Pumice Point is a 47 foot tall, white-faced cliff that lies beneath Grouse Hill on Crater Lake’s north rim opposite Crater Lake Lodge and Rim Village. The formation, which sits on a rocky point created by glaciated crust, topmost lava, and glacial sand, consists of large, coarse, white pumice mixed with large blocks of andesite.
The thing is: At the Pumice Point Scenic Overlook off Rim Drive, you can see views of Crater Lake from yet another angle but you can’t really see the Pumice Point formation because you’re standing on it! If you look to the right however, you will see a stretch of light-colored pumice hugging the edge of the cliffs.
Considering how many stunning scenic viewpoints and overlooks there are surrounding Crater Lake — like Sinnott Memorial Overlook, Discovery Point, Watchman Overlook, Merriam Point, Llao Rock, Wineglass, Cloudcap, Palisade Point, Sentinel Rock, Kerr Notch, and Sun Notch — we weren’t too impressed with this overlook, especially since some of the view is obstructed by trees.
Just east of Pumice Point is Cleetwood Cove, the only place visitors can reach the surface of the lake and the embarkation point for Crater Lake and Wizard Island boat tours. There is a steep trail which leads from the rim down a series of switchbacks to a dock in the cove.
Know Before You Go
- Crater Lake National Park, Oregon’s only national park, does not have a physical street address, so it can be hard to locate us using GPS. We made the historic Crater Lake Lodge our first stop, which is located at 565 Rim Drive, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97604.
- At 1,943 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and the principal feature of Crater Lake National Park.
- The Pumice Point scenic viewpoint sits on the 