Crater Lake

Bicycling Pedalling Around Crater Lake Rules and Safety Camping Getting Here by Bicycle Each year, increasing numbers of cyclists come to Crater Lake National Park to ride around the lake on the physically demanding, 33-mile Rim Drive. Steep hills at high elevation may encourage even the most fit riders to pause at many of the road's thirty overlooks and pull-outs. The payoff, however, is spectacular scenery, viewed at a pace that few visitors choose to take enough time for. Cyclists must respect and obey all rules that apply to automobile traffic, including speed limits. Bicycle helmets are required. Riders face many hazards including high speeds on steep downhill sections, rocks, animals and other road hazards as well as heavy traffic volumes. Only cyclists experienced at riding with auto traffic should consider biking at Crater Lake. Park roads seldom have shoulders. Cyclists should use extreme caution, particularly along narrow areas and blind curves. Wear bright, highly-visible clothing to help drivers see you. Cyclists unaccustomed to high altitudes may find that the elevation makes breathing difficult. Bicycles are not permitted on park trails. Rim Drive, during those seasonal periods when the road is snow free and closed to motorvehicles, is open to bicyclists. Please call the park visitor center for current open status. For mountain biking, the Grayback Drive provides eight miles of unpaved, one-way road. Water is available only at Rim Village and the Steel Visitor Center. Cyclists on long tours are welcome to stay at either of the park's two campgrounds. Both charge a fee for camping; call the park for current rates. Mazama Campground, located near Highway 62 at Annie Springs entrance, offers 213 campsites with showers, laundry and a camp store nearby. It is generally open from mid-June to early October. Lost Creek Campground, located three miles off the East Rim Drive, is more isolated. It has 16 campsites for tents only, cold water faucets and toilet facilities. Lost Creek is open from mid-July to mid-September. All routes into the park have long, steep grades. Because road conditions are unfavorable to cyclists most of the year, and because many roads are closed during the long winter, we recommend you plan trips only for the summer months of July, August, and September. Entrance stations provide maps and information during summer daytime hours. Fees to enter the park are $10 by automobile or $5 per bicycle up to a maximum of $10 per family. For more information or current road and weather conditions, please go on-line to www.nps.gov/crla or call (541)594-3100. The Rim Drive The most popular bicycle route at Crater Lake is the 33-mile Rim Drive. This road provides spectacular views of Crater Lake and the surrounding area throughout its length. The road is narrow with long, steep grades. Most cyclists start from the Park Headquarters area and ride around the lake clockwise. This direction puts one of the steepest and longest grades at the beginning of the trip. Altitude, climb, and distance estimates are listed below, assuming a clockwise trip. Waypoints and Distances Map Point 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) Point Name Park HQ Rim Village Discovery Point Watchman Trailhead North Junction Cleetwood Cove Wineglass Skell Head Cloudcap Kerr Notch Dutton Ridge Vidae Falls Park HQ Total Mileage 0.0mi 3.0 4.1 6.8 9.1 13.7 16.5 17.9 20.9 24.4 27.0 30.0 33.0 Climb (feet} 0 650 50 400 200 450 350 400 600 0 650 0 150 Distance (from last} 0.0mi 3.0 1.1 2.7 2.3 4.6 2.8 1.4 2.6 3.5 2.6 3.0 3.0 Elevation (feet} 6450 7100 7100 7350 7050 6850 6700 7100 7700 6700 7350 6600 6450 Maps l , ---=::, I To Klamath Falls EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA '" Revised 7/12