Crater Lake averages 44 feet of snow each year, and is a great winter snow backpacking location since it’s the only time camping on the rim is allowed.
One of the Crater Lake National Park’s highest points, Garfield Peak offers outstanding panoramic views of Crater Lake, the Klamath Basin, and the Cascades.
The trail to the top of Wizard Island offers the unique experience of hiking on a volcano inside a volcano. Wizard Island was formed about 7,300 years ago, emerging from Crater Lake in a shower of fiery cinders that piled into a symmetrical cone, with lava flowing around the island and forming its shores.
Located on the east side of Crater Lake, Mount Scott is the highest point in the park (8,929 ft.), with a working fire lookout at the summit.
A prominent point on the west side of Crater Lake’s rim, Watchman Peak offers spectacular views from the decks of a fire lookout, including Wizard Island directly below, and of the Cascades to the west.