10,000 Mount Scott in 1926 and Watchman Peak in 1932. To reach fires quickly, ACRES Almost 20,000 acres (8,100 hectares) of they bulldozed a network of dirt roads across the park in the 1930s. the park are dominated by ponderosa pine Many of these roads, which totaled 130 miles (209 km) in length, were For much of the park’s history, all fires were trees. You can see these majestic, orange- built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The effort paid off: all fires in immediately suppressed. Today, park managers barked trees along Highway 62 near the the park from 1902 through 1977 were contained and extinguished. try, as much as possible, to let fire play park’s south entrance. Historically, these its natural role in the ecosystem. Since pines relied on periodic fires to keep rival In recent decades, our understanding of the role of fire has completely 1978, a series of fires have burned tive) trees, such as white firs, at bay. Protected by 12% of the park’s forested acreage, changed. “It’s now seen as a necessary and vital part of the ecosystem,” Acres Burned Since thick bark, they can tolerate low-intensity says Greg Funderburk, the park’s Fire Management Officer. Our plant promoting forest health and habitat 1902 (cumula diversity. We’re making progress, ground fires, which, before European settle- and animal communities evolved in the presence of fire, and many but the acreage burned since 5,000 ment of this area, likely swept through each of them depend on it. Certain plants require fire for seed germina- 1902 is a small fraction compared grove of ponderosas every 10 to 30 years. tion. Others depend on it to control the growth of rival species and with historical averages. In pre-Columbian times, almost pathogens, as in the case of the ponderosa pine (see box at right). Some Acres Burned 100% of the park would mammals need fire to create grasslands for grazing, and a variety of per year birds, bats, and insects make their homes in fire-killed trees. The have experienced fire in a similar, 112-year period, black-backed woodpecker, for example, lives almost exclusively in with some areas burn- recently burned areas, foraging for beetles that feed on dead wood. ing more than once. In short, fires promote biodiversity by creating a range of habitats.

1902 YEAR 1950 1975 2000 2013 Wanted: Your Wildlife Observations

Park scientists need your help! If you spot any That’s where you come in! By being our eyes To report your sighting, send an e-mail to interesting animals during your Crater Lake and ears—and reporting what you see—you [email protected] or find a ranger at a visit, or if you observe any unusual behavior, can help us learn which animals live in the visitor center. Let us know the date and please let us know. Each summer, only two or park and how they are using it. In 2013, we precise location of your encounter, a detailed three employees are dedicated to the park’s received 106 observations of 32 different description of what you saw, as well as your Unfortunately, fire suppression has allowed a dense understory of white firs to develop, wildlife program. And for the most part, species, including two that had never been name and contact info, in case we have as seen in the photo above. Ponderosa they spend their season working on specific photographed in the park before: the muskrat follow-up questions. And if you captured seedlings, which require ample sunlight, projects. (Current projects include surveying and Eurasian collared dove. Other species any photos, send them along (ideally with are unable to grow in the firs’ shade. The for Northern spotted owls, studying the that were spotted included the broad-footed permission for us to use them in reports and firs also compete with mature pines for sensitivity of American pikas to climate mole, peregrine falcon, porcupine, great blue publications). Photographic evidence can water and nutrients, and they can become change, and tracking the distribution of the heron, coyote, sooty grouse, and northern be very important in verifying the identity a “fuel ladder” by which surface fires climb park’s rare subspecies of red fox.) They have alligator lizard. Your observations will help us of certain species. Just remember that into the pines’ vulnerable crowns. little time to observe other animals. update our species lists, help us understand approaching, feeding, and disturbing wildlife where different species reside, and will help is strictly prohibited—so please keep your The park has tried ousting the white firs guide the direction of future research. distance. Thanks for your participation! through prescribed (park-ignited) burns, but the resulting fires have been too hot, killing the giant ponderosas as well. At this point, there is too much accumulated fuel in the forest for a low-intensity fire to be manageable. To save our ponderosas, the park is exploring the idea of removing the white firs by hand (and machine). Thinning the forest might be the safest and most ponderosa-friendly way of restoring these groves to their pre-suppression condition.

