Hiking the Raven Trail in Crater Lake National Park
Distance (Roundtrip): 2.0 miles / 3.2 km
Come winter, the Raven Trail is, without a doubt, the best and most accessible thing to do in Crater Lake National Park.
That being said, there are a number of things to be aware of before visiting Crater Lake during this colder time of the year, most notably the weather, which can be trickier to plan than you might think!
What to Expect in Crater Lake During the Winter?
If you’re like me and decide to visit Oregon’s only National Park during the winter, here are some things you can expect!
The first and most important thing is that when I say 'winter,' that could mean anywhere from early fall into the beginning of the summer. This also means that the East and West Rim Drive will be closed when there is snow on the ground.
Regardless, to keep the park open year-round, the National Park Service does a great job at plowing the south and west entrance of Highway 62, the Crater Lake Highway, leading to the Steel Visitor Center. However, even though the road may be plowed, driving to Crater Lake may require tire chains at any time during the winter season.
Therefore, it’s strongly advised that you check the official National Park website for updated winter information.
My Print - Crater Lake
Raven Trailhead Parking
During the winter, the road into Crater Lake National Park is only cleared as far as the Steel Visitor Center, which is exactly where the Raven Trailhead parking is located.
That being said, always check the local forecast before making the drive up to Crater Lake, as weather outside of the Cascades, such as in Bend or along the I-5, will be drastically different from the park.
Google Maps Directions: Steel Visitor Center
Hiking Checklist - Crater Lake (Winter)
Before visiting, be aware that the National Park Service may strongly suggest that you hike with an avalanche beacon on the Raven Trail because there is one section that has the potential to slide if it becomes too loaded.
That being said, the risk of an avalanche on the Raven Trail is low, but it’s never zero!
Therefore, if you talk to the park ranger at the entrance station on the way in, they may ask you to carry an avalanche beacon, as they did with us.
Hiking the Raven Trail to Crater Lake
Be sure to check the webcam on the National Park website before you make the long drive to the park, as the view of Crater Lake is only visible 50% of the time during the winter season.
In all, the Raven Trail from the Steel Visitor Center is just under 2 miles (3.2 km) roundtrip.
However, I strongly advise that you come prepared to snowshoeing or cross-country ski, as walking in the deep snow can be very tricky and impractical after a recent storm.
Furthermore, the snowshoes here are the exact same ones that I used on my three-week Denali expedition, and they would be more than sufficient for Crater Lake as well.
The Raven Trail begins just to the right of the closed gate that leads to the Rim Village.
From here, the trail should be fairly easy to follow, granted that it hasn’t snowed recently, but if you’re having a hard time finding where to go, look for the trail markers on the trees.
As mentioned previously, there is one small section of the Raven Trail that’s prone to an avalanche sliding. Therefore, come prepared with an avalanche beacon in case of an emergency, and if the conditions and/ or the Park Service tells you it’s not safe, I recommend trying another day. Avalanche training is not something that’s secondhand knowledge for most people, meaning that help is likely very limited on the trail in the event of a slide.
All in all, I have seen people more than once make the long drive to Crater Lake in the winter unprepared for the amount of snow. Sometimes visitors just end up turning around after talking with the ranger at the entrance station.
However, if you take the list above seriously, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be able to see the lake on a clear day!
Safety
Overall, visiting Crater Lake in the winter is always more of an adventure than it is during the summer.
Therefore, it’s important to carry tire chains when required and dress appropriately for the higher elevations, as the weather when you get out of the car at the visitor center will be shockingly different from wherever you drove up.
Moreover, the road to the visitor center should be plowed and maintained, but at an elevation between seven and eight thousand feet, the road conditions will likely be very snowy and icy.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official National Park website.
