We spent 1 and 1/2 days and two nights at Crater Lake which I think is about the right amount of time to drive the lake AND see two sunsets and two sunrises.

Usually, you can circumnavigate the lake on the 30 mile Rim Drive with a lookout/pullout about every mile. It’s best to drive it clockwise so that the lake and lookouts are on your right hand side. However, the very east end of the Rim Drive is loop closed for construction this summer so you can only drive 21miles. That notwithstanding, there is plenty to see.

We drove to the end of the road to see the Pinnacles and Plaikni Falls. The Pinnacles are volcanic chimneys that formed as the hot ash cooled.

Plaikni Falls involves a 2 mile round trip hike that is fairly flat except for the last couple hundred yards. This time of year there are quite a few wild flowers, through the water flow is not that high as the falls are sourced by snowmelt.

On the way back to the lodge, there is the obvious turnout to see the Phantom Ship which is the “other” island in the lake. Though it appears fairly small, it’s 400 feet long and as high as a sixteen story building.

You can see Wizard Island from any lookout. All are interesting.