Riding here
Crater Lake's Rim Drive is one of the great national park road rides: a 33-mile loop around the caldera rim with about 3,900 feet of climbing, the impossibly blue lake appearing at nearly every turn. On Ride the Rim days, the east side closes to cars. The season is short, July to September, and the air is thin at over 7,000 feet.
Where you can ride
Bikes may use park roads whenever motor vehicles can, and Rim Drive and the North Entrance Road during seasonal periods when they're snow-free but closed to cars. Grayback Drive (8 unpaved miles) is the only place mountain biking is allowed.
Where you can't
No bikes on trails, and no fat biking on winter trails. The park advises against riding the 3 miles between Park Headquarters and Rim Village.
Rides
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Rim Drive
- Road
- 33 mi loop
- 3,900 ft climbing
- Paved
- Hard
A full loop of the caldera between 6,450 and 7,700 feet (Cloudcap). Steady climbs, big views, and no shoulders.
Start: Rim Village or Park Headquarters
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East Rim car-free (Ride the Rim)
- Road
- 24 mi car-free section
- Paved
- Hard
On Ride the Rim days the East Rim Drive closes to cars, leaving 24 miles of road to riders.
Start: North Junction or Park Headquarters
-
Grayback Drive
- Mountain bike
- 8 mi unpaved
- Dirt
- Moderate
The park's only mountain bike route, an old dirt road through forest.
Start: Off Rim Drive near Lost Creek
Car-free riding
Ride the Rim: East Rim Drive closes to vehicles on two Saturdays a year (usually September), giving 24 car-free miles. The NPS page doesn't list dates; check ridetherimoregon.com.
When to go
Plan for July, August and September only; snow covers the rim most of the year.
Safety
No bike lanes or shoulders; ride single file. Helmets required under 16. Water only at Rim Village and Mazama Village. Altitude makes everything harder.
E-bikes
The park's own bicycling page doesn't spell out e-bike rules. Under the NPS e-bike rule (36 CFR 4.30), an e-bike with working pedals and a motor under 750 watts is generally allowed where regular bikes are, and riding on the motor alone is barred anywhere cars can't go. Parks can restrict them, so confirm with the park before you bring one.
Fees
Arriving by bike, you pay the park's individual (per-person) entrance fee, normally valid for 7 days, or ride in on an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Amounts change, so check the park's Fees & Passes page.
Rentals, tours and shuttles
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Your bike shop hereSample listing
This spot is for one rental shop, guide service or shuttle near Crater Lake: your name, what you offer, and a link straight to your booking page, at the top of this section.
Feature your shop on this page, free until spring 2027
Run a shop near Crater Lake? Add it here.
Sources
Checked November 2026 against these sources. Rules, closures and fees change; confirm with the park before you ride.
Edited by David Bussell. Spot something out of date? Tell us.