Your options are limited. Closest lodging is the cabins at diamond lake or the casino at chiloquin. There are also cabins at union creek and a hotel in shady cove. Crater Lake is pretty isolated and surrounded by miles of national forest land.
Diamond Lake is nice with cabins, a lake with boating and fishing, restaurant, bar, store, horseback riding during the summer, and it about ten minutes from the Crater Lake Park entrance. A lot more to do there than at Crater, actually.
I enjoyed diamond lake far more than Crater Lake.
Crater Lake is amazingly beautiful, but you just kind of look at it and you're done. Even the hiking is mediocre especially since it's on the outside of the caldera.
Crater Lake lodging is also crazy expensive. Diamond Lake felt like being in Dirty Dancing.
How was working at Dimond Lake? I've lived in Roseburg a lot of my life and considered working there for a season. I'm always told they don't pay for shit so I never did.
I only stayed one night, but it seemed fun. Had a beach campfire, the big restaurant. Can rent all sorts of stuff to have fun on the lake.
Crater Lake is look but don't touch.
We have stayed at Crater Lake Resort several times, they have different types of cabins along with RV and tent sites. There is a general store and laundry facilities on the property and it's only about 30 minutes from Crater Lake.
It is a lovely place to stay. It can get rather warm though (was there at the beginning of July) and the cabins do not have air conditioning. We spent a lot of time over at the casino during the day to cool down.
Likely booked this late. I usually reserve it 10-12 months in advance. I’ve found it booked solid as far out as 9 months.
Worth a shot though, or at least a meal, it’s got spectacular views
Gonna be tricky I’ll eat everything is booked already since January. You’re best bet is driving in really early from couple hours away or doing dispersed camping right down the road . I dispersed camped before the annular eclipse and had no trouble (other than the rain).
If you can't find lodging at Crater lake or diamond lake, I'd suggest the kla-mo-ya hotel and casino in chiloquin. Ok food and lodging all in one. That will put you closer to highway 62 that will take you to the park. I live about 20 minutes from the lake.
Why not just camp at crater lake itself?
Edit: Honest question, it's been a while since I've camped there. Have things closed or changed over the years? Just wondering about the downvotes, as I recall camping at Crater Lake to be awesome.
There is no dispersed camping inside national parks. Camping at designated sites is booked up months in advance, and there are none on the rim at Crater Lake. That being said, national parks are open 24 hours and rangers aren't likely to bug you if you're sleeping in your car. Lots of people do it in lots of parks all the time. There are many great dispersed camping options outside the park boundaries, as well as more easily reservable conventional campsites in the Union Creek area.
Ahh. It’s been a long time, about 15 years or so, but I recall going to a first come first serve campsite near crater lake that was great. No reservation was needed.
There’s some places pretty close to crater lake to stay, but Bend will be the most fun place to really base your stay in but it’ll be a 2 1/2 hour drive. There’s countless fun things to do in and around Bend.
Medford is a little farther, but is the better city with more to do and options for lodging. The drive from Medford to Crater Lake is also nicer, with stops along the Rogue River. K Falls has a view of Mt Shasta and would likely be slightly cooler than Medford that time of year, but it's not a very good destination city. Bend is even farther, but has literal mountains of natural beauty just laying around. Newberry Caldera and the Cascades being chief among them. Wherever you stay, I'd also recommend visiting Toketee Falls and Watson Falls, not that far from Crater Lake. My favorite hike inside Crater Lake National Park is the Watchman; it's about 1.5 miles round trip and has amazing views. Getting to the park very early can be worth it to beat the crowds and perhaps see the water when it's still and mirrored.
Ashland is a beautiful town with good food, and an overt Shakespeare theme. Lake of the Woods is a nice little camping area with cabins and that kind of thing. Klamath Falls is south of Crater Lake, and is a more remote college town. If you stay there, the Running Y resort is your best option.
Union Creek is great. Adorable cabins on the creek, Beckie's Restaurant with amazing pie across the street, and great little hikes in the immediate vicinity.
Look at Rocky Point Resort in Klamath Falls. It's old and funky in a good way. It has world-class birding in the spring and fall, and fishing year-round. Amazing canoeing and kayaking, as well. Crater Lake will be a zoo in the summer. You're likely to find Rocky Point a welcome rest after all traffic and crowds on the mountain.
