Vehicle-Free Days at Crater Lake National Park
Salem, Ore.
Travel Oregon announces inaugural car-free weekend at Crater Lake National Park. Photo courtesy of RideCyclingTours.com
Crater Lake National Park superintendent Craig Ackerman announced today that sections of the park will be open only for non-motorized traffic June 21-22. For those who need a bit more time to plan, he also announced the additional vehicle-free days on Sept. 20 and Sept. 27 at Crater Lake. The park plans to preserve every third and fourth Saturday in September as an annual opportunity to highlight non-motorized use of the park and will open for some time in June, depending on snowpack.
“Last year, Crater Lake National Park and Travel Oregon collaborated to open Crater Lake’s East Rim Drive to non-motorized traffic for the inaugural year,” says Ackerman. “After an outpouring of positive feedback from the many people who participated in this rare opportunity, we decided to make it an annual occurrence, but to split it up into three separate weekends to accommodate as many people as possible.”
Whether hiking, biking, walking or running, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy stunning views of Crater Lake from various points around the rim with no vehicle traffic. Crater Lake is not only the deepest lake in the United States, but it has also been dubbed as one of Oregon’s Seven Wonders.
“Crater Lake and scenic cycling opportunities are state treasures that Oregon proudly claims,” says Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Creating world-class recreation opportunities within Oregon’s stunning and varied landscapes is what we do best. I commend Craig and his team for giving Oregonians and visitors yet another opportunity to experience Crater Lake in such a remarkable way.”
The vehicle-free section for the June event will be on East Rim Drive from Cleetwood Cove to the park headquarters and Steel Visitor Center. Visitors can park at Cleetwood Cove (North Entrance) and the Steel Visitor Center (South Entrance). For the September events, the route will be extended to begin at the North Junction headquarters. Parking areas generally fill up quickly and normal park entrance fees apply.
Visit the National Park Service’s website (http://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/vehicle-free-days-on-east-rim-drive.htm) for details on parking, entrance fees, maps for the June and September events and other Crater Lake resources. Go to www.RideOregonRide.com for details on this event and other biking opportunities in Oregon throughout the year.
To learn more about national parks in Oregon and how the National Park Service works with communities to preserve local history, conserve the environment and provide local recreation opportunities, go to www.nps.gov/oregon
