6,000 ft caldera rim — cold, clear, world-class dark.
Updated:
· Tonight: Friday, August 14, 2026
📍 SW OR🌑 Bortle 2🚗 In southern Oregon, about 1.5 hours north of Klamath Falls via Highway 97 and Highway 62.
About Crater Lake
Sitting at over 7,000 feet with almost no nearby light pollution, Crater Lake has been ranked the best national park in the U.S. for stargazing. The caldera rim gives a huge, mostly unobstructed sweep of sky over the deepest lake in the country.
What you can see in the sky
Milky Way reflected over the caldera, with dozens of rim overlooks to choose a foreground from.
Best time of year
Late June through mid-October, when the Rim Drive is fully open; ranger-led night sky programs run through the summer season.
Why this site is worth the drive
Rated the #1 national park for stargazing by multiple outlets
Over 30 scenic overlooks along the 33-mile Rim Drive to set up at
Ranger night sky programs run through the summer
Practical tips for Crater Lake
Rim Drive is only fully open roughly late June to mid-October due to snow the rest of the year
Summer park entrance fee is around $30 per vehicle
High elevation means cold nights even in July — bring warm layers
Live 48-hour forecast
Tonight's verdict above is a build-time snapshot. For the full
hourly view — cloud cover, transparency, seeing, smoke, humidity,
moon altitude and a Bortle-aware tonight score by observing mode
(visual, deep-sky, planetary, astrophoto) — open the live forecast:
The live page combines Open-Meteo weather, US-AQI wildfire smoke,
moon math and Bortle-scale darkness into a single tonight score
(0–100), updated continuously.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crater Lake good for stargazing tonight?
Tonight's verdict is Poor (Medium confidence). No sustained clear window; brief gaps possible (min cloud 2%).
When is the best time of year to stargaze at Crater Lake?
Late June through mid-October, when the Rim Drive is fully open; ranger-led night sky programs run through the summer season.
How long is the drive from Toronto?
In southern Oregon, about 1.5 hours north of Klamath Falls via Highway 97 and Highway 62.
What can I see in the sky here?
Milky Way reflected over the caldera, with dozens of rim overlooks to choose a foreground from.
How dark is the sky? (Bortle scale)
Crater Lake sits at Bortle class 2 on the 1–9 dark-sky scale, where 1 is a pristine wilderness sky and 9 is an inner-city sky.