Mazama Village Campground, near [Crater Lake National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/oregon/near/crater-lake-national-park), is a solid choice for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying the beauty of one of America’s most stunning national parks. This campground offers a mix of tent and RV sites, providing a cozy atmosphere where you can unwind after a day of exploring.

The facilities include flush toilets and a bear-proof food storage box at each site, which campers appreciate for keeping their food safe. Visitors have mentioned that the campground feels peaceful and private, making it a great spot to relax and enjoy the surrounding beauty. One camper noted, “The spot felt private and was very quiet,” highlighting the tranquil vibe here.

For those eager to explore, the campground is just a short drive from the breathtaking views of Crater Lake and its famous rim drive. Hiking trails are easily accessible, allowing you to dive into the stunning landscapes and unique geological features of the area. While some amenities like showers may have limited availability, the overall experience of camping here is enhanced by the natural beauty and the sense of adventure that [Crater Lake National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/oregon/near/crater-lake-national-park) offers.

Mazama Campground is open only in summer. It typically opens in June and closes in late September. The exact opening and closing dates are determined each year by the snow level in the camp sites, safety issues, and other factors. The campground is nestled in an old-growth forest at 6,000 ft. (1,829 m) in elevation. There are 214 sites each with a picnic table, fire ring, and bear-resistant food locker. The concessioner, ExplorCraterLake, manages the campground. For more details go to reservations.

Mazama Village Campground — Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake, OR is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Crater Lake is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near Crater Lake, OR. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.

Crater Lake

The Best Camping Near Crater Lake, Oregon

There are a ton of tent and RV sites available between June to October (really depends on the weather).

Make sure you book ahead of time though, as they do go fast.

The bluest blue

Campground is solid, Crater Lake is incredible!

Whoa!

Campsites are really decently sized, but kind of close together. Right off the road/easy access. Bathrooms (no showers). MAKE SURE TO BOOK. 

My Review

Crater Lake National Park itself is an amazing, unique place. The campsites were nothing special and a bit close together, but a great perk was the neat show in the amphitheater at night.  Bathrooms were an average cleanliness.  Location is the key to making this a 4 star campground.

blissful

This is a great place to escape and experience the wonderful beauty Oregon has to share.

Beautiful mountain top getaway 

Campground has everything you need. Great time of year to bike around the rim.

I gave this campground 3 stars because it is not for adventurers, it is a campground for families. There is a lot to offer for families though, clean bathrooms, restaurants, paved pathways, easy access to the lake. So if you are looking for a little more adventure go to the other smaller campgrounds around the area. If you have small children this would be a great campground for you!

Great for Familes

Such a beautiful place to take the family

Amazing

The park is absolutely beautiful. It takes a bit to get into the park and once you're on the top of the mountain you'll be greeted by incredible views of Crater Lake. The Mazama campground is a few miles down a curvy side of a mountain, not too far and you get to see the land surrounding the lake itself. Sign in at the office and grab some firewood. The campground has multiple loops and I was concerned about being on top of our neighbors but the campsites are pretty large and we felt secluded enough. Running bathrooms and water pumps were a short walk away as well. (Showers are at the office) We only stayed one night and left with anticipation for round two. 

Can't wait to go back 

I tried to stay there during August but didn't have reservations and the campground was full.  Plan ahead and make reservations.  

Book ahead

site: large site. close to neighbors. 
amenities: clean. basic. busy.
attractions: Crater lake.
I would go camping here again.


very nice

The Mazama Village campground at Crater Lake National Park is located 7 miles south of Crater Lake's rim. A small grocery store, restaurant and gift shop are all within walking distance of the campsites, making for a well-sourced camp stay. Campfire wood is available at the office, as well as hot showers (bring quarters). The campsites are spaced throughout a wooded area, and some sites have more privacy than others. Bear boxes are located in every campsite for storing food. While you probably won't see a bear, you will see plenty of chipmunks and ground squirrels scouring the campsites for food, so keep it locked up at all times. Each time I've stayed here, Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers were coming through on their trek from Mexico to Canada (or vice versa).

closest campground to Crater Lake

This is a great campsite.  They do pack you in tightly but it's right near Crater Lake, which is why everyone goes.  The spots are great, there are bathrooms nearby.  It's rustic, wooded, and I would recommend it.

Mazama Campground - Crater Lake

There was a random summer snow storm that came through and we thought our camping trip may be ruined, but they plowed all the roads, gave us more wood for our fire, and served Jamison hot chocolates at the lodge. It felt like the perfect white Christmas but during the summer.

Camping in the snow

Crater Lake is Breathtaking!

It's a trek to get to Crater Lake no matter where you are coming from but it's worth the drive! These photos can't describe the feeling when looking at that blue water. 

This is a BIG campground! I'm used to 10 site primitive campgrounds and this was actually a treat. It wasn't over run and crowded like a KOA but had all of the amenities. Nice space in between sites. There are 7 loops and over 200 sites. They have a camp store, laundry room, showers, flush toilets. Note: the showers take quarters so have some ready or pop into the camp store. 

Camp near the rim of Crater Lake with all the amenities! 

Nice large campsite with bear cabinet, fire grill, fire pit and 10 foot picnic table.   The ground was dirt and easy to put stakes in for the Tent. It was only about 6 miles from Rim Village where.  The  Mazama village had a restaurant, cafe camp store, motor lodge, gas station and shower facilities.  Registration for a site was easy, you paid with a credit card or cash at the kiosk and then went a picked out a vacant site.  You did not have to go back and tell them the site.  You did not even have to provide your car tag numbers.  They directed you to the loop that had vacant campgrounds.  We hiked the Annie Spring trail that was near the amphitheater in the campground.   The bathrooms in the campground were flush toilets.   At night the temp dipped to the 30's.   Your at 6000 feet elevation and there is snow all year round on the rim of Crater Lake. 

Late June Camping  Crater Lake camping in Loop E 

Really cool camp site!! Made from an old dead volcano long time ago filled with water. The Camp is beautiful and easy to get to with different sites set up easy trails to the lake and hiking to the top view above the crater. 

