Crater Lake

Difficulty: Little Legs
Trip Type: Day Hike
Distance: ~4 miles round trip
Elevation: 6,612 feet
Coordinates: 45.31463, -109.64767
Time: ~1 hour and 30 minutes to reach the lake
Access: Maintained trail past Lilly Pad Lake.
Bugs: Minimal (little to no bugs)

Getting there

The trailhead begins from West Rosebud Road. There is a parking area available, but it is small and can only accommodate a couple of vehicles. If full, you will need to find a suitable place to park safely on the roadside.

The hike

From the trailhead, follow the Ernie Strum Trail past Lilly Pad Lake to continue up toward Crater Lake. The hike takes roughly 1.5 hours one way and involves 800 feet of elevation gain and 200 feet of descent on the inbound trek. The route remains relatively easy for most hikers, though a section of old road along the way is marked as private access. The hike from Lily Pad to Crater is a little uphill jaunt

Tips & safety

• Seasonality: Avoid early spring attempts; deep snow in early April turned us back because it was too challenging for kids. June visits feature great weather, pleasantly warm lake water, and small minnows that will nibble at your feet if you wade in for a swim.

• Wildlife: We did see a black bear in this area. Carry bear spray and stay alert.

• Camping: There is very little to no camping available around the shoreline at Crater Lake.

• Fishing: FWP and GNIS data listed for Rainbow Trout. We caught fish in the 8 to 12-inch range.