Access to the water in Crater Lake to close for 2026 and 2027

CRATER LAKE – People who have swimming, boating, or fishing in Crater Lake on their bucket lists will have to wait until 2028 if they don’t go this summer. The Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only legal access to the shore of America’s deepest lake and it will close for the 2026 and 2027 to undergo a major rehabilitation project.

Workers will be restoring the trail. They will also restore the retaining walls, address rockfall issues, remove and replace the failed dock with a stable marina, and replace aging composting toilets.

The trail is normally open from mid-June to late October, depending on snow conditions. Cleetwood Cove Trail. It provides the only access for swimming, wading and fishing as well as boating. It’s not an easy hike. In 1.1 miles the trail drops 700 feet in elevation through a series of long switchbacks. The surface is crushed pumice, which can be slippery underfoot when dry. It’s only partially shaded. It ends at a boulder-filled lake shore without shade and no beach.

The majority of search and rescue operations in Crater Lake National Park stem from visitors being unable to go back up the trail once they have hiked down. Walking up the trail is comparable to climbing 65 flights of stairs. It is advised to know your limitations, make frequent rest stops, drink water, and eat a snack as needed on the ascent.

Photo via the National Park Service

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