Lost Creek - Crater Lake National Park

It was only $5 a night to stay here! Granted there was no running water and the only toilets were plastic portable ones but to camp in the incredible Crater Lake National Park that felt like a steal! Lost Creek is tent camping only and there are no fires allowed. There's only a handful of sites that were almost full by later afternoon. The sites are separated by low brush that doesn't provide too much privacy but also keeps the campground from feeling crowded. It's a quiet campground about 3 miles from the Rim Road. Another 4 miles down the road is are the Pinnacles, super cool formations left behind when the volcano erupted 7,700 years ago.

I visited mid-September and it was very chilly in the evening and early morning when the sun was behind the mountains. I woke up to a solid layer of frost and ice in all my water. There is water available throughout the park but campers are encouraged to bring their own form outside Crater Lake so as not to put pressure on the watershed.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking one of the ranger led sunset hikes up Watchman Peak. Or, if learning about history and nature along the way isn't your thing, walking up to the peak alone.

First of all, let me be up front and say that I did not actually camp here; I camped at Mazama next door. Officially, Lost Creek was closed when I visited in June and I thought it was a great opportunity to snap some photos to add to Dyrt—because I am actually super excited about a one spot go to for camping info.

I believe Mazama is the only reservable campground at Crater Lake, making Lost Creek first-come first-serve when open. There is a creek that runs through the campground, but it’s hard to see at first glance. Sites, like number 5, are creekside (whIch is really neat). The campground has what appears to be plumbed bathrooms when open. The privacy in the central, rather than perimeter sites, is more limited here due to the nature of the forest environment as opposed to the spacing of the sites themselves. Lost Creek is as far from the rim as is Mazama. However, it’s a solid drive down the road from both Mazama and Rim Villages. This may be just what is wanted to get away from the busy-ness of the villages.

Both villages have restaurants, visitor centers, and gift shops. Mazama village also has a payphone, a small laundromat, showers and a camp store with limited grocery goods. Check out my Mazama review to learn more about the services in the village, including photos.

All in all, Lost Creek campground seems as tucked away as the creek. It is down a long dead end road that only serves a waterfall trailhead, the campground, and the pinnacles.