A quiet and serene lake in Oregon is about to become a lot busier according to Google.
That’s because Crater Lake National Park was officially declared the top trending United States national park on Google last year.
Back in 2023, the lake only received a modest 559,000 visits according to the official information from the National Park Service. That’s compared to 3.8 million at Yosemite National Park and even 1.3 million at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
What’s So Special About Crater Lake?
So, what’s so special about Crater Lake? It’s not hard to understand. The lake, born from a collapsed volcano fed by rain and snow, is stunningly clear blue.
It is also officially the deepest lake in the entire country at 1,943 feet and one of the deepest lakes in the entire world. The lake that takes the world title is Lake Baikal in Siberia at 5,387 feet.
Tourists love Crater Lake National Park as a place to get away from it all and closer to nature.
This time of year, it is all about cross-country skiing and snowshoeing for travelers. There are many backcountry trails where travelers can enjoy a slice of Oregon’s winter peace and tranquility.
In the summer, the action turns to hiking, especially on the Sun Notch Trail.
However, the most popular tourist activity year-round is simply driving on the Rim Drive and getting spectacular photos of the lake and surrounding volcano shaped mountains. Another popular photo attraction is Wizard Island, a small cinder cone formed island on the lake’s western edge.
Northwest National Parks Trending With Travelers
Crater Lake National Park was actually part of a trend in most trending national parks Googled in 2024.
Pacific Northwest national parks dominated the top five slots in trending national parks last year.
Mountain Rainier National Park in Washington came in at No. 2, followed by Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska at No. 3.
The fourth spot went to North Cascades National Park in Washington.
The only non-Pacific Northwest national park to make the top five was Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park at No. 5.
Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska was also one of the seldom visited national parks to strangely make the list with less than 18,000 visitors in 2023.
What Tourists Need to Know
Getting to Crater Lake National Park is not too difficult from Medford. Travelers should follow Highway 62 to the park’s West Entrance, which is open year-round.
From Eugene and Portland, tourists can exit Interstate 5 just south of Eugene. Take Highway 58 to Highway 97. If the North Entrance is open, turn west on Highway 138 to the park’s North Entrance. However, the North Entrance is subject to winter weather closure.
Alternatively, travelers from Eugene and Portland can continue south on Highway 97 toward the town of Chiloquin and take Highway 62 to the park’s South Entrance.
The entry fee is $20 through May 21 and then $30 from May 22 through October 31.
Tourists can also purchase a Crater Lake Annual Pass for $55, or an annual pass good for federal lands nationwide for $80.
