Yes, visitors can swim in Crater Lake. If you're in the mood for a dip, hike along the Cleetwood Cove Trail, a short, steep path from Rim Drive down to the shoreline. You can swim out straight from the shore.
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Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only legal access to the shore of Crater Lake. Depending on snow conditions, the trail is usually open from mid-June to late October. Swimming, wading and fishing are permitted in the lake.
Short answer, yes, but there is actually only one place where it is safe and legal to get down to the lake shore and swim at Crater Lake National Park. It is the Cleetwood Cove Trail, which usually opens mid to late June.
If you want to explore further, follow the crowds across the road and to the top of the trail. From there, you can descend 700 feet in just over a mile to the shores of Crater Lake—the only place in the park you can legally and safely get down to touch the water.
It's harmless to the lake and will eventually settle out to the bottom. How cold is the water? The average temperature (below 300 feet deep) is 38°. In the summer, the surface can warm up to 55° or 60°.
Firearms, bicycles, and motorized vehicles are not permitted in the backcountry. Pets are permitted on leash in developed areas only. Pets often threaten small wildlife.
As you explore the park, you might spot bears, coyotes, elk, porcupines, amphibians, and more, plus a range of birds and insects. The lake and streams in the park are home to diverse species of fish and animals, including the endangered bull trout and the Mazama newt, which is only found at Crater Lake.
The park has more than 90 miles of hiking trails, but in May and June they are typically covered by deep snow. When snow-covered, most trails are either too difficult to follow, or too dangerous.
Lodging and CampingThe lodge is typically open mid-May through early-October and is managed by Crater Lake Hospitality. Learn how to reserve a room. The Cabins at Mazama Village are typically open mid-May to late September, & are managed by Crater Lake Hospitality.
Widely known for its rich blue color and extreme clarity, which averages 102 ft (31m) deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It is one of the top ten deepest in the world.
Fishing is not allowed within 200 feet of the boat docks. and is not advised where people are swimming. During the summer when public boat tours are operating, fishing is permitted around the lake shore and from the docks and shore of Wizard Island.
Tribe members recognize Crater Lake as a site of power and danger and fear the dangerous beings that are believed to live inside the lake. According to legend, the lake was a sort of doorway or crossroads between the darkness of the Below-World, or Hell.