California · Hiking · Near Shaver Lake

Crater Lake

Crater LakePhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.3 mi
round trip
121 ft
climb
7,488 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Crater Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name Crater Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Sierra National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Crater Lake is a short, easy out-and-back hike in the High Sierra Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 0.34 miles long, with a low point of 7,344 feet and a high of 7,488 feet, so the climb is a gentle 121 feet one way. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Huntington Lake weather station show July and August highs around 74°F with lows near 49°F and only one or two wet days a month. That station sits about 468 feet lower than the high point, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Florence Lake is about half a mile away, and Jackass Meadow campground is about 0.6 miles off. Thompson Lake and Ward Lake are both within about 2 miles.

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More in Shaver Lake

Local outfitters

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  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Crater Lake

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      43° / 24°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      44° / 23°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 26°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 29°

      8 wet

    5. May

      56° / 36°

      6 wet

    6. Jun

      66° / 42°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      74° / 49°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 49°

      1 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 44°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 37°

      4 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 31°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 25°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Huntington Lake, CA, 13.9 mi away at 7,020 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Florence LakePhoto: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Florence Lake

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Florence Ferry TrailPhoto: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Florence Ferry Trail

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Hot Springs Pass TrailPhoto: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Thompson LakePhoto: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Thompson Lake

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Bear CreekPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Bear Creek CutoffPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Hot Springs PassPhoto: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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SALLIE KEYS CUTOFFPhoto: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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CRATER LAKEPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

CRATER LAKE

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