This is one of the dustiest campgrounds I've ever stayed in - I blame the volcano. How dare it! (Haha.) Other than the dust (which was primarily on the roads, more than the sites), this place was great. The sites are huge, at least the two that we got. I wish I could've chosen our sites, but you don't usually get to with concessionaire campgrounds - which bothers me, but what can you do? Our sites (I believe E1 and E2) were right by the road (you can see it in the background of a few of our photos) but the campground was generally quiet enough that we weren't bothered by it. There is a decent number of trees between the sites and the roads to provide a good sound barrier.

Dust Bowl Dance

Saturday night I pulled up to Crater Lake… It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and even looking at the pictures I took during my time there I can’t believe it was real! The amazing thing about Crater Lake is that if you sit in front of it for any amount of time the entire thing changes. The colors, the way the clouds reflect on the lake, parts start to look like glass while other parts look frozen. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. The first night we pulled up the water was a deep navy with areas of purple and even darker blue. The next morning we pulled up and the blue was so bright and intense I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. When visiting Crater Lake you have to take the drive around the Rim and see the lake from every angle, it is so worth it, and you have to take the hike down to the lake. Remember that you are at a much higher altitude than you are probably used to, so bring water, and pace yourself if you don’t hike much (especially on the way back up!) Make sure you at least touch the water, put your feet in it, your hands, your face! The water is so clear, so refreshing, and everyone wants to say that they put their hands in a body of water so majestic. 

The campsite is about 7 miles from Crater Lake, a short drive, and honestly a great campsite! People complain about the dust, but I got much dustier on my hike down to Crater Lake than I did at the campsite. We paid for one of the small sites and had two 3 man tents and a hammock set up in it. We also had room for our jeep, had a picnic table, and a great little fire pit that even had a rack that we used to make popcorn and and corn on the cob. Once we set up camp we spent the evening eating and drinking warm drinks around the campfire (firewood can be purchased from the same area where you check in, and you must get firewood on site and not bring your own) , gazing at the amazing sky full of stars and the Milky Way, and as bundled up as possible! It was about 32 degrees by midnight and extra layers of down were much appreciated. 

The freezing cold weather is where my Rumpl Iron Puffy became much appreciated! (http://www.gorumpl.com/collections/puffy-rumpls/products/iron-puffy) I was able to cuddle up in this blanket by the campfire and all of my friends were jealous! I got this blanket from my Cairn Obsidian box, which I got with my giftcard from the July Dyrt contest! I’ve cuddled in this blanket on every camping trip I’ve taken since, but especially appreciated it in the very cold Crater Lake National Park. 

All in all I would highly recommend Crater Lake, and the Mazama Village Campground. Its pretty quiet, has bathrooms on site, and everyone is so in awe from Crater Lake that they can’t possibly be in a bad mood! 


Ranger Review:  Rumpl Iron Puffy at Mazama Campground

Friday night before one of the Ride-the-Rim events. Too many people, and I was bummed I wasn't able to extend my reservation for the following night. 

My site was actually large enough to host another bike tourer who hadn't realized he needed a reservation. There probaby was enough room for even one more tent. The real problem was that we were located next to the party site who kept going as a large group until I told them sometime after midnight that they were too loud. Their yammering had been keeping up a screaming baby a couple sites down, and it was amazing how totally unconscious they were of how much louder they were than the rest of the camp. But hey, that's what it's like when you're at a good party, right? They were apologetic when I told them they were way too loud. My bike tourer got up around 10, maybe and joined them, since he couldn't sleep either. 

The toilets were right next to my site. They ran out of paper towels sometime that night, and one of the toilets overflowed, I think. 

The showers were far away at the main store/cafe. 75 cents for 4 minutes. I splurged and spent a $1.50. The camp store looked reasonably well stocked, but I got invited up to the Rim to dine at the fancy restaurant by another set of bikers. It was expensive, but the food was good enough to make it reasonable. Normal expensive steakhouse quality. I have been to other expensive National Park restaurants at the same price level with terrible quality. 

We breakfasted at the restaurant next to the camp store, and it was reasonably good, but it was ridiculously slow. I think they were short staffed because it was after Labor Day, and they couldn't handle the Ride the Rim crowds. Not sure. 

Packed in like sardines at a National Park

Cycling into the park from the north entrance was killer and I was excited to rest.  I was glad to find that the Mazama village was well stocked with beer and food.  The campsite itself offers $5 hiker/biker sites (for people traveling without a motorized vehicle) that do not require a reservation...you just walk around in a wooded area and find a place to camp.  This area had two shared fire rings which ended up being great as I got to meet a dozen or more PCT hikers (which I found educational and pleasant).  Recognizing that this experience may not be for everyone, you can also camp back in the woods a ways for privacy and forego the fire.  However, I found the experience very enjoyable and stayed an extra night.

When staying at this site, you do have to walk/ride a little ways to a toilet/shower/water as there is none in the hiker/biker area.  
So basically, if you don't mind roughing it and like adventure, this was very enjoyable!

Bike Touring to Crater Lake

Was a great sport to camp and get to see Crater Lake. We camped there for two nights and got to pick our site instead of being assigned one as has been common in many other Nat. Parks. which was a lovely change.

Beautiful site 

Getting to the campground was not easy. We drove all of the way down to the lake only to discover the west rim road is closed at night. We had to find our way out and back around. The lake was beautiful in the moonlight though!

The showers and faucets have been capped off so bring extra water or fill up at the store.

Beware road closures

Besides being the only National Park in the state of Oregon, Crater Lake is an amazing stop along the PCT. On our month long trek across Oregon, my husband, dog, and I made sure that we spent at least one day here. The best part was that we had friends join us for a great time. There are a variety of camping options available including paid, reserved site camping for tents, trailers, or RVs, private cabins, as well as a separate area for hikers and bikers (bicyclists) who do not have a motor vehicle. It definitely fills up quickly in the summertime so be sure to reserve early as you may not have any luck with day-of walkups. The campground is about 2 miles from the PCT intersection so you can either walk along the road or try your luck at hitchhiking in.

The campground is located right inside the park and has a nice base area. There is a formal restaurant with gift shop in one building then about 100 yards away is a second building with a general store, showers/bathrooms/laundry, and camping check-in. The second building is where hikers pick up their resupply packages so there are always a bunch of them hanging around outside. The general store has pretty much everything you may need and there is a free water refill station right outside so be sure to bring fill up containers as I don't believe they sell individual bottles of water. This is also where you can catch a trolley up to the crater.