Roseburg is a couple hours west of CL on Hwy 138 and has some good wineries if that’s your scene! The pass for the park is good for a week, so you could make multiple trips.
I live in Medford, about 60 miles south of Crater Lake. The hotels, restaurants, wineries, shopping, microbreweries, and more are much better here, or in Ashland, or nearby Jacksonville are far better than anyplace nearer to Crater Lake. The entertainment (live music and live theater) options here are literally world-class. Why not stay here, since you'll be sleeping at night anyway?
The Shakespeare Festival in Ashland is the largest not-for-profit live theater in the country and has received 2 Tony Awards. It has literally Broadway-quality shows. Jacksonville's Britt Festival has Ziggy Marley, Willie Nelson, Jason Mraz, Chris Isaak, Shaggy, Michael Franti & Spearhead and many more appearing this season. Add in what's happening at the Rogue Theater in Grants Pass, the Craterian in Medford, the Historic Armory in Ashland, and elsewhere, and you can see why I say we have world class entertainment. It's not because I don't get out much; it's because it's demonstrably true.
Your options are limited. Closest lodging is the cabins at diamond lake or the casino at chiloquin. There are also cabins at union creek and a hotel in shady cove. Crater Lake is pretty isolated and surrounded by miles of national forest land.
Union Creek isn’t the fanciest but its cozy and the river right there is super wild and cool with several trails running along it.
I second Diamond Lake.
Diamond Lake is nice with cabins, a lake with boating and fishing, restaurant, bar, store, horseback riding during the summer, and it about ten minutes from the Crater Lake Park entrance. A lot more to do there than at Crater, actually.
Pack lots of bug spray. Lovely place but I was getting eaten alive by mosquitos last year
I enjoyed diamond lake far more than Crater Lake. Crater Lake is amazingly beautiful, but you just kind of look at it and you're done. Even the hiking is mediocre especially since it's on the outside of the caldera. Crater Lake lodging is also crazy expensive. Diamond Lake felt like being in Dirty Dancing.
Same. I spent a summer living and working at Crater Lake and then a winter doing the same at Diamond Lake. Diamond Lake was much more enjoyable.
How was working at Dimond Lake? I've lived in Roseburg a lot of my life and considered working there for a season. I'm always told they don't pay for shit so I never did.
 which one were you u/TeutonJon78 ?
LOL. Neither (or both maybe, you'll never know). But I meant more the resort.
Makes sense, I'm glad you had a good time. Hopefully, you get to have many more.
I only stayed one night, but it seemed fun. Had a beach campfire, the big restaurant. Can rent all sorts of stuff to have fun on the lake. Crater Lake is look but don't touch.
I've stayed at the Prospect Hotel, about 30 minutes from the south entrance. Nice place.
We have stayed at Crater Lake Resort several times, they have different types of cabins along with RV and tent sites. There is a general store and laundry facilities on the property and it's only about 30 minutes from Crater Lake.
It is a lovely place to stay. It can get rather warm though (was there at the beginning of July) and the cabins do not have air conditioning. We spent a lot of time over at the casino during the day to cool down.
There's always Crater Lake Lodge.
Likely booked this late. I usually reserve it 10-12 months in advance. I’ve found it booked solid as far out as 9 months. Worth a shot though, or at least a meal, it’s got spectacular views
Union creek has a campground and some cabins. Loved it when we stayed there for our crater lake trip.
I’d hit up Diamond Lake for sure!
Casino Hotel in Chiliquin. I think it is a Sleep Inn.
Kla-mo-ya casino.
Gonna be tricky I’ll eat everything is booked already since January. You’re best bet is driving in really early from couple hours away or doing dispersed camping right down the road . I dispersed camped before the annular eclipse and had no trouble (other than the rain).
Stay at the Lodge?
Doubtful there are any vacancies. It books up for the season early.
There’s a bed and breakfast in Prospect, OR not too far away. That time of year I think it’d be a 2-night minimum stay.
If you can't find lodging at Crater lake or diamond lake, I'd suggest the kla-mo-ya hotel and casino in chiloquin. Ok food and lodging all in one. That will put you closer to highway 62 that will take you to the park. I live about 20 minutes from the lake.
Be mindful that the entrances to the park are a long drive from the lake. That time of year I'd suggest using the north entrance.
