full advantage of a carfree Rim Drive
back in June.
After the resounding success of its first-ever carfree weekend this past June, Crater Lake officials now plan to make it an annual event. And, as a bonus, they’ll host another carfree weekend next month.
Travel Oregon is set to announce tomorrow morning that Crater Lake National Park will hold another carfree weekend on September 21st and 22nd this year and that, “Going forward, the third weekend in September will be preserved for non-motorized enjoyment of the park.”
Park Superintendent Craig Ackerman, who told us back in June that, “Bicycle use fits well into our sustainability and emission reduction goals for the park,” said that June’s trial was so popular it will now become a tradition. “After an outpouring of positive feedback from the many people who participated in this rare opportunity,” states Ackerman in a Travel Oregon news release, “we decided to make it an annual occurrence.”
Here’s more from Travel Oregon:
Under the plan, East Rim Drive will be open to non-motorized vehicles only (except for administrative and emergency vehicles) from North Junction around the East Rim of Crater Lake all the way to the intersection at Crater Lake National Park Headquarters and the Steel Visitors Center. Hwy 62 through the south end of the park, West Rim Drive and the North Entrance Road will be open to vehicles. Regular parking areas will be open, but generally fill up quickly. Normal park entrance fees apply.
For more on parking, fees, and other Crater Lake information, check out the official National Park Service website.
Thanks for reading.
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Great news! I suggested a similar event for the Going-To-The-Sun road at Glacier National Park while visiting this summer. Let’s hope this trend continues throughout all our National Parks.
The best ride in Oregon (And half of it is downhill!)
That’s fantastic news! Thanks Crater Lake NP!
it won’t be as successful in September… but it’s still a good idea…
Indeed. Harder for families to do it once the school year starts. Still, I’d like to try.
Seems pretty positive all around to me. You can’t beat the weather in September either.
while its a school year, it means less kids to worry about cutting you off should it be packed. i’m thrilled. i hope to make this trip.
Spiffy,
I agree that June is great for families and the scenery with lingering snow makes it an even more spectacular ride. Unfortunately, that same snow makes it almost impossible to set aside a weekend in advance, as June conditions are extremely variable with periodic late blizzards and continuous rock falls. September allows us a far greater certainty that snow, ice or rock slides won’t cause a cancellation. And another bonus, no mosquitoes!
that “no mosquitos” thing can’t be underestimated!
Now for the shuttle bus to get us all there (with our bikes!).
That’s great news….let’s do the same for Historical Hwy 30!
Awesome! How do you get there carfree from PDX? Alternatively, anyone planning something local for World Carfree Day 9/22? Want to plan something? http://www.facebook.com/CarfreeFamily
Super! But if you can’t make that particular weekend, don’t be deterred from riding the rim. We’ve ridden it comfortably on a July Saturday with kids in trailers. The east rim is lightly traveled even on busy days. I rode it at sunset/moonrise one September evening, and I don’t think we saw a single other soul on the east rim. The carfree times are a wonderful thing, but they’re not the only way to enjoy this superb ride.
So excited! We missed the last one but this one is on our calendar now and we will be there.
Yay! This is awesome news. After a fantastic ride over McKenzie Pass back in May, I’m excited about more opportunities to ride spectacular roads without traffic. North Cascades Highway, anyone? Hello, WSDOT!
I lucked out and east rim drive was still closed to traffic after the car-free weekend (I think they were still filling a few holes so the gate was closed) and it was the most magical miles I have had the good fortune to ride. Thank you to Travel Oregon and the Parks Dept!
Yes! Some friends and I were already looking to do a ride this very weekend but hadn’t selected location yet. There must be some kind of offering I owe to the biking gods for dropping this jewel in our laps.
Thanks for the post. Please correct it to indicate only about 2/3rds of the road will be car free.
http://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/upload/Bike-Map.pdf
So… Any chance this gov’t shutdown will cause them to close the gates on the park? Gates that I could easily walk my bike around for a very quiet visit? Hint hint.