The actual camp sites are divided into numbered loops and when you reserve you don't reserve individual spots. You get your spot once you check in (and the person who actually make the reservation is the only person who can check in) so it is a mix of first come, first served and reserved camping. In any case, my friend got a great spot that was near a bath house (flushing toilets but the showers were locked). Since it is a big campground, it would take about 5 minutes to walk from our site to the general store (near the only spot for wi-fi which is paid only).

Our site was tent only and allowed for two cars. You could easily fit 2 (if not one more) tents in the spot. It was well equipped with a table, fire pit, and bear box all in good condition. There were a lot of trees which allowed for hammocks and provided some privacy between the spots. The mosquitoes weren't horrible but they were definitely a nuisance, especially at dawn and dusk, so be sure to bring your deet or other bug repellent if staying in July or early season.

Overall, the camp ground is definitely worth the cost and it gives you great access to one of Oregon's gems.

Beautiful Crater Lake--Must Stop for PCT Hikers

This is a great place to stay to explore around Crater Lake.

I stopped here when traveling to see Crater Lake and couldnt be happier with the place. It is right before the entrance on the south entrance making it very easy to catch a late sunset or early sunrise if you plan. The campground is easy to find, its right off the road and is very well maintained. The grounds are nice and have all the needed amenities that you would need camping.

Crater Lake Gem

The grounds are beautiful and well kept, and of course... CRATER LAKE. But you're nowhere near the lake and it's a hike/drive to do ANYTHING. I'd recommend the lodge if your heart is set on staying at Crater Lake, or any of the campgrounds at nearby Diamond Lake.

On the plus side, it is very quiet and peaceful.

Not my favorite

We arrived at Mazama Campground after being on the road for almost 8 hours, the last 4 of which were through the seemingly endless sagebrush country on the road through Christmas Valley. We were tired, ready to get out, and full of the anticipation of Crater Lake.

We entered from the South. Immediately upon passing through the official gate, we took a right and landed at Mazama village. Check-in is at a little kiosk beside the camper store. We had reserved four nights for a tent site and somehow, one of these factors rendered us as “blue”. We were instructed to drive around the campground until we found an unoccupied site with a blue stripe on the post. Once we found our perfect spot in the woods, we were able to set up and no further communication was required. As a system, this has both its pros and cons. It is, in fact, really nice to drive around and scout out some sites before settling in. We passed a couple before finding a spot that would fit our 10X14 tent and had the right trees for 2 hammocks, while also feeling a little spacious. On the other hand, we arrived at 4 pm and sites were already, mostly, claimed. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to find an open site if arriving in the evening in a busy, let alone having the opportunity to choose a favorable one. The system definitely favors campers that can arrive closer to noon rather than after dinner. The colored post distribution for site type will help the first-come, first-serve camper have excellent site choices despite not having a reservation (assuming they arrive earlier in the day than later). We also noticed that during our stay, the campground almost emptied out daily due to the large volume of one-night campers.

When it comes down to it, I prefer the backcountry. But compared to other major National Parks like Yellowstone, I found more of the spaces than not to be far more roomy and semi-private even at full campground capacity. A few have fewer trees and feel a little more cramped.

We camped in late June 2018, and the water faucets were turned on throughout the campground. They were placed every 6-8 sites. There appear to be a couple bathrooms in each loop. The amphitheater is situated between the E and D loops. That can be convenient if you like the evening ranger programs. If on the other hand, you prefer to be away from the foot traffic at night, find another loop. Overall the campground is pretty quiet. I’ve noticed some of the E sites at least (and I think many if the loops), back up to a large and beautiful canyon right along the Annie Creek/Spring trail. What a view!

There are showers in the village. My first time in, I put in my 3 quarters and didn’t take more than the 4 minutes allotted, because the trickle coming out of the shower-head was rather chilly. The second shower was hot and my third was warmish. The food prices at Annie’s cafe are not unreasonable and the food was pretty good. The camp store has limited groceries, so come prepared. I’ve added photos of the groceries sold, additionally there are some snack foods, camping gear, and gift items. Grocery-wise, it is equivalent to a gas station convenience store. They sell gas, ice and wood: remember to buy where you burn! There is also a small laundromat with a charging station for electronics. The laundromat is a busy place and shared by Pacific Crest hikers with terrific stories to tell!

All in the campground is a solid place to camp, and the many mosquitoes will keep you company on the cold Crater mornings. The reason we came here, however, is the lake. Arriving to the rim for the first time was jaw dropping. The scale of Crater Lake can’t be related in photos. We took a morning drive around the rim and were awestruck by the views of snow capped mountains in the far distance on the left, and the deep, sparkling, blue lake to our right.

The park isn’t in full swing even as late as the last week of June. It meant for us, that the park wasn’t very crowded at all. I’m fact, setting out in the morning hours left us feeling like we had the park to ourselves. It also means that some services may not be available such as the boat tours. While they are supposed to be operational, having only just turned them on for the year, they also discovered that they had mechanical problems. We lucked out, and one was fixed in time to take a standard tour. We had dearly hoped to hike on Wizard Island, but alas, it gives us an excuse to come back. The views fr m Garfield Peak were something else.  

The weather can be cold; there are still snow patches, and we were told it snowed the week before we came. I believe June begins with a park covered in at least a few inches of snow, and gradually transforms to the July, mountain-summer loveliness.

All in all, we loved our visit and it is on our “must see again” list.

Serenity

such a wonderful area we camped in. beautiful views of everything! best night we sent in Oregon! such wonderful people as well!

can't beat it

**Campground review**

Mazama village campground is located just inside the south entrance to Crater lake national park, about 5 or so miles from the rim.

Mazama village is a very large campground with cabins, a motor lodge and 7 loops with about 30 sites per loop. Each loop has flushing toilets and running water in the gender specific restrooms, and water bibs as well. Each site has a bear box, fire pit, table, and some have RV power hookups. They don't seem to have dish water troughs though.

