About Crater Lake Weather
Crater Lake National Park is defined by its winter weather. Snow generally begins to accumulate each year in October and doesn't melt until the following June, or even later. The park averages 533 inches of snow per winter, with 15 feet or more on the ground at any one time. The massive meltoff of this snow is what filled the caldera to create the lake. Summer weather is more predictable, with warm, dry days and cool nights.
Visitation Seasons
The spring is much the same as the winter at Crater Lake. While the temperatures warm as the season goes on, the deep blanket of snow remains, not reliably melting out until well into the summer months.
The summer is short in the park, and is when almost all visitors arrive. Snow can remain until August, and all of Rim Drive does not open until well into July in some years.
The fall starts out as a great and relatively quiet time to visit, until snows start to close things down, usually in October. Snow should be expected any time in September as well.
The winter brings some of the heaviest snows in the United States to the park. The road to Rim Village is normally kept open, but all of Rim Drive and the North Entrance Road are long since buried in snow. Most facilities are closed, and a vehicle (and driver) well experienced in winter driving are recommended for a visit.