The park already employs manual thinning in our campgrounds and developed areas, in order to lower the risk of a “crown- to-crown” fire that could spread quickly, threatening human life and the park’s Leslee Sorensen and John Clark of Roswell, This burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) was Tom Fenske of Corvallis, Oregon, spotted this red historic buildings. And along Highway Georgia, captured this remarkable photo last the first of its species to be documented in the fox (Vulpes vulpes) along the East Rim Drive last 62, the park is in the midst of a 5-year September. While gazing down at Crater Lake park. Michael and Tarn Stevens of Bend, Oregon, August. Red foxes are not always red—most at project to remove small trees and shrubs from a roadside overlook, they spotted a black noticed it camouflaged against the rocks of the Crater Lake have fur ranging from silver to black. along both sides of the road. Should a bear (Ursus americanus) climbing up the steep Pumice Desert. Burrowing owls nest in under- No matter their color, they all have a long tail high-intensity fire break out in the park, slopes below them. It reached the rim, crossed ground holes, typically ones excavated by other with a white tip. the road, and vanished into the forest. The park animals. They have long legs and sometimes the road corridor might provide us with an is home to an estimated 30 to 70 black bears, but chase their prey (insects, reptiles, and small opportunity to slow or stop its spread. rarely are they seen inside the caldera. mammals) on foot. 6 Here at Crater Lake, the most dangerous intruders include St. John’s wort, bull thistle, Canada thistle, spotted knapweed, 1002 Success! Spotted knapweed Park Battles sheep sorrel, and wooly mullein. They are most commonly once grew in abundance along found along transportation corridors, such as roads and trails, the park’s south entrance road. having been introduced on the wheels of automobiles and After several years of persistent weeding, the population has Foreign Flowers the soles of hiking boots. They’ve also been found deep in the been reduced to near zero. Even park’s backcountry, and several species have managed to colo- so, vigilance will be required to nize the shore of Crater Lake. The extent of the infestation is make sure it doesn’t rebound. 500 507 Can We Win the War on not fully known; most of the park has not yet been surveyed. NUMBER OF Weeds? Compared with other national parks, though, Crater Lake’s 333 SPOTTED KNAPWEED flora appears to be relatively pristine. Some plant communities 233 PLANTS REMOVED EACH YEAR Picking flowers in a national park is strictly against the rules. are still composed only of native members. “We’re sitting in a 150 104 Flowers provide food for wildlife, protect soil from erosion, good position, at the crest of the Cascades,” says park botanist and produce seeds for their own regeneration. Why, then, Jen Beck. “We have high elevation and a short growing season 18 2 1 1 11 does the staff of Crater Lake National Park harvest flowers on our side. Our blanket of snow offers some protection. It 1998 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 2013 on a regular basis? In 2013 alone, employees and volunteers helps ward off non-natives.” Unfortunately, climate change collected and destroyed nearly 60,000 flowering plants! Well, will likely bring warmer temperatures, less snow, longer just like the U.S. military is tasked with defending our country summers, and, consequently, more invasive species to the Don’t let this flower’s beauty from potentially harmful foreign powers, the National Park park. So, how can we fight back? deceive you. It’s not welcome Service is working hard to repel the invasion of potentially here! Spotted knapweed (Cen- taurea stoebe ssp. micranthos) harmful foreign flowers. Non-native plants are a big threat to In 1998, the park began a concerted effort to remove non- is native to eastern Europe. It the park’s—and our nation’s—biodiversity. native plants, with annual work starting in 2003. Beck, the reached North America in the park’s first full-time botanist, arrived in 2011. “We’ve had some 1880s, probably in a shipment In the past 10,000 years, the biota of this area has undergone success,” she reports, as in the case of spotted knapweed of alfalfa seed. It invades dry several huge transformations. The eruption and implosion (see box at right), which the park has greatly reduced through fields, where it replaces native of Mount Mazama (the event that created the Crater Lake persistent weeding by hand. Hand-pulling is not effective, grasses favored by elk and other grazers. caldera, see page 1) did not just destroy the top of a towering however, for many other species, such as St. John’s wort