What I found strange was the check-in process. I made reservations months in advance, but when I arrived; it wasn't a specific site I reserved, but a chance to choose a site. Sites are allocated by RV and tents; by size. There is only one loop, E that is specifically for smaller tents, so I was forced to choose from only 5 sites. I was able to luck out and find a decent site with shade and some privacy, as it was hot and dry and a lot of the sites did not offer much for privacy.

Upon entering the campgrounds you find the Annie creek restaurant and gift shop, I had chili and cornbread for dinner and wasn't too impressed with it for the price. There is also a general store, fuel pump, laundry mat and pay showers. You can also make bookings for tours and other activities at the general store.

Crater lake itself was amazing and there were tons of hikes and activites to take advantage of around the rim. It is a drive though, getting from the campground to points of interest on the rim, luckily the vistor center is the first thing you come across as you head up the west rim drive. There they also have a little gift shop and info on the national park.

On my last night in the campground I was exhausting my options for hikes and had been trying to find the nearby Annie creek trail. I ended up walking through the campgrounds and found the trail head behind the amplitheter; that happens to hold church service on Sunday. The trail was pretty sweet, it is a 2 mi. loop and either direction you start it's quite a drop into the gorge to a creek oasis running through the middle. It was quite a treat to find as the sun was going down on my final night.

All said, it was an okay campground not the best I've stayed in, but I made the most of it and had an amazing time visiting my own states national park; Crater lake.

**Product review**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I get the chance to test and review outdoor gear from time to time. This is my testing and review for the Baltoro 65 ruck sack from [https://www.gregorypacks.com/](https://www.gregorypacks.com/)

[https://www.gregorypacks.com/backpacking/premium/baltoro-65/916BAL65.html?dwvar_916BAL65_color=Onyx%20Black&amp;cgidmaster=#q=baltoro+65&amp;start=1](https://www.gregorypacks.com/backpacking/premium/baltoro-65/916BAL65.html?dwvar_916BAL65_color=Onyx%20Black&amp;cgidmaster=#q=baltoro+65&amp;start=1)

Let me start by saying this pack is AWESOME! I have never been able to afford such a quality pack in the past and have always had an inexpensive pack. I am amazed at the difference in quality when it comes to a true backpacking pack made by a reputable company.

I have always been a big guy and after hurting my knee many years ago, I never found the inspiration to start real backpacking. For the past 10 years I have been building my gear box and moving more toward lighter and more quality gear. With the help of TheDyrt and Gregory as well as other fine outdoor companies; I have finally rounded out my gear especially with this pack being the final touch. I now feel I have the confidence, gear, and with growing experince to tackle harder, longer and steeper treks.

I received this pack just before my road trip to Crater lake. I tested it a few times before my departure and then many times while on the way to the park. I kept if full, around 40+ lbs. on all hikes, including 11 mi. on the Diamond view lake trail, Rosary lakes PCT section trail and the Howlock mtn. trail at Diamond lake. Then to top off the week; 5 mi. up Mt. Scott at Crater Lake. I was amazed at how good it felt and how well it handled the weight. It was real nice with all the adjustments that can be made, to make it fit me perfectly and make it actually comforable to carry.

Other features I like include:The zipper front that allows you access to the main ruck sack compartment w/o having to open the top. This way you can get to items on the bottom of the pack without having to remove the others on top. Another feature is the removable water bladder holder that can be used as a daypack/hydration pack when you don't want to take your full pack on a small jaunt. I also like the water botlle holder that is stowable and has a shockcord(like the trekking pole holders) that helps keep the bottle from falling out.

The quality of this pack is unreal, the ripstop holds up to branches, the zippers are strong with good loop pulls. All the materials used seem to be of high quality and were put together very well. I look forward to many adventures with this pack as I feel it will last me quite a while. It will help motivate me to go further and tackle harder, longer trails and stay out for more nights now that I can carry everything I need and with such ease.

I highly recommend this pack to anyone and everyone, I don't know what else someone could ask for from a backpack. Great job Gregory!

Ranger review: Gregory Baltoro 65 Ruck sack at Mazama village campground

Great location minutes from Crater Lake. We walked in with no reservation and easily found a spot. They have some electric hook ups but we took a dry spot(same price, $31.00). Many pull through. Bathrooms and free showers. Store, gas station. Picnic tables and fire pits at every spot. My only gripe was since the campsites are so large you get lots of families utilizing one spot so it gets really loud once everyone gets back from day excursions. We had 2-3 families in one spot next to us with 4-5 screaming kids riding their scooters around until dark. So perhaps look for a spot that doesn’t have 8-10 chairs around it if you’re looking for a quiet spot.

Huge spots!

**Campground Review: Mazama Village Campground at Crater Lake National Park**

Despite the crazy-hazy smoke surrounding Crater Lake, my family had an absolutely amazing time camping at Oregon's only national park. We made our reservation less than a month in advance for a Thursday night and managed to grab one of the "12x12-foot" tent sites. We'd read about the reservation process beforehand, so arrived around 1pm at the Mazama village store to receive a map and told to look for any "blue" post camp sites that were open. We headed straight for the tent-only loop (G) and grabbed what I think is one of the best spots in the entire campground. Absolutely huge campsite for a national park, amazing views, and near a water spigot. We were pretty far from the flush toilets, but otherwise quite perfect.

Mazama "Village" is right at the entrance to the campground and has a small store, showers, laundry and a nice enough restaurant. We were 4 miles from the National Park headquarters where there's a video of the lake and junior ranger activities and another 5 miles after that is Crater Lake with its tiny store, nice lodge and a few lookouts. The days we were there the smoke from regional wildfires was so bad we couldn't see the water in the crater, but we still had a great time and are excited to try again next year with hopefully better visibility.

**Ranger Review: Oofos Slides**

Ranger Review: Oofos Slides at Crater Lake National Park

I arrived mid-day in the middle of the week mid-September. There were lots and lots of campsites to choose from. The campground has several loops and is the bigger of the two campground in the park. Mazama is the only RV campground at Crater Lake. There are trails right near the campground and you can walk to Annie's cafe, a small and sparse general store, and a gift shop. Water and flush toilets are available. When I was there it was very chilly all day but especially at night.

