All aboard: Crater Lake welcomes three new boats, begins offering cruises

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The deepest lake in the U.S. is right here in Oregon and, as of Monday, residents and visitors can take in a 360-degree view of it during a boat tour.

In late June, Crater Lake Hospitality delivered three new, 41-foot boats to Crater Lake National Park via helicopter due to the “steep terrain to access the lake.”

The hospitality brand, under umbrella company Aramark Destinations, now offers three different boat tours for residents and visitors who want to experience Oregon’s only national park in a unique way through Sunday, Sept. 17.

The standard tour takes passengers on a two-hour cruise around the perimeter of the lake. An onboard park ranger will also teach guests about the lake’s culture, geology and history, which includes the formation of the Phantom Ship and Wizard Island.

Tickets for the standard tour are $44 for adults and $30 for children between 3 and 12 years old.

Next, the Wizard Island Tours give passengers a similar experience to the standard tours, but with an additional three hours to explore the park’s Wizard Island. The cinder cone formed around 7,700 years ago, after Mount Mazama erupted.

The site now stands at about 763 feet tall, and visitors can go on a 2.2 mile hike up to the summit.

Wizard Island tours cost $55 for adults and $37 for children.

Crater Lake Hospitality also offers shuttles directly to Wizard Island, at $28 for adults and $18 for children.

“We are thrilled to have these new beautiful, eco-friendly and functional boats for scenic boat tours at Crater Lake National Park,” Aramark President and CEO Bruce W. Fears said in a statement. “Crater Lake is a gem in Oregon, and we are pleased to be able to enhance the visitor experience with these new boats that were created in partnership with the National Park Service and Katanacraft.”

The National Park Service requires standard entrance passes for park visitors. Fees start at $15.