volcanic peak, it also obliterated—through lava, ash, and toxic and Canada thistle, which can resprout from their tangle of © CHRISTER T. JOHANSSON St. John’s wort (Hypericum gases—most, if not all, of the life forms that flourished in the underground roots. For these invaders, chemical control perforatum), also known as mountain’s shadow. 7,700 years ago, the land here was barren. is often the best method. With assistance from the Oregon Klamath weed, was introduced Over time, however, an amazing diversity Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weed to the U.S. in the 18th century of flora and fauna returned to colonize the Control Program, the park has been reducing as an ornamental and medicinal flanks of the volcano, including 678 species of roadside populations of St. John’s wort with herb. Ingesting it can be toxic vascular plants. The landscape changed from an approved herbicide since 2007, with plans to livestock and wildlife. Each plant can produce up to 100,000 “no growth” to “old growth,” as species-rich to attack other species in the future. seeds annually; each seed can forests and meadows slowly developed. remain dormant for up to 20 Still, experts like Beck agree that the most years in the soil. The plant also More recently, a second wave of colonization effective and economical way of controlling propagates via creeping stems has occurred. At least 62 new plant species have non-native species is to prevent their intro- and underground roots. It’s made inroads into the park, primarily in the past duction in the first place. You can help! Before hard to control! few decades. Just last year, three new species visiting a national park, clean your car of mud. © JOY RUSSELL were discovered: dyer’s woad, tall lettuce, and Before hiking a trail, make sure your boots The park’s most tenacious in- Jen Beck, vader is Canada thistle (Cirsium field bindweed. Unlike the previous colonists, Park Botanist aren’t dirty. Inspect your tent, backpack, arvense). A native of Eurasia these new arrivals have come from overseas, bicycle tires, and other recreational gear for (not Canada), it was introduced brought to North America, by accident or inten- seeds. And if you’re traveling with a pet, keep to North America in the 17th tion, by humans. And instead of bolstering the park’s bio- its fur clean. If we can limit the dispersion of non-native century, likely by accident. It diversity, they are jeopardizing it. Without local enemies and plants—and if we can identify and eradicate small patches of travels by windborne seeds pests, non-native plants have a competitive advantage. They weeds before they become firmly established—we can keep and underground roots, which can be up to 20 feet (6 meters) can spread quickly and uncontrollably, taking over vast swaths them at bay. We may never win the war on weeds, but if we long. Pulling this weed by hand of land and leading to the decline—and even extinction—of are vigilant, we can limit the damage they do to our native is futile. A root fragment only native species, including animals, which depend on native ecosystems. In doing so, we’ll ensure that future generations a quarter-inch (0.6 cm) long can plants for food and shelter. In a variety of ways, non-native of park visitors will be able to experience the rich biodiversity generate a new plant if left in vegetation can drastically alter an ecosystem. we see today. the ground.

dependent on the hydrothermal vents, they 25 Years Ago Today. . . . were remarkable for their ability to tolerate the extreme water pressures found in the lake’s deepest basin, 1,943 feet (592 meters) below the surface. Some were also notable Submarine Explores the for their life history. Adult flies of the genus Heterotrissocladius, for example, drop their eggs into the lake. The eggs sink slowly to the Floor of Crater Lake bottom, hatch into larvae, feed on lake floor sediments for perhaps two to three years, swim back up to the surface (pupating along Visitors to Crater Lake often wonder if any- Beneath Crater Lake National Park lies a the way), then emerge as winged adults. Two one has explored its depths. The answer is reservoir of restless magma. In the mid-1980s, to three days later, the adults lay eggs and die, yes! In the summers of 1988 and 1989, a one- a company from California announced its and the cycle starts again. person submarine made 47 separate dives to desire to build a power plant on public lands the bottom. They were not sightseeing trips— adjacent to the park. The plan was to use The discoveries of Deep Rover allowed Crater their purpose was to collect data on the geothermal heat (in the form of steam) to spin Lake to join a list 15 other National Park Ser- lake’s hydrology, biology, and geology and to turbines to produce electricity for San Fran- A quarter-century after it explored Crater Lake, vice units deemed to have “significant thermal resolve a controversy over geothermal energy cisco. They drilled an exploratory well, half the submarine named Deep Rover still captures features” worthy of protection under the development that was brewing on the borders a mile outside the park’s eastern boundary, our imagination. The pilot sat alone inside a Geothermal Steam Act, a law passed by Con- of the national park. Today, the journeys and reported temperatures above the boiling clear acrylic sphere and collected samples using gress in 1970. Any future drilling or geothermal of Deep Rover stand as a milestone in our point of water just 1,350 feet (410 meters) be- two robotic arms. development on nearby public lands won’t understanding of the lake’s ecology and our low ground. The project aroused widespread be permitted if it’s likely to adversely affect efforts to protect it. This August marks the concern. Might it adversely affect the plumb- Fortunately, a radio allowed the men to com- those features. Deep Rover also furthered, by 25th anniversary of the deepest dives and ing of Crater Lake? Congress stepped in, municate with the surface, and headlights on leaps and bounds, our understanding of the seems a fitting time to revisit the discoveries authorizing the Department of the Interior to the sub allowed them to see. What they found lake’s evolution and ecology. Even so, the sub and examine the legacy of this fascinating and suspend all drilling while the park investigated was surprising—and spectacular. Colonies of visited only 2% of the lake floor. Many secrets important expedition. two unknowns: Are there any hydrothermal yellow-gold bacteria grew in vast, puffy mats, surely remain in the dark, watery depths of inputs into Crater Lake? And if so, are they often around pools of aqua-blue water (see this collapsed volcano. Hopefully, someday, significant in any way to the lake’s ecology? below right). Probes inserted into the bacteria humans will return to explore the rest of the mats registered temperatures as high as 66°F bottom of our nation’s deepest lake. The National Park Service, U.S. Geological (18.9°C), much warmer than the surrounding Survey, and National Geographic Society 38°F (3.5°C) lake water. The bacteria were teamed up to lease a submarine, called surviving in the darkness by oxidizing iron for “It’s bizarre... remarkable.... I’ve never Deep Rover, from a company in Vancouver, energy—iron introduced to the lake in warm, seen anything like it before!” So radioed Canada. Flown by helicopter onto the lake, hydrothermal fluids from below. Some of the oceanographer Jack Dymond on August it was powered by batteries and could stay fluids then trickled into the aqua-colored 10, 1989, when he discovered the first of underwater for six hours at a time. Its hollow, pools, where, laden with minerals, they could many “blue pools” on the floor of Crater plastic hull had room for only one occupant, not mix freely with the waters above them. Lake. This is the only lake in the world in who served both as pilot and scientist. Three The fluids were greatly enriched in elements which subsurface pools of high-density water have been detected. men—two oceanographers from Oregon such as manganese, radon, lithium, and State University and Mark Buktenica, the helium-3, indicating that they had once been park’s aquatic ecologist—alternated dives. in contact with hot, subterranean rock. Else- “As I slowly sank into the depths of the lake, where in the lake, the team found 30-foot-tall I was engulfed in blue that eventually turned (9-meter) rock spires, chimneys made of silica to darkness,” recalls Buktenica of his half- that had precipitated out of other upwelling Mark Buktenica, the park’s aquatic ecologist, has hour commutes to the lake floor. “The only fluids at some point in the past. worked at Crater Lake since 1985. Seen here at sounds in the submarine were the creaking the controls of Deep Rover, he remembers the and popping of the hull as it adjusted to the Bacteria were not the only life forms found expedition as the experience of a lifetime: “What we found was not only scientifically interesting, increasing water pressure and the persistent to be thriving at great depths in Crater Lake. it was spectacular—as spectacular as the scenery hum of the carbon dioxide scrubbers cleaning A variety of worms, insects, and tiny crus- above the lake’s surface.” the air.” taceans were spotted as well. Although not 7 Support Your Park—

Buy Crater Lake Contribute to the License Plates Crater Lake Trust If you live in Oregon, consider choosing The Crater Lake National Park Trust is a Crater Lake license plates for your vehicle. non-profit organization that raises private For a one-time charge of $20, you can outfit funds to support park projects and connect your car with these beautiful plates while the park with surrounding communities. supporting park projects. You can purchase It helps support, for example, field trips to Crater Lake plates at any time, not just when the park for more than 5,000 grade-school buying a new vehicle or renewing your students each year. In a program called registration. Visit any Oregon DMV office or “Classroom at Crater Lake,” kids engage in www.oregon.gov/odot/dmv for details. hands-on science and learn about wildlife, old-growth forests, and winter ecology. For Money from plate sales goes into an endow- more than half these kids, it’s their first visit ™ ment that funds the operation of the park’s to Crater Lake. To learn more about the Trust Science and Learning Center. The center and its activities, visit www.craterlaketrust.org opened in 2006 and consists of two renovated or write to PO Box 62, Crater Lake, OR 97604. historic structures near Park Headquarters: Share your love of the park by making a tax- the original Superintendent’s Residence deductible gift. and Chief Naturalist’s Residence. These buildings now provide living and working space for visiting scientists, teachers, and artists. The Science and Learning Center National Park Service U.S. Dept. of the Interior Crater Lake National Park PO Box 7 Crater Lake, OR 97604 draws researchers and educators to Crater Lake from around the world, encouraging them to use the park as an outdoor laboratory and classroom. For more information about the Science and Learning Center and its programs, visit www.nps.gov/crla/slc.htm. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA “Classroom at Crater Lake”