Relatively Quiet

One of two campgrounds officially in the park, outside of a [backcountry permit](https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/backcountry_camping.htm), Mazama Village is certainly not a place of solitude, notching in around 200+ sites, but if amenities are your m.o.—camp store, restaurant, showers, gas station—for $21/tent site, you won’t find a better option, other than the [historic lodge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake_Lodge) on the rim of the lake. 

Combined with RV spots, and the popularity of Crater Lake as a [Seven-Wonder of Oregon](https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/destinations/lakes-reservoirs/crater-lake/) bucket-list spot, the village is pretty much at capacity all season long, as such you’re bound to have a diverse social experience from tourist to family to rowdy glamper, but in my handful of experiences here, everyone pretty much respects the 10 p.m. quite hours in favor of waking up to those gorgeous ponderosa pine blanketing the grounds.

Otherwise, re: solitude—giddy-up a dash for Mazama’s much more low-key, tent-only 16-site sibling a few miles closer to the rim, [Lost Creek](https://thedyrt.com/camping/oregon/oregon-crater-lake-national-park-lost-creek-campground?page=1&amp;reviewSort=-created_at&amp;reviewsPerPage=10), which ditches reservations entirely, instituting a first-come, first-served option, and Pro-Tip 🤫 : is only $10!

Alt-Lodge Go-To; 7-miles South of Rim Village in the Trees

A great big campground that is first come first serve. The lots are decently sized and for a National park you can find some reminence of privacy. Can't wait to visit again!

Beautiful and pleasant

Nice facilities but crater lake is the star of this trip, beautiful year round there is always something to do here even if buried under ten feet of snow!

Conveniently close to crater lake

Take time to go down to the lake,take the time to go around the lake, so much to see!

Crater lake is amazing!!! You'll never see anything like it!!

I had a 2 day pre-paid reservation to camp at Mazama Village at Crater Lake and was super excited since it was going to be my first time to the National Park. The trip was in August, which can be an unpredictable time for wild fires in the area, so before we left Portland to make the drive, we checked to make sure that everything was open (cell signals aren't great outside of the I-5 corridor). 

  

By the time we reached the northern entrance to Crater Lake several hours later, we learned that the entrance had been shut down that afternoon because of smoke and fires in the area. We had to turn around and make our way to the Southern Entrance of the park which is at least 2 more hours of driving away. We were not able to get all the way to the Southern Entrance of the park before sunset, so we had to get another campsite for the night. The entrance to the National Park was not manned because it was closed for fire, and there is no cell signal in any of this area, so we could not call the park.

  

In the morning, we drove the rest of the way to the southern entrance and to the Mazama Village campsite to check in for our second day of camping. The ranger could see our confirmed paid reservation for both days, but they would not allow us to check into our campsite because we had no-showed on the first night. We explained the situation of the park entrance closure and they know that there is no way to contact them from the area, but they would not make any exception. I would have understood if they had given our site away when we had not showed up, however the campground was not full because of the fire situation and the site we had paid for was vacant. They offered us the campsite we had already paid for, but wanted us to pay again in order to occupy it for the night. I was not willing to pay an additional $25.50 on top of the $56 I had already paid and lost to stay at the campground. We left the park and drove somewhere less smokey to visit. 

  

The actual campground looked just fine and had good amenities as you'd expect of a national park, but this was a terrible experience.

Reservation Cancellation During Fires Felt Unfair

This was a perfect little campground conveniently located to Crater Lake. The camp spots were roomy and it didn't feel like we were camping on top of our neighbors. Check-in was easy at the camp store and everyone was really friendly. Each camp spot had a bear locker, fire pit, and picnic table. Bathrooms were very clean. Highly recommend for your adventures at Crater Lake.

Nice campground!

Not quite my style of camping with hot showers and flushing toilets but I understand that with the site being along the PCT some people would be in heaven there. The sites are all very close and not very secluded. 

The wildlife in the campsite was awesome for my 2yr old. They campground was very clean as were the  restrooms. Trails were well maintained and so many options. 7 miles from Crater Lake Rim Village.

Close campsites and spoiled campers

This is a cute little campground, only a few miles from crater lake. We stayed here on our way through while we were exploring the crater. It has both RV and tent sites. All the ones I saw looked nice and flat and not too close to other people. The campground has a store, showers, food storage lockers, and a gas station. Everything you need really. 

  

Like usual when we camp, we didn’t spend a whole lot of time at the campground. I would definitely recommend hitting Garfield peak trail and Cleetwood cove trail. They had some beautiful views of the crater. The area has some amazing hikes that range from easy to super hard, so it is something for everyone.

Just what we needed 

A beautiful campground, but not enough facilities for the amount of people booked here. We prepaid but weren't told which site we'd be in until arrival. They assigned a campsite in loop D where there was only one bathroom for the dozens of campsites in this loop, and the only way to access it was to walk along a road for cars (no paths cutting through to the center of the campground as most campsites have for a loop). Worrisome in the middle of the night.  We were not given a choice in our own campsite, and it's clear whoever assigned the sites didn't check to make sure they were inhabitable.

We arrived late in the evening, and it had been raining that day…our campsite that was assigned to us was **completely** flooded. We were frustrated that this campground didn’t consider booking people into dry sites instead of just the closest ones. There are only three showers for all of the campground and every loop to share. See annotated map. Not recommended.

Needs more facilities

We decided to stay here because it was closest to Crater Lake but we were VERY disappointed. campgrounds were so close together we could see 6 campgrounds and their tents from our fire pit. Bathrooms were kind of icky even thought I don’t really care about that, but the service there was unhelpful and took forever. We would not go back

Not worth it

We had the good fortune to get a site without a reservation on a Saturday in July. 
This was the sixth and last National Park on our three-week, 10-state, 6,000-mile camping/hiking road trip, and we really lucked out with a nice big site (F-11) on the end of a loop, which meant good distance from other sites (far) and bathrooms (not too close, not too far).
Its best feature is the proximity to Crater Lake, which is still breathtaking after several visits.  
Bathrooms were clean, but showers were closed due to Covid. With this many people in a campground, I guess it’s no surprise that there was one jerk playing loud music well past the 10 pm quiet time. Very annoying. 
There was a wait of about half an hour to get into the park, but there are no timed entry reservations. Once the ranger saw our senior pass we were able to bypass the last part of the line. Entry to the park is normally $30. 

