(Photo J. Maus/BikePortland)
If you missed a chance to ride McKenzie Pass without being disturbed by noisy and smelly cars (it was just re-opened to all traffic over the weekend), then I’ve got some great news: Officials from Crater Lake National Park and Travel Oregon just announced this year’s dates for their own version of carfree cycling spectacularness.
This year there will be three different dates when certain sections of Rim Drive will be open only to non-motorized traffic: June 21-22 (this weekend!), Saturday September 20th and Saturday, September 27th.
According to the official announcement by Travel Oregon, Crater Lake National Park plans, “to preserve every third and fourth Saturday in September as an annual opportunity to highlight non-motorized use of the park and will open for some time in June, depending on snow pack.”
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Crater Lake Park Superintendent Craig Ackerman said they received such a great response from their first go-round last year that they decided to make it an annual occurrence. “After an outpouring of positive feedback from the many people who participated in this rare opportunity, we decided to make it an annual occurrence, but to split it up into three separate weekends to accommodate as many people as possible,” he said in a statement.
Here’s more about what sections of the road will be closed to motorized traffic:
The vehicle-free section for the June event will be on East Rim Drive from Cleetwood Cove to the park headquarters and Steel Visitor Center. Visitors can park at Cleetwood Cove (North Entrance) and the Steel Visitor Center (South Entrance). For the September events, the route will be extended to begin at the North Junction headquarters.
If you head out, remember that normal park entrance fees apply. And if you drive there, parking is on a first-come, first-serve bases and the lots tend to fill up quickly.