Crater Lake National Park weather in April

April in Crater Lake National Park: cold, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 12 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Crater Lake National Park🇺🇸 United States · Pacific Northwest · National park67
  1. 43Jan
  2. 48Feb
  3. 52Mar
  4. 67Apr
  5. 79May
  6. 86Jun
  7. 95Jul
  8. 94Aug
  9. 88Sep
  10. 71Oct
  11. 58Nov
  12. 41Dec

#7 of 12 months in Crater Lake National Park · #1143 of 1413 destinations to visit in April · comfort 67/100 (tier C)

Days
6°C
Nights
-4°C
Wet days
12
Sun
10.1 h
Humidity
76%
Daylight
13 h
Crater Lake National Park, United States
Photo: Ambient Vista · Pexels

Traveller notes on Crater Lake National Park in April

Other months in Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake-forum threads on a January visit describe Rim Drive and the north entrance as genuinely closed for the season, posters naming Rim Village as the only real place to view the lake this time of year. Regulars call the west and south entrances genuinely plowed daily and open year-round, several posters naming this the standard way in during winter. Posters call even the Rim Village road capable of closing in heavy snow, several regulars naming chains as standard equipment for anyone driving up in January. Regulars call roughly forty feet of snow a year genuinely typical here, several threads naming this the reason so much of the park stays inaccessible without snowshoes. Posters recommend checking current road status before a January trip, several regulars calling this standard given how quickly conditions can close even the plowed sections. The record: 1.5C days, -5.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 259.1mm across 17 days and 84 percent humidity.
CraterLakeJanuaryRegular · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Crater Lake-forum threads on a November visit describe the north entrance as typically closed by early in the month, posters calling the south entrance the only realistic access point through the rest of autumn and into winter. Regulars call tire chains a real possibility depending on conditions, a genuine complication for anyone in a rental car since chains often aren't permitted on them. Regulars call Rim Drive closed by November, the lake itself still viewable from accessible overlooks despite the more limited access. Posters call both in-park lodges closed for the season by this point, Klamath Falls or Fort Klamath the practical nearby options instead. Regulars recommend checking current road conditions directly before a November trip, forecasts here considered genuinely unreliable this late in the year. The record: 4.9C days feeling like 3C, -3.3C nights, an extraordinarily high 193.3mm across over 13 days and 78 percent humidity.
CraterLakeNovemberRegular · November · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Crater Lake-forum threads on October weather describe the month as genuinely transitional, posters calling the first half often still pleasant, t-shirt weather by day with just a light layer needed once the sun drops. Regulars call the back half of the month a different story entirely, winter conditions typically setting in with real snowfall common by late October. Posters describe the lodge as closing for the season around mid-month, boat tours and the trolley having already wrapped up back in September. Regulars recommend checking current road and facility status directly before planning a visit this late in the month, conditions capable of shifting within days. Posters call the lake itself worth the trip regardless of exact timing, the rim views striking under October's clearer, quieter skies. Regulars recommend real layers for the genuinely cold evenings at this elevation. The record: 10.5C days feeling like 7C, 0.1C nights, 137.2mm across over 10 days and 69 percent humidity.
CraterLakeOctoberRegular · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Crater Lake-forum threads on September weather describe this as genuinely one of the strongest months for dry, comfortable conditions, daytime readings typically in the high sixties Fahrenheit though posters note the range can run from the forties to the eighties. Regulars call nighttime lows regularly dropping to around forty Fahrenheit, some nights genuinely dropping toward freezing even in a favorable stretch. Posters describe September as capable of turning beautiful, often called the most scenic month, though conditions can shift by mid-month with most facilities winding down by early October. Regulars recommend late September as generally fine, though posters flag a real caution, one visitor describing getting caught in an unexpected system during a past September's second week. Posters recommend a current forecast rather than assuming based on the calendar. The record: 17.4C days feeling like 15C, 4.7C nights, a notably high 2.3cm of fresh accumulation and 58 percent humidity.
CraterLakeSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Crater Lake National Park climate normals — April

Daytime high6°C / 44°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low-4°C / 26°F
Feels like (high)3°C / 37°F
Rainfall151 mm / 6 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days12 days
Humidity76%💦 very humid
Dew point-3°C / 26°F
Sunshine10.1 h/day
Daylight13.4 h
Wind13 km/h / 8 mph
Snowfall94.3 cm / 37.1 in
Air quality (US AQI)42🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Crater Lake National Park in April

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Shoulder seasonan ordinary month(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Crater Lake National Park's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherCrater Lake National Park's weather peaks July–September.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Crater Lake National Park in April

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Season

    Deep winter

    1 Nov – 30 AprIce seasonClosures

    One of the snowiest places in the country: the north entrance and Rim Drive shut, the west and south roads are ploughed, and rangers run snowshoe walks from Rim Village. The park's own warning is that cloud hides the lake about half the season. Source ↗

  • Season

    Snow season

    Ski season

    About 94 cm of snow falls in the month.

    from the climate normals

What's on around the world in April →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Crater Lake National Park — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Crater Lake National Park?

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Crater Lake National Park in April — FAQ

Is April a good time to visit Crater Lake National Park?
April in Crater Lake National Park: cold, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 12 rainy days. It ranks #7 of 12 months for Crater Lake National Park on SeasonMap's comfort score (67/100).
What is the weather like in Crater Lake National Park in April?
In April, Crater Lake National Park averages a daily high of 6.4°C and a low of -3.6°C, with about 151.3 mm of rain over roughly 12.4 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Crater Lake National Park in April?
Crater Lake National Park has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 42 in April.
Does it snow in Crater Lake National Park in April?
Crater Lake National Park sees roughly 94.3 cm of snowfall in April.

Within 300 km: Portland's Cherry blossom on the waterfront around 20 Mar – 12 Apr, and Bend's Mt Bachelor ski season around 25 Nov – 15 May.