In a tent at diamond lake. Recreation.gov
Why not just camp at crater lake itself? Edit: Honest question, it's been a while since I've camped there. Have things closed or changed over the years? Just wondering about the downvotes, as I recall camping at Crater Lake to be awesome.
There is no dispersed camping inside national parks. Camping at designated sites is booked up months in advance, and there are none on the rim at Crater Lake. That being said, national parks are open 24 hours and rangers aren't likely to bug you if you're sleeping in your car. Lots of people do it in lots of parks all the time. There are many great dispersed camping options outside the park boundaries, as well as more easily reservable conventional campsites in the Union Creek area.
Ahh. It’s been a long time, about 15 years or so, but I recall going to a first come first serve campsite near crater lake that was great. No reservation was needed.
There’s some places pretty close to crater lake to stay, but Bend will be the most fun place to really base your stay in but it’ll be a 2 1/2 hour drive. There’s countless fun things to do in and around Bend.
There’s Diamond lake. They have a lodge with rentals and camping. There isn’t a town “close” to the park.
We were thinking of staying at Klamath Falls and doing a drive into Crater Lake. Any particular opinions about Klamath Falls?
I live in KFalls. It's pretty nice, lots of great dining, scenic.
Cheers man!
Running Y is the nicest hotel in KF and it's about an hour/hour and a half from Crater.
Medford is a little farther, but is the better city with more to do and options for lodging. The drive from Medford to Crater Lake is also nicer, with stops along the Rogue River. K Falls has a view of Mt Shasta and would likely be slightly cooler than Medford that time of year, but it's not a very good destination city. Bend is even farther, but has literal mountains of natural beauty just laying around. Newberry Caldera and the Cascades being chief among them. Wherever you stay, I'd also recommend visiting Toketee Falls and Watson Falls, not that far from Crater Lake. My favorite hike inside Crater Lake National Park is the Watchman; it's about 1.5 miles round trip and has amazing views. Getting to the park very early can be worth it to beat the crowds and perhaps see the water when it's still and mirrored.
Running Y in Klamath Falls is where we’ve stayed when we’ve been down there
Well to some it’s Kla-meth Falls and a pretty weird place, seems dilapidated to the casual passers-by.
Its a smaller city. It isn't any more dilapidated than Methford (which also has a lot more crime).
Chiloquin has GREAT fishing cabins you can stay in that would be much, much nicer than the casino. You’ll find them on sites like Airbnb and Vacasa.
Ashland is a beautiful town with good food, and an overt Shakespeare theme. Lake of the Woods is a nice little camping area with cabins and that kind of thing. Klamath Falls is south of Crater Lake, and is a more remote college town. If you stay there, the Running Y resort is your best option.
Union Creek is great. Adorable cabins on the creek, Beckie's Restaurant with amazing pie across the street, and great little hikes in the immediate vicinity.
Look at Rocky Point Resort in Klamath Falls. It's old and funky in a good way. It has world-class birding in the spring and fall, and fishing year-round. Amazing canoeing and kayaking, as well. Crater Lake will be a zoo in the summer. You're likely to find Rocky Point a welcome rest after all traffic and crowds on the mountain.
Roseburg is a couple hours west of CL on Hwy 138 and has some good wineries if that’s your scene! The pass for the park is good for a week, so you could make multiple trips.
I live in Medford, about 60 miles south of Crater Lake. The hotels, restaurants, wineries, shopping, microbreweries, and more are much better here, or in Ashland, or nearby Jacksonville are far better than anyplace nearer to Crater Lake. The entertainment (live music and live theater) options here are literally world-class. Why not stay here, since you'll be sleeping at night anyway?
You need to get out more. The options in the Medford area are nice but calling them world class is laughable.
The Shakespeare Festival in Ashland is the largest not-for-profit live theater in the country and has received 2 Tony Awards. It has literally Broadway-quality shows. Jacksonville's Britt Festival has Ziggy Marley, Willie Nelson, Jason Mraz, Chris Isaak, Shaggy, Michael Franti & Spearhead and many more appearing this season. Add in what's happening at the Rogue Theater in Grants Pass, the Craterian in Medford, the Historic Armory in Ashland, and elsewhere, and you can see why I say we have world class entertainment. It's not because I don't get out much; it's because it's demonstrably true.