This is the way to experience beautiful Crater Lake. The Ranger on board shared his vast knowledge with us about crater lake. The bus driver made several photo stops. Sit back, relax, enjoy the beautiful views and leave the driving to them!
Having been told there was no need to buy tickets for the trolley to meet us at the Amtrak train, when the train was late we were told we needed to have a ticket; then told they do not "meet the train" (though their website and Amtrak say they do); then told trolley only goes up once at 9:30am. Our train was 6 hours late. What was frustrating was calling by cell phone from train and getting 3 different stories! Then, they could not promise a trolley ride down from Crater Lake! We were trying to be eco-friendly- which they advertise - but found ourselves stranded. Thank God for Enterprise Car Rental who met us at the train and whose 2 day cost was actually less than the RT trolley ride!
We got Ranger Dave who has worked at crater lake for 8 years & I believe 11 summers at Crater Lake. He obviously knew every fact about it & shared it in a fun way with us. 2hr 15 min drive around the rim with about 6 stops or so (each 5-10 min) each. Enough to take some photos, get a few facts, ask a few questions. Important tip here is to get there about 30 min before the trolley time, to buy your ticket, I'd suggest sitting in the last row (doesn't matter which side) but more importantly grab 2 seat cushions as the seats are hard & the roads are horrible.
What a pleasant surprise. I didn't know this service existed. Our family took this trip last year to Crater lake. It was most memorable. The ride encircled the entire rim of the lake stopping at different sites allowing us plenty of photo opportunities. A park ranger told of its history. This year we will be taking our visiting guests from Australia. We are proud of our spectacular scenic country and proud to show it off to the world in such an ecologically friendly manner. I would strongly recommend this trip to anyone.
A very nice 2 hour tour around the rim with multiple stops for viewing and picture taking. The park guide was very informative and was quite the learning experience!
We had a wonderful time taking the trolley.With all of the road work being done there the trolley was the way to go , Our ranger was the best I don't remember his name (red hair) Loved all of his visual effects in telling everyone about the park and area around it. The female driver Ida? Wonderful.. The weather was hot but the trolley was cool , we took the first tour in the morning glad we did as the park was filled with people when we got back 2 hours later..... Every stop was spectacular. 1 more thing to scratch off the bucket list..... Just remember to use the restroom before the tour. Its right next to the trolleys.
Wow! An amazing 2 hour journey with a ranger - couldn't ask for more! We stopped at all the look-outs and had plenty of opportunity to take pictures and ask questions. Take your own water and don't plan on any bathroom breaks!!A great way to see the lake!!
This was a great way to learn a lot about crater lake and the park. The trolly has a park ranger on board that answers any questions that the visitors have. The trolley also makes multiple stops around the lake to take pictures from various view points which is nice. It is kind of expensive but in the end I believe it is the best way to see the lake. Reserved our tickets before our trip which is probably wise during the busy season because there is a limited amount of seats.
Enjoyed the ride. Was a beautiful day with great vistas. We were limited because of road construction so we had the full time, but 2/3 of the ride. But it was fine. The volunteer ranger was interesting and personable. We stopped several times to get out and take photos. I had made reservations but didn't realize you don't actually pay until you're on site so a little confusion there but quickly resolved. So word of caution,despite having a reservation, you still need to make time to pay. The person behind me was equally confused so I didn't feel bad that I was confused. Well worth the money.
We enjoyed our 2 hour trolley journey (10:30am-1:30pm) around the rim of Crater Lake before the weather turned in mid-September. The trolley left exactly at 10:30am so show up 15 minutes ahead if you have to buy your tickets. I had done the Wizard Island Boat tour the prior day, so when I saw the same Park Ranger on board the trolley as was on the boat, I was worried there was going to be a lot of duplication. The Ranger recognized our group, and did a nice job of not repeating the same information. At the same time she made it fun and interesting and since she was a local she could give insights to the general area that others could not.It was great to hear about the surrounding mountains and the Crater Lake native folklore. This was only $25.00 per person and it was nice not to have to drive around the Crater by car and take photos, but instead ride the trolley. We had made a reservation in advance (recommended during high season). We met the trolley at the community center about 2 blocks from the Crater Lake Lodge. The seats were hard but they gave us a cushion to soften the ride. My favorite stop was the water fall. The sun was out but the winds were strong.