Is the Crater Lake Trolley Tour Worth It?

About the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

Where the Trolleys Came From

The history of how Crater Lake acquired the trolleys is almost as interesting as the history of Crater Lake itself.

The trolleys are actually buses originally created to transport people during the 2006 Superbowl held in Detroit. After the football game, the trolleys were left to rot for years in a field.

The National Park Service purchased this fleet of trolleys, refurbished them, and gave them a new purpose. Some of these trolleys had less than 1,000 miles on them and were in otherwise good condition aside from their decaying exteriors.

The trolley tours in Crater Lake have now been running for over 13 years.

What the Trolley Tour Is Like

The 2-hour Crater Lake Trolley Tour is guided by a park ranger, who sits up front with a microphone and narrates the entire ride. The guide will tell you interesting facts and history of the lake, both on the trolley and at the stops.

There are about 25 seats on the tour, and you are given cushions for a more comfortable ride.

You’ll learn some interesting facts like these:

• Crater Lake is not actually a crater (formed by impact) but a volcanic caldera (formed by eruption). I guess “Caldera Lake” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it?
• The first gold prospectors to discover Crater Lake in 1853 and 1862 named the lake “Deep Blue Lake” and “Blue Lake” because of its startling color.
• Crater Lake became a national park in 1902, partly because the land was worthless, meaning it didn’t have minerals or logging opportunities.
• Crater Lake has some of the cleanest water in the world. The water is replaced every 250 years due to evaporation.

Pros and Cons about the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

Pros about the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

You’ll gain a newfound appreciation for Crater Lake. Your first impression of the lake may be like mine: It’s beautiful…so what? After one look at it, I was ready to go (sorta). There’s only so many vantage points you can visit before thinking the lake still looks like a lake.

The Crater Lake Trolley Tour will give you a newfound appreciation for this national park.

The 2-hour tour is guided by a knowledgeable park ranger, and you’ll learn so much about the lake’s fascinating geology and history along the way.

Our guide pointed out rock formations and 1,000-year-old trees I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

Afterwards, I was SO grateful to have gone on the tour. Otherwise, I would’ve missed out.

You don’t have to deal with traffic or parking. I’ve come to learn that sometimes the mountainous roads in national parks are a bit scary. Rim Drive in Crater Lake is not that bad, but I was happy to leave the driving to someone else.

Cons about the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

It’s costly. The cost of the tour is in addition to the national park entrance fees, so it can really add up, especially if you are a large group. It may seem too expensive for some, which is understandable.

It may be crowded in the trolley. If you book a trolley during peak afternoon time (like we did), it will probably be full. The max amount of people is 25, but it still felt like a lot at times.

Stops on the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

The Crater Lake Trolley Tour makes at least 5 stops, and sometimes as much as 7.

How many stops depends on the time of day and the amount of traffic.

During my trolley tour, which was at 1 p.m. on a Sunday in the summer, we made 5 stops.

My Trolley Tour Stop 1: Wizard Island Overlook

Wizard Island is a cinder cone volcano, so named because it looks like a wizard hat.

From the Wizard Island Overlook, you can see the island in all its glory.

Wizard Island Overlook is the stop that stands out most to me, even all these months later.

Our tour guide, Courtney, offered to take photos of all the groups on the tour, which was much appreciated.

My Trolley Tour Stop 2: Devils Backbone

At the Devils Backbone stop, our tour guide, Courtney, followed us out of the trolley and pointed out the Devils Backbone formation as well as some other cool rock formations (like one that looked like a dragon).

The tour guide steps out at every stop to tell you about the features that are most prominent there, which was a pleasant surprise.

My Trolley Tour Stop 3: Steel Bay

Steel Bay is named after a man from Kansas, William Gladstone Steel, who first saw Crater Lake in 1885. He was so moved by it, he committed himself to making it a national park. His journey to do so took 17 years.

At Steel Bay, we also learned about the “old man on the lake,” which is a tree log that floats vertically in the lake, with 4 feet of it above water. It was 450 years old before it fell, and it was first spotted in the 1880s. There’s a superstition that the tree is a guardian of the lake, that it affects weather. Boats are not allowed to get within 10 feet of the tree as it is now protected.

My Trolley Tour Stop 4: Skell Head

The biggest feature at Skell Head was a weather buoy that appeared tiny from this overlook.

The weather buoy collects data, and it was fun to try to spot it (like a game of “Where’s Waldo?”).

It’s quite a large overlook, so lots of space to get a photo here.

My Trolley Tour Stop 5: Diamond Lake Overlook

Road construction at Crater Lake prevented us from being able to completely circumvent the lake, so we had to turn around after Skell Head, and then we made one last stop on the way back.

Diamond Lake Overlook doesn’t overlook Crater Lake but a smaller lake farther away, in the mountains.

Here, our guide told us about Diamond Lake as well as the nearby wildfires and how often lightning strikes in the park.

Best Time to Take the Trolley Tour

The best time to take the trolley tour is in the mornings for a few reasons.

The lighting. The morning light on the lake is the best lighting for photos. It’s also the nicest lighting, in general, for how it makes a pretty mirror effect on the lake.

Less crowds/traffic. The early morning has less cars on Rim Drive, less traffic, less people. So it’s easier and quicker for photos at the stops.

Possibly more stops. With less traffic, the trolley will probably make more stops, allowing you to learn even more about the lake and see it from other vantage points.

Tips for the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

Snag your parking spot early. Head to the Rim Village first, and plan to stay here until your trolley tour. Parking fills up quickly at Rim Village. You don’t want to be left circling the parking lot for half an hour or more, hoping someone will leave. A few people missed our tour because they couldn’t find a parking space. Also, it’s just nice to avoid that hassle altogether. Get here early!

