Best Time to Visit Crater Lake National Park

Crowds and weather by month · Oregon · NPS visitor counts through 2025

The short answer

Mild weather, fewer people: June — 46% as busy as July, about 2,611 visitors a day, average high 57°F (14°C).

Also mild and quieter: September (55%).

Quietest month: January — about 174 visitors a day, average high 33°F (cold).

Busiest month: July — about 5,734 visitors a day.

Best balance of crowds and weather (Jun)Other monthsNumber = visitors per day as % of the busiest month (100)

Crater Lake month by month

MonthCrowds · visitors/dayHigh / low · precip.
JanuaryQuietest× Cold Very quiet3% of peak · 174/day33° / 20°F1° / -7°C · 10.1 in · 15 wet days · snow 87 in
February× Cold Very quiet5% of peak · 281/day34° / 19°F1° / -7°C · 7.5 in · 14 wet days · snow 69 in
March× Cold Very quiet7% of peak · 379/day36° / 20°F2° / -6°C · 7.8 in · 15 wet days · snow 72 in
April× Cool Very quiet10% of peak · 571/day40° / 23°F5° / -5°C · 6.2 in · 13 wet days · snow 49 in
May× Cool Quiet20% of peak · 1,146/day49° / 29°F9° / -1°C · 3.6 in · 9 wet days · snow 15 in
JuneBest◎ Mild weather, fewer people Moderate46% of peak · 2,611/day57° / 34°F14° / 1°C · 2.3 in · 5 wet days · snow 4 in
July○ Mild weather, busy Peak100% of peak · 5,734/day69° / 41°F21° / 5°C · 0.8 in · 2 wet days
August○ Mild weather, busy Busy77% of peak · 4,401/day69° / 42°F21° / 5°C · 0.8 in · 2 wet days
September◎ Mild weather, fewer people Moderate55% of peak · 3,163/day63° / 37°F17° / 3°C · 1.9 in · 4 wet days · snow 2 in
October× Cool Quiet28% of peak · 1,607/day51° / 30°F10° / -1°C · 4.8 in · 8 wet days · snow 17 in
November× Cold Very quiet6% of peak · 361/day38° / 23°F3° / -5°C · 9.6 in · 14 wet days · snow 59 in
December× Cold Very quiet4% of peak · 208/day33° / 19°F0° / -7°C · 11.3 in · 16 wet days · snow 91 in

Crowds = visitors per day as % of the busiest month: ●●●●● Peak (85–100) · ●●●●○ Busy (60–84) · ●●●○○ Moderate (35–59) · ●●○○○ Quiet (15–34) · ●○○○○ Very quiet (under 15). ◎ mild weather, fewer people · ○ mild but busy · △ very few visitors (often seasonal closures) · × cold or hot. Wet days = days with at least 0.1 in of rain or melted snow.

Visitors per year

YearRecreation visits
2015614,712
2016756,344
2017711,749
2018720,659
2019704,512
2020pandemic670,500
2021pandemic647,751
2022527,259
2023559,976
2024504,942
2025632,242

Where the weather numbers come from

Temperatures and precipitation are 30-year averages (1991–2020) from the NOAA station CRATER LAKE NPS HQ — Park headquarters (6,500 ft), at 6,486 ft (1,977 m). Higher viewpoints and trails can be much colder and snowier than the station.

Months with very few visitors often have roads, campgrounds or visitor centers closed for the season. Check current conditions on the official Crater Lake National Park website before you go.

Other parks at their best in June

All parks in June →

How “best” is chosen: the least crowded month with an average high between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C), skipping months with under 30% of peak visitors because those are often seasonal closures. Crowds compare visitors per day, so short and long months are treated fairly.

Sources. Visitor counts: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics (recreation visits, final figures through 2025; typical months use 2022–2025). Weather: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (station CRATER LAKE NPS HQ, USC00351946, 6,486 ft / 1,977 m). Both are U.S. Government works in the public domain. How we calculate.

Park Months is an independent site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or NOAA.