Last minute site

Stayed overnight on 8/2, campground has everything you need: clean restrooms (shower closed), table, fire pit, flat ground, and very close access to Crater Lake rim. This is first time I’ve been to campground that had a bear box, not sure if that’s a good or bad thing but we had no beats this night lol No cell service and we did a sunset hike at the rim. Definitely recommend this campground but it gets cool at night because of elevation.

Great Campground

Sites are close together and some are smaller than others despite being labeled as 12x12 but if that doesn’t bother you (didn’t bother me) then it’s a great spot and as close as you can get (not that close) to camping in Crater Lake. Plenty of water spigots around and flush toilet bathrooms. Apparently there are showers too but they were closed while we were there due to COVID. 



Close together but nice

We had two spots, one for a tent and one for a travel trailer, and lucked out that we got them directly across from each other.  Our particular spots were large and private.  We loved that we could access the Annie Creek trail from within the campground!  

Great NP campground 

We loved camping at Mazama Village Camground @ Crater Lake so much that our group went back the following week!

Must meet Joe- at Reservations Desk!
He should have his own reality show 😁
Joe goes out of his way to accommodate your needs, and so does the General Manager (I forget her name).

There’s a wonderful store at the campground where you can purchase gas, ice, beer, camp supplies, clothing/ gifts and even Hagen daz ice cream! 

No need to wait in line to see your campsite assignment- as it is posted at 10am on the bulletin board outside.

There are also several clean restrooms that are well tended to and you rarely see other campers in them.

Plenty of delicious drinking water spigots as well within a few steps of your campsite. 

RV sites are about $50 night, some have electrical.

Tent sites are about $25 night, and price goes up a bit depending on size of party.

They also have a roomy bear box in each camp to keep your food safe.

Plenty of trees to hang your hammock too.

LOTS of trails to explore, and the Rim is a short drive to take in the breathtaking views of Crater Lake.

Such a wonderful getaway. 
Can’t wait to return! 

Friendly, Clean, Affordable, Convenient 

Best convenient option for camping and exploring Crater Lake. Biggest complaint would be how close together the sites are. Successfully got lucky with FCFS - arriving Friday at 1pm.  All sites have picnic tables, fire ring, bear box. Mazama store also convenient for any last-minute needs. Unfortunately it was kind of rowdy for us on Saturday night, due to some partyers next door. Annual national park pass gets you 50% nightly camping rate.

Super convenient to exploring Crater Lake!

I absolutely loved staying here. Even though the sites are a little close together, there are enough trees for privacy. The wildlife is so cool. Great spot for birdwatching! Be wary of bears though. Each site provides a bear box to help ward them off. We ended up car camping just to be safe. The trails are awesome. I definitely recommend staying here if you want to get the full experience of Crater Lake. 

Lovely spot

Like other the campgrounds within national parks I've been to, this campground was beautiful, spacious, and sophisticated. Fellow campers were a treat as well, everyone deeply respectful of the grounds and noise requirements. Our site (C8) was so incredibly spacious, we felt like we had a small campground to ourselves. We were on the cliff side of the loop looking down into the valley. Annie Creek Canyon Trail trail takes you along this ridge and down into said valley where we had an amazing hike through meadows and streams. Incredible. Don't miss out on this. It is fairly easy, with switchbacks taking you down the steep ridge and back up in a full loop. The restrooms were clean. 

The only thing that was a challenge to deal with was the dusty/dirty factor of the site - to combat this we made foot baths each night before climbing into our tent or van. But you can't really complain about dyrt when you're camping, can you? Huge thumbs up and we will DEFINITELY be back very soon.

Zero cell service.

Beautiful, spacious, sophisticated campground IN Crater Lake NP

This campground is in the Park near Crater Lake.  It's forested which offers good shade and privacy.  There are picnic tables, bear boxes and trash cans.  Good access to hiking and to Crater Lake viewing and activities.

Great Location


(Because mosquitos swarm near big lakes) This is one of my favorite campgrounds in Oregon for families and groups. 
Location is ideal, near Rim Ridge, and some fantastic trails (all ability levels) and fantastic views.

All sites have fire pits, bear proof storage, and pic nic tables. Each site is in close proximity to restrooms (from what I could tell). 

Excellent signage/way finding. 
Love the fresh spring water taps at the village to refill water jugs.
Super cute, friendly storefront. 
Lots of amenities and lodging if you need to coordinate a more glamping deal for picky family and friends. This campsite meets every type of camper needs. (Almost disney- esque)

Have fun!


Minus the mosquitos in the summer. 

This is the closest campground to Crater Lake.  It’s a great place to camp and be near the lake.  If you don’t get a reservation we learned you can stand in line at 10am and get a spot.  They have a cute little market with very expensive ice so make sure you bring your own 🙀. They have snacks, great OR beer and very good ice cream sandwiches as well 😻

Crater Lake 😻

Pretty darn good National Park Campsite, but nothing over the top here.  I went in early Fall and was the only one there.  I have heard that is not the case in peak summer months.  Good shade in the campground, but no sweeping views or anything like that.  You have to drive about 15 mins to the Crater Rim to get the good stuff!

Good NP campsite, nothing our of the ordinary

We had an amazing experience at crater lake. It was pretty cold at night in September and the park store had warm blankets :) the steel hikes and worth it once you are looking over the crater! 

Amazing 😻 

We've been to this campground a couple times now and will hopefully be back again. Absolutely amazing campground with lots of trees, activities (ranger-type), typical state park bathrooms and nice sites.  

  

If you're staying in a tent I recommend checking out the "G" loop since you won't have big RVs right next to you. There's also some of the best spots there (I think). We try to get on the back side when we can (32/29/22 etc.) since the middle section can be right on top of one-another. Definitely some sites better than others, so check it out online beforehand if you can.  

  

Walking distance to a small store and restaurant, or driving distance to all that Crater Lake has to offer.

Amazing campground in an amazing location

Everything you need, near crater lake, lots of space between sites and a great amount of trails nearby. Note - zero cell service but the camp store has WiFi 

Great space near crater lake

I’ll try to give this campground the benefit of the doubt and not judge it based on the foul weather we encountered on our one day there.