Explore the Discovery Point Trail on/near Rim Village. There is a lot to see of the lake right here in Rim Village, including observatory points, outlooks, and more. You won’t be bored by getting here early.

Eat your lunch at Picnic Hill. If you come around lunch time, you can choose a picnic table at Picnic Hill and eat among the trees. We brought our own lunch and enjoyed doing this. There is a cafe in Rim Village, as well, if you don’t plan to bring a lunch.

Overall Thoughts: Is the Crater Lake Trolley Tour Worth It?

Yes, I think so!

The biggest draw of this tour is the information and history you’ll learn about Crater Lake, straight from a knowledgeable park ranger. This is what made the tour worth the money for me.

If you’re just looking for a ride around the lake, places to take selfies, it won’t be as valuable. You can do that on your own.

But, if you want to learn, and you want to understand the history and significance of Crater Lake aside from it just being a lake, this is the tour for you.

How to Book the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

Book online. For a guaranteed spot in your time slot of choice, book online. You won’t be charged until you arrive for your tour, but your spot will be secure.

Book in person. You can simply book the trolley tour the day of your visit by heading to the trolley ticket office in Rim Village. This can be convenient if you are not sure what time you would like to do the trolley tour.

Does the trolley tour sell out? When I asked this, I was told that the trolley tours are not often sold out. We visited on a summer holiday, peak season, and though our trolley was eventually full, people were still able to buy tickets minutes before we drove off.

Where is the trolley ticket office? It is a parked trolley near the Rim Village Visitor Center. Inside, it has been converted into an office space.

What if you use a wheelchair? The trolleys are ADA accessible, but you need to give 24 hour advance notice to the trolley company if you will be bringing a wheelchair on board. The trolleys only accommodate one wheelchair per tour. The website advises you to call 541-882-1896 prior to booking.

Where to Stay Near Crater Lake

Stay in Crater Lake National Park

The most convenient option would be to stay inside Crater Lake National Park.

However, the cons of staying inside Crater Lake National Park are:

• Power outages
• Nearby wildfires
• Rooms are hard to get

I had been trying for weeks to secure a room reservation only to realize in hindsight we were better off staying elsewhere.

Accommodations in/near Crater Lake:

• Crater Lake Lodge (0 miles away)
• Mazama Village Motor Inn (7 miles away)
• The Cabins at Mazama Village (7 miles away)
• Union Creek Resort (24 miles away)

Where we stayed: We booked one of the cabins in Mazama Village, but there was a power outage that night due to a nearby fire. The idea of staying in a dark cabin with no lights or electricity in the middle of the woods freaked us out, so we checked out early (before sunset) and drove down to stay near the Medford airport, at the Hilton Garden Inn Medford, instead. Luckily, the cabin management refunded us.

The power outage affected the main Crater Lake Lodge as well. We had dinner reservations there but it was cancelled because there was no longer any way to cook the food. I’m not sure how long the power outage lasted, but the staff made it seem like it was a common occurrence.

Stay in Bend, Oregon

Bend is about a 2-hour drive from Crater Lake National Park, so it’s an easy day trip distance.

Why stay in Bend?

• This impressive town is full of charm, especially in its Old Mill District. We LOVED Bend, and I still think of it as my favorite town in the U.S.
• You can rent inflatables and float down the Deschutes River.
• Bend is a walkable town, with a lot of shops and restaurants at easy walking distance, especially in the Old Mill District.
• You can catch a concert at the famous outdoor Hayden Homes Amphitheater.

Location matters in Bend, so if you decide to stay in Bend, stay near the Old Mill District, near the river.

Where we stayed: We stayed at the Hampton Inn and Suites Bend, which is near the Old Mill District, right in front of the Deschutes River and right next door to the Hayden Homes Amphitheater.

We flew into the Bend airport, stayed one night in Bend, then drove to Crater Lake the next day. We regretted such a short trip as Bend was incredible!

Recommended Hotels in Bend:

• Hampton Inn and Suites Bend
• Hilton Garden Inn Bend

FAQs about the Crater Lake Trolley Tour

How long is the Crater Lake Trolley tour?

The Crater Lake Trolley tour lasts 2 hours.

How long does it take to drive the Crater Lake loop?

It takes one hour to drive the Crater Lake loop yourself, without traffic and without stopping.

But of course, you will want to stop at various overlooks, and there could be traffic or parking difficulties, so I’d expect at least 2-3 hours to drive the loop on your own.

How many days do you need at Crater Lake?

I spent one full day in Crater Lake and felt satisfied. We did the trolley tour and walked along the rim at Rim Village.

Although, with only one day, we didn’t have time for any hikes or for the boat tour to Wizard Island.

If you do want to do those things, too, you’ll need at least 2 days.

Is Crater Lake open to the public?

Yes, it’s open to the public year round. However, the Rim Drive closes for the season in the winter. (For reference, Crater Lake receives 45 feet of snow on average.)

Check road and park conditions before heading out so you’ll know what to expect.

How much does it cost to visit Crater Lake National Park?

It costs $20 per vehicle during off season (November 1–May 21), and $30 during peak summer season (May 22–October 31). Read more about fees on the Crater Lake website.

If you plan to visit more than three national parks in a year, definitely get an America the Beautiful pass to save money.

Is Crater Lake worth seeing?

If you’re planning a trip to Oregon, definitely add Crater Lake, if possible. I think it’s worth seeing at least once!

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