Best time to visit Crater Lake National Park.
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- Closures, fire restrictions, construction and water: NPS Crater Lake current conditions
- We are independent of the National Park Service. The official pages above are the source of record for anything that changes.
Compare Crater Lake by month.
Compare monthly visit counts with the July peak, check average weather, and read the seasonal planning notes. Linked months have their own guide. Road access needs a separate check.
Weather · NOAA normals, CRATER LAKE NPS HQ (6,485 ft)
| Month | Crowds | Weather | Roads & lodging | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January |
Lowest
4% of July · 6K avg
|
Harsh
33°F / 20°F (1°C / -7°C)
|
Plan by route
Use the South or West Entrance; check the road to Rim Village separately.
|
Fewest average visits, but a snowy winter trip with limited road access. |
| February |
Lowest
4% of July · 7K avg
|
Harsh
34°F / 19°F (1°C / -7°C)
|
Plan by route
Winter driving may require chains or snow tires.
|
Cold and snowy. Plan around winter access rather than a drive around the lake. |
| March |
Lowest
7% of July · 11K avg
|
Harsh
36°F / 20°F (2°C / -6°C)
|
Plan by route
Rim Drive is normally closed to cars during winter.
|
Still winter conditions at headquarters, despite the spring calendar.Read the March guide |
| April |
Lowest
10% of July · 17K avg
|
Harsh
40°F / 23°F (5°C / -5°C)
|
Plan by route
Plowing does not establish an opening date; check road status.
|
Snow remains central to trip planning. Road reopening has no fixed date.Read the April guide |
| May |
Quiet
22% of July · 36K avg
|
Harsh
49°F / 29°F (9°C / -1°C)
|
Plan by route
Lingering snow can prevent access to much of the park.
|
Lingering snow limits access; do not assume summer sightseeing is available.Read the May guide |
| June |
Moderate
44% of July · 72K avg
|
Good
57°F / 34°F (14°C / 1°C)
|
Plan by route
North Entrance and Rim Drive access depend on snow removal.
|
A transition month. Sunny days can alternate with rain and snow.Read the June guide |
| July |
Peak
100% of July · 164K avg
|
Ideal
69°F / 41°F (21°C / 5°C)
|
Plan by route
Confirm your intended roads are open before setting out.
|
Warmer weather arrives, alongside the highest average visit count. |
| August |
Busy
76% of July · 125K avg
|
Ideal
69°F / 42°F (21°C / 5°C)
|
Plan by route
Use current road status for your route, not monthly weather averages.
|
Warm average days with fewer visits than July; pack layers for cool nights. |
| September |
Moderate
49% of July · 81K avg
|
Ideal
63°F / 37°F (17°C / 3°C)
|
Plan by route
Check road status and the forecast before a rim drive.
|
Our compromise: cooler than August, with fewer average visits.Read the September guide |
| October |
Quiet
23% of July · 37K avg
|
Harsh
51°F / 30°F (10°C / -1°C)
|
Plan by route
Rim Drive and the North Entrance close with the first big snowstorm or November 1.
|
Rain and snow can return. Check roads before planning a rim circuit.Read the October guide |
| November |
Lowest
7% of July · 12K avg
|
Harsh
38°F / 23°F (3°C / -5°C)
|
Plan by route
Highway 62 access does not guarantee the road to Rim Village is open.
|
A winter visit, with Rim Drive and the North Entrance normally closed to cars.Read the November guide |
| December |
Lowest
4% of July · 7K avg
|
Harsh
33°F / 19°F (0°C / -7°C)
|
Plan by route
Heavy snow can close the Rim Village road for days or weeks.
|
Snowy and cold. Even the road to Rim Village can close during heavy snow.Read the December guide |
Open the full Crater Lake crowd calendar
Rain, snow, latest-year counts, and the weather station
These normals describe park headquarters, not the lake surface or every rim location. Weather varies with elevation and exposure. Check road and trail conditions separately from these climate averages.
| Month | Visits in 2025 | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4,958 | 10.10″ | 86.5″ |
| Feb | 3,060 | 7.53″ | 68.9″ |
| Mar | 5,633 | 7.81″ | 71.9″ |
| Apr | 14,832 | 6.16″ | 48.7″ |
| May | 31,922 | 3.65″ | 14.5″ |
| Jun | 73,327 | 2.27″ | 3.7″ |
| Jul | 178,886 | 0.80″ | 0.0″ |
| Aug | 189,696 | 0.83″ | 0.0″ |
| Sep | 107,486 | 1.93″ | 1.8″ |
| Oct | 11,422 | 4.80″ | 17.2″ |
| Nov | 6,380 | 9.60″ | 59.3″ |
| Dec | 4,640 | 11.28″ | 90.6″ |
How these scores are computed (and why there's no combined "best month")
Crowd score
Formula: 100 − (this month's visits ÷ park's peak month visits) × 100. Each park scored against its own peak, not against other parks.
Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package 2025, Recreation Visits (TRV), 5-year monthly mean (2021-2025). Reproduce these numbers on the NPS IRMA Stats portal.
Reading it: July at Crater Lake reads 0 (peak). January reads 96 (quietest). A 50 means about half the park's peak crowd.
Weather score
Formula: weatherScore = round(max(0, min(100, dayComfort − precipPenalty − snowPenalty − freezePenalty))). The piecewise day-comfort function is continuous at every boundary.
- Day comfort:
tmax < 50°F →
max(10, (tmax − 20) × 2)(cold tail); 50–60°F →60 + (tmax − 50) × 4(ramp to 100); 60–78°F → 100 (plateau); 78–85°F →100 − (tmax − 78) × 5(ramp to 65); > 85°F →max(30, 65 − (tmax − 85) × 5)(hot tail). - Precip penalty:
max(0, prcpIn − 1.5) × 8; kicks in above 1.5 in / month. - Snow penalty:
snowIn × 2.5. If the selected station does not publish a snowfall normal, the score applies no snow penalty and labels snowfall as unavailable. - Night-freeze penalty:
max(0, 32 − tmin) × 1.5when tmin < 32°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station CRATER LAKE NPS HQ, OR US (USC00351946, 6,485 ft).
Caveat: These normals describe park headquarters, not the lake surface or every rim location. Weather varies with elevation and exposure. Check road and trail conditions separately from these climate averages.
Road access
Road access is described in the route notes. We do not assign a percentage where the available evidence cannot support one. Seasonal patterns are not a guarantee that a road will be open on your trip.
Why no combined score?
A combined "best month" number forces a weighting: how much do you care about crowds vs. weather vs. access? Those weights are personal. A photographer optimizing for golden light weights differently than a parent locked to school break weights differently than a winter visitor with a 4WD. We show the inputs and let you decide. Use the per-month grid above to navigate to a deeper page.
When are roads and lodges open?
Roads, entrances, and lodges by season. Road closures and lodge seasons decide what a month can actually offer. Verify with NPS before you travel; these change.
Last updated · Oct 15, 2026
Rim Drive and North Entrance
These roads normally close with the first big snowstorm or November 1, whichever comes first. Reopening depends on snow removal and has no fixed date. See NPS seasonal road guidance.
South and West Entrances
Highway 62 provides the normal winter approach. Chains or snow tires may be required; review NPS driving directions before departure.
Road to Rim Village
The 3-mile road from headquarters is kept open when possible, but heavy snow can close it for days or weeks. Read winter planning guidance and check road status before traveling.
Questions about when to go.
What is the best month to visit Crater Lake?
The best time to visit Crater Lake National Park is July through September for warmer, drier weather. Road reopening has no fixed date. Check official road status before choosing your route.
When should I avoid Crater Lake?
July has the highest average recreation visitation. For weather, the tougher month is December, when conditions limit how much you can comfortably do.
What are the quietest months at Crater Lake?
The quietest stretch is January, February, and December. January is the low point, averaging about 5,756 recreation visits, roughly 4% of the July peak.
Which month has the best weather at Crater Lake?
Choose August for warmer average days: headquarters averages a 69°F (21°C) high. September is cooler but has fewer average visits. NPS recommends July through September for the best chance of warm, dry weather; check road status separately.
Is June a good time to visit Crater Lake?
June can work for a flexible visit, but lingering snow can prevent access to much of the park. Sunny days can alternate with rain and snow. For warmer weather, choose July through September and still check your intended roads before departure.
Can you visit Crater Lake in winter?
Yes, with winter driving preparation and flexible plans. South and West Entrances on Highway 62 normally stay open, but heavy snow can close the road to Rim Village. January's average headquarters high is 33°F (1°C); a low visit count does not mean easy sightseeing.
Is October a good time to visit Crater Lake?
October brings a risk of rain and snow, and seasonal road closures can begin with the first big snowstorm. Choose September for a better chance of warm, dry weather. If visiting in October, check roads and the forecast before committing to your plans.
How this page
is built.
Not affiliated with or endorsed
by the National Park Service.
Crowd numbers on this page are the Recreation Visits column from the NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package, 2025. Monthly figures are five-year arithmetic means (2021-2025) against each park's own peak month. We do not compare parks against each other for the crowd score: only against themselves.
Weather numbers are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, drawn from the CRATER LAKE NPS HQ, OR US station (USC00351946). The station sits at 6,485 ft; the station caveat explains how well these normals represent the places you plan to visit.
Access notes are an independent summary of NPS operating posture. We do not republish NPS pages; we link them. Conditions change; confirm road status, reservation requirements, and lodging windows on https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm before travel.
Annual visit totals, records, and year-over-year changes: Crater Lake visitation by year.
- Air quality: AirNow.gov; real-time air quality and smoke conditions.
- Park conditions: NPS Crater Lake current conditions, verify before you drive.
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