We arrived on the day this campground opens for the season, June 11. This early in the season the campground is first come first served. We arrived fairly late in the day, and didn’t get to the Mazama Village Store where you need to get your campsite until a few minutes after they were supposed to close at 7:00. The gal at the register very kindly accommodated us and got us a campsite assigned even though they were about to close up shop. I don’t know if you normally have the option to choose a site, but we were not given that option. Again, we were late so I was just grateful to get a spot.

When we pulled up to the site we were dismayed. The whole site was basically a puddle, and we were tent camping. There wasn’t a level, dryish spot for us to pitch our small tent. The fire pit was so full of water that starting a fire would have been impossible. Long story short, after some deliberation we decided to forfeit our fee of $21 that we’d paid for the site, and try to find somewhere dry to stay for the night. 

We got extremely lucky and ended up getting a room at the Crater Lake Lodge (that is typically booked up to a year out) due to a last minute cancellation. So we got to stay warm and dry for the night and not camp in a puddle. The fog even cleared out the next morning so we got to finally see the lake. 

That all being said, the lake is amazing. During a beautiful, sunny day, I’m sure this campground is plenty sufficient and gives easy access to explore this incredible area. It seems well provisioned and there’s even a really nice gift shop and a cafe nearby if you want something warm to eat without cooking it yourself.  

Dismal on a rainy day 

This is the main campground d at Crater Lake, and it is huge with seven loops. I camped in the largest of the loops, loop E. I wished I could have had a site in any of the other loops as they seemed to generally have larger sites. That being said, it was still a pretty good place to camp. Sites were clean and all had bear boxes. Unfortunately the showers were closed due to covid but the bathrooms were clean and well maintained. The Annie Creek Trail goes along the backside of the campground and makes for a nice evening stroll. There is weak WiFi at the store and registration area. Honestly, you aren’t going to be spending all of your time here anyway as you will be out exploring Crater Lake and all it has to offer.

Nice campground at Crater Lake 

The campground has a store, gasoline, and it’s 5 min from the crater lake rim loop. Also site B5 is right next to the bathroom do not recommend. 

Great site next to crater lake

We were able to reserve this campsite on the day of our arrival. The campground is quite large, however, the sites are situated so that you feel a good distance from other campers. Very clean and level.

It was a great, convenient location inside Crate Lake National Park. It’s just across from Mazama Village with a small store, restaurant and gift shop. Gas, fresh waster and dump station available but not at the camp site. 

The one major downside, due to COVID restrictions showers were closed.

Nice but…

Absolutely relaxing and plenty of trails for the whole family to explore 

Quiet and peaceful 

Our park entrance fee normally $30 was waved because we had a Eagle Pass as well as our 50% discount for our camp site. But be aware you need to go to the village camp store and ask for your discount after paying online for your site and they will refund your discount amount. Moreover at Mazama Village they assign you your camp site- there is no choosing! If you booked more than two or three-night, this can be a problem. There are only a very few sites with power in section B and C. I saw large 5th wheels crammed into difficult and small site, and tiny teardrops in giant site- all assigned. It's a crap shoot! Our site was D1 where the picnic table, fire ring and Bear food locker was all on the wrong side of our trailer. So if you get any site with an odd numbered 1,3,5,7,9 and so on you will have the same issue. Only saving grace was the fact it was close to all the lake activities and the rim drive. Plus the gas station was cheaper than the outside gas price by .25 cents a gallon. NO diesel fuel only regular unleaded gas.

Great lake, ok campground.

Mazama campground is a great place to camp while visiting Crater Lake NP.  I was pleasantly surprised given some reviews I've seen.  The campground has quite a few sites, but they are generally spread out enough to give you privacy.  The bathrooms are fairly new and maintained.  The showers were still closed for Covid when we visited, so I have no idea how they looked.  There are even some sites with power, which I've seen very rarely in NPs.  On top of it all, you're very close to a store, restaurant, gas and Crater Lake! 

  

**Pros:**

\* Well maintained

\* Cafe/restaurant close to the campground

\* Pretty loop hike right at the campground

\* Crater Lake is close

\* Ranger programs

  

**Cons:**

\* Pumice volcanic soil gets everywhere

  

**OK:**

\* The bathrooms smelled a bit mildewed

Create NP Campground

We like to play things by ear and never make reservations ahead of time. This campsite was great. We checked in at the village and got to pick from a handful of a available spots. There’s lots of water through out the site and the bathrooms are well maintained. We also like the hiking trail that runs along the back of the campground. The sites are a bit close together but it still feels like there is a decent amount of privacy. Also people tend to speed through the campsites (10 mph is the limit) and there are tons of kids so be mindful of that while visiting. Also most of the paths through the sites are one way. We watched a few cars go against traffic on a very narrow one way road. Luckily everyone was fine and nothing serious happened. But pay attention  to signs during your visit. 

Great campsite over Labor Day weekend

*mazama campground is inside the park, not far from the entrance and the rim drive.
*Showers still closed due to covid, but toilets open.
* Loop D is dry camping sites
* long pull through sites with a lot of extra space for toad.
*beautiful treed sites with table and fire pit.
*bear proof metal box for tent campers' food at each site
*If you want a site with hookups, we were told reservations must be made a year in advance. We tried at 6 months and got the dry camping only sites.


Mazama Campground, Crater Lake, Oregon 

It was easy to drive up, check the kiosk and find your spot. We lucked out and got a great spot!

Peaceful 

We didn’t stay long and were a bit disappointed that the showers were closed due to a Covid, but other than that the campground was perfect for what we needed. Our campsite felt secluded, but we were still close to the bathrooms and could walk to the restaurant and convenience store. 

Enjoyed our short stay

I stayed in August 2021, thankfully wildfire smoke wasn’t bad but everyone thought it would be so all reservation holders seemed to cancel. This left us with a loop largely to ourselves, which was fantastic. We enjoyed use of the bear box, never had a problem. The site was very quiet at night despite the many amenities close by with the store, etc. My only complaint is that visitors did not wear masks in the tiny bathrooms despite notices on the doors that they were required. Why you wouldn’t WANT to wear them in multi use stinky bathroom is beyond me but some of these assholes didn’t care. Sometimes they also hogged the sink to wash their feet which was doubly annoying. But that’s more an annoyance with humans than the campground itself. I’m sure this place is normally really busy so be prepared for that. But there’s no better camping to use as a Crater Lake launching off point. 

Family Friendly

The campground was still closed on June 9th due to snow . We discovered the Sno - Parks along Hwy 62 offer free camping with no hookups for up to 14 days . Pull down the dirt road behind the asphalt parking lot to score private sites in the pines . Mosquitoes like it too ! 

Snow in June 

This is a good campground, with flush toilets, showers, and a pretty comprehensive store and basic restaurant.  The site sizes and configurations vary quite a bit.  Ours was extremely tight for our teardrop…with the trailer attached couldn't even back in far enough to keep from blocking traffic with the tow vehicle.  Our campsite was very dusty, dirt got into pretty much everything by our 3rd day (the showers were also full of dirt).  Crater Lake lodge and the rim drive are a few miles up the mountain.  While there isn't really much to do on the lake itself, there are tons of great lookouts and beautiful hikes.  Next time we'd probably stay at Diamond Lake or one of the other lakes in the area where you can actually boat and swim and take a day trip to Crater.

Good camping option if you want to stay in Crater Lake National Park

We didn't actually stay here, but the attendant let us take a free shower in the campground. Nice shower building with a handicap accessible unit. Close to the Mazama Village store.

Popular, busy campgound

Generally, the campground and surrounding area are beautiful. However, there is a lot lacking.  I'm not sure if it's pandemic hangover or whomever manages the campground, but it wasn't a great experience. The main gift shop and restaurant at Mazama are still closed, on a holiday weekend. Seems odd.  There was a fire ban, which is understandable at the end of the summer, but there was no enforcement. We saw several people with campfires and never saw a ranger make a trip through the campground to police it. We woke up the 1st morning and weren't thrilled with site, so I went to ask if there was any way we could move. I was told they were full and couldn't move any RVs.  The entire rest of the weekend, the campground was never over 50% full!  Finally, the worst thing, is there are THREE showers for the entire campground!  THREE!!!!!  The campground has A through F loops!  How is this possible?!  If you could get in one, it was dirty, the water was cold, and the lights were out in one of them.  It's embarrassing that a National Park campground could be so poorly managed.

One of the worst campgrounds I've stayed in

spot felt private and was very quiet. was just a nice &amp; peaceful campground

cozy site

The Cabin is perfectly fine, but don’t expect any frills. No cell service or WiFi. No tv. No fridge. The water is hot. Note that this“cabin” is actually four different hotel rooms that all walls. You are not in a quaint cabin in the woods. You are in a bare bones hotel room with thin walls and no amenities. There is a picnic table outside but no real lounge area despite being in the middle of a gorgeous national park. 

  

I ended up in this cabin because the system that manages the reservations screwed up. I booked and RV site 6 months ago and was called two weeks before and told that they overbooked. The only way to accommodate me was to have me stay in one site for one night and then move to a different site for 8 nights. However the 8 night site turned out to be too short for my RV when I showed up there(I was always up front about the length of my rig). I was told the only thing open for the length of my stay was a cabin and were told to park the RV in the cabin parking lot and stay in the cabin. 

  

Things that occurred over the course of 9 days:

Housekeeping knocking on my door at 730am on a Saturday provide service while I was asleep. They typically knocked on my door 2-3 times per day to ask when I was leaving.

  

running out of toilet paper and having to walk 3/4 mile to the camp store to get more(there is no phone in the room and no service)

  

the power going out

  

and my favorite, getting home from dinner at 10pm to find that our keys had been deactivated because“they thought we were leaving that day” and having to drive up to the crater rim(30 min round trip) to get new keys because the camp store closes at 9pm 

  

The campground advertised laundry but the laundry is broken with no timeline to fix. 

  

All in all, I just wanted what I paid for, a campsite with electric that fit my RV. Not a weird parking lot spot and a half-baked hotel room. 

  

Unfortunately this campground is the only game in town. Good luck with your visit to crater lake.

Poor management/mediocre cabin

Mazama Campground offers a serene retreat nestled within Crater Lake National Park, surrounded by a lush forest that provides privacy and tranquility. The reservation process requires you to provide your dates and size of RV and are assigned a site when you arrive. As I walked around it appeared pull-through sites were for RVs and trailers, and back-in sites that were assigned to tent or car campers. The pull through sites were long, some are asphalt and others dirt. Our site D5 was asphalt and level. The amenities, including clean bathrooms, accessible water spigots, and regular trash collection, contribute to a comfortable stay. The general store is a convenient spot for registration, fuel, and showers, it's also the starting point for exploring the breathtaking Crater Lake via tour bus or personal vehicle. Even though a forest fire limited visibility of the lake, Mazama Campground remains a memorable destination for its natural beauty and well-maintained facilities.

Closest campground to Crater Lake National Park

Great campground. Well kept and sites far enough apart for some privacy. Plenty of hiking throughout park. Stayed while there were several fires around so smoke blocked many views.

Crater lake camping

Nous avons passé 2 nuits dans ce camp très agréable même si les couches sont tièdes à froides. Possibilité de faire du feu 

Emplacement vaste 

Campground was very quiet. Amenities close by. 

Water from the spicket is delicious 

We knew campsites were FCFS so we arrived by noon and formed a line. At 2pm park staff opened up and we were lucky to get a spot. 

The crater is epic. Hiking sporadic as everything is still snow packed in places. 

Can’t wait to see what NPS has in store for this place in the coming years. 

Major construction until 2028

We came with no reservation in the summer. The sign outside registration office said that campground was full. We still asked if there were sites available, and there were! People books sites and don’t show up. 

Check even if sign says full

Overall a great campground.  Have stayed multiple times and will return again.  

Spacious sites with table and fire ring.  Clean and well maintained restrooms. It’s all managed by the park concessioner.  

Keep in mind that while most sites are reservable but many are also first come first serve. Ive been trying to reserve spots for the bike closure for last 3 months with little success. Fortunately was able to get one first come first serve on Wed before the “ride the rim” weekend.  

There is water available.  A decent camp store.  And also a couple decent restaurants right close to camp.  

Major downside is that there are still only 3 showers for 1000 campers!!   Bring your solar shower.  

Photos of Mazama Village Campground — Crater Lake National Park

Real photos from real campers