Cleetwood Cove Trail – Crater Lake

Distance: 2.2 miles Elevation Gain: 700 ft Difficulty: Strenuous Type: Out-and-Back Surface: steep paved path Activity: Hiking Best Season: July–October Typical Time: 1.5–2.5 hours Fee: Included with park pass Dogs: No Permit: No

Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only legal access point to the shore of Crater Lake, descending 700 feet in just over a mile on a steep, paved switchback path to reach the only location in the park where visitors can touch the water. The descent is straightforward but the return climb — up 700 feet in the same mile — is genuinely strenuous, particularly in the summer heat. Hikers should carry water for the ascent and be prepared for the exertion before committing to the descent.

At the water's edge, the lake's extraordinary blue color is revealed in its full intensity — the deepest blue of any natural lake in the world, produced by the exceptional clarity and depth of the water (averaging 1,073 feet, the deepest lake in the US). The cove serves as the departure point for the park's boat tours to Wizard Island, the cinder cone rising from the lake's center that visitors can climb on the boat tour extension. Swimming is permitted from the rocky ledges at the cove; the water temperature is typically 55-60 degrees even in summer. The cold water and dramatic surrounding caldera walls make the swim one of the most memorable in any national park. Boat tour reservations should be made well in advance as they sell out quickly.