Cleetwood Cove Trail
"That's the sky we're lookin' at. How'd we get so far above it?"
- Sgt. Stearn, 1865
Photo credit: William L. Sullivan
Sgt. Stearn was the first person to reach the shore of Crater Lake. You too can share this accomplishment by hiking the Cleetwood Cove Trail, which offers the only safe and legal access to the lake. The trailhead is 4.5 miles east of North Junction; the directions on road signs on Rim Drive are very good and easy to follow. The trail is a 2.2 mile round trip trail on an 11% grade, with switchbacks the entire way. The elevation change is 700 feet, which is analogous to climbing 65 flights of stairs (USGS). There are also bathrooms at each end of the trail.
Click HERE to see the map!
There are a plethora of activities to do when you reach the lakeshore including fishing, swimming, and scuba diving. The main attraction though, is the boat tour, which offers a ninety minute narrated tour of the lake. Furthermore, the boat tour offers the chance to explore Wizard Island.