Crater Lake National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Description
Experience dramatic vistas, clear blue water, and incredible volcanic history with this self-guided driving tour of Crater Lake National Park. Explore Rim Village, hike a trail down to the lakeshore, and take in the views from Watchman Peak. Each stop is packed with natural beauty and geological wonders, plus plenty of fascinating history! Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The government drew up designs to accommodate these new arrivals. The idea was to design a model ‘village’ that looked like a place people might actually live. Architects worked hard to blend the buildings in with the surrounding environment. Note: The tour is over 44 miles long, with more than 40+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Mount Mazama didn’t just erupt once. Each minor eruption before the big one released lightweight volcanic rock full of gas bubbles. That’s pumice! This super porous rock is so light because it’s full of holes. Volcanoes like Mount Mazama create this unusual material when they put rocks under super high heat and super high pressure, then expel them at high speeds through the air during an eruption.
This 2-mile hike is steep and strenuous, but if you want to visit Crater Lake’s shore or take a ferry to Wizard Island, this is the spot to do it.
You won’t find a boarding schools for wizardry and witchcraft on the island, though. Instead, it gets its name from the small peak on the island, which looks a bit like the pointy tip of a wizard’s hat!
A historic watchtower offering fantastic, unobstructed views of Crater Lake. This 2-mile trail is moderately difficult, with some rough terrain and elevation gain of 400 feet. It takes about an hour in total.
Merriam Point, another great spot to see stunning views of the lake and its surroundings.
This 2-mile hike is steep and strenuous, but if you want to visit Crater Lake’s shore or take a ferry to Wizard Island, this is the spot to do it. Just remember that it’s not just about descending 700 feet… You have to climb back up!
This is the highest point to catch a view of Crater Lake. Cloudcap Overlook gives us a clear view as we look to the west. The view from here helps show us just how deep the water is. Once we park, make sure the lake doesn’t steal all your attention. Just behind us, away from the lake, rises Mount Scott, the highest point in the park.
Despite its name, the Phantom Ship isn’t really a ship, but a collection of ancient volcanic rock formations. This formation sits as its own little island, just offshore from the mainland. When the fog rolls in, settling on the lake, it’ll look like a ghostly ship sailing across its surface.
Just ahead is Sun Notch Trail, an easy half-mile loop that takes about 15-20 minutes total to hike. This hidden gem offers more great views of the Phantom Ship and the deep blue water of Chaski Bay right below us.
Now keep in mind that Crater Lake is 600 feet below us. So where does the water come from to feed this waterfall? It’s actually a spring fed by seasonal snowmelt and rainfall! That means the falls are most powerful in spring and early summer, and slow later on.
The first flowers peeking through the snow are Mountain violets and Gorman buttercups. They can't wait to emerge after being covered by nearly 50 feet of snow in an average winter.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Rim Drive and North Entrance Road are closed for the season. Please check the official website for more details.
- Please note that Crater Lake National Park requires an entrance pass, valid for multiple consecutive days per vehicle. This pass is not included with the tour.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Please note that the areas between Sun Notch Trailhead and Cloudcap Overlook at Crater Lake are temporarily closed. Visitors will need to drive back and access each section separately, as both Sun Notch and Cloudcap Overlook remain open.
Reviews(18)
Let me say that we have used audio tours in the past. This one was not easy to use. We spent too much time trying to get it to work correctly. We never did get it to work with the driving map. We played the narratives manually and they did not match the signage at Crater Lake so it was very difficult to follow. The stories were interesting but not much help. I would not buy again.
Hi Paddy, I’m sorry to hear about your experience. It looks like you used the password and downloaded the tour beforehand, as my app works offline. Please note that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t supported for navigation, but you can still listen to the audio stories through them. If you could share more details, I’d be happy to assist. My support hours are 9–6 EST, and since our products are valid for a year, you can use them at your convenience or request a replacement or refund if needed.
Never able to download app and assistance was below average. I tried a minimum of four tries to download and could never accomplish and was told I would receive a call or a text....when I finally talked to someone I was passed off to another person and kept getting re-routed to beginning of process.
Jim, sorry about your Crater Lake tour experience. Did you try downloading it at the location? I recommend downloading in advance on a good internet connection, as park areas often have limited service. Complete download and setup beforehand to avoid issues. If the link isn’t working, search for the app on the App Store or Google Play, enter the password, and you’re set. It seems you contacted Viator support—I’d like to help personally. My tours are valid for a year after booking, so you can use them if you return. If you’ve left Crater Lake, I can offer a different tour as a replacement. Feel free to reach out; I’ll guide you through the setup.
Loved the narrations and how well timed each chapter came on! Appreciated being able to drive and learn without having to experience in a tour bus.
Lynne, I’m so glad you enjoyed the independence of my Crater Lake audio tour. It’s wonderful to hear that the narrations and timing worked well for you, allowing you to explore at your own pace without a bus. For more adventures, check out my Tour of 30+ National Parks, featuring engaging audio guides at parks like Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, and more. Happy travels!
Loads of information. Be aware that the road is closed so you cannot complete the full circle of the lake.
Sue, I’m glad you enjoyed all the information on my Crater Lake audio tour. I’ve updated the closure details in the additional information section so that future travelers are aware. If you’d like to explore more, my 30+ National Parks Bundle includes self-guided tours of the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Rocky Mountain, Joshua Tree, and more. Happy travels!
We really enjoyed the guided tour our first day at Crater Lake! It was informative and entertaining. Thank you for making our experience even better!
Stacia, so glad to hear you enjoyed my Crater Lake National Park audio tour. I’m thrilled it made your first day at Crater Lake both informative and entertaining. For more adventures, check out my Tour of 30+ National Parks, featuring engaging audio guides at parks like Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, and more. Happy travels!
Nice narrative while driving around Crater Lake. Learned a lot about how it was formed. We had thought the Crater was from a meteor. It corrected that.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed my Crater Lake audio tour and learned more about the park’s formation. It’s great that the narrative helped clarify some of the details, like the crater’s origin. For more adventures, check out my Tour of 30+ National Parks, featuring engaging audio guides at parks like Yellowstone and Glacier, designed for freedom and discovery. Happy travels!
I have used GuideAlong for plenty of other tours, and feel that Action has a lot to catch up to. Did not seem as organized or as timely, and no personal suggestions
Sri, I’m sorry to hear that my Crater Lake audio tour didn’t meet your expectations. Unfortunately, you felt something was missing. If you could share more details about what you felt was lacking or what improvements you’d like to see, I’d greatly appreciate the insight. Your feedback is valuable, and I’m always looking to improve my tours. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
The commentary was right on the money mile for mile around crater Lake great history and we stopped at all the places it suggested absolutely wonderful. We would definitely use this again.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the Crater Lake tour and found the commentary helpful mile after mile. Happy it guided you to all the best stops and made your visit more enjoyable. For more adventures, check out my Tour of 30+ National Parks, featuring engaging audio guides at parks like Yellowstone and Glacier, designed for freedom and discovery. Happy travels!
When you buy the guided tour they don’t tell you the road is closed due to snow and road construction. I was able to drive 1.8 miles of the 21 mile loop! Will not reopen until July if even then according to the park ranger.
Susan, thank you for your feedback. I want to clarify that the closure of the North Entrance and Rim Drive for the season was included in the information provided both before purchase and in the redemption instructions, so travelers were aware of this before booking. As only the South Entrance is currently open, the audio tour is available for both entrances. Our support team is available from 9 AM to 6 PM, and we're happy to assist with a replacement or refund if needed. Please reach out to me directly.
Very well done. We actually listened to both east and west tours. Money well spent, and we will be getting more of their tours in our travels.
I’m so glad you enjoyed both the east and west tours of Crater Lake National Park. It’s like having a personal guide in your pocket, letting you explore with the flexibility and ease you want. For more adventures, check out my Tour of 25+ National Parks, featuring engaging audio guides at parks like Yellowstone and Glacier, designed for freedom and discovery. Happy travels!
