Crater Lake National Park protects the deepest lake in the United States, formed 7,700 years ago when a tall peak collapsed in a violent eruption. The lake is fed by rain and snow, with 4.9 trillion gallons of water bringing the depth to 1,943 feet. If you hope to swim or boat in Crater Lake, you’d better do it before 2026 or be prepared to wait until 2028.
The Cleetwood Cove trail is the only legal access to the shores of Crater Lake, typically open from mid-June to late October. It provides access for all swimming, wading, fishing, and boat tours on the lake. However, during the 2026 and 2027 seasons the trail will be closed for a major rehabilitation project, leaving visitors hoping to get on the water out of luck.
The project is set to include an rehabilitation of the entire 1.1 mile trail, rockfall scaling and mitigation along high risk zones, removal and replacement of a failed bulkhead/dock with a structurally stable marina, and replacement of the outdated and undersized composting toilets near the marina. Planning, design, and compliance for the project have all been completed.
As the only access to the Crater Lake Shoreline, the Cleetwood Cove Trail is the most heavily used trail in the park. The work aims to address multiple critical safety issues along the trail. The trail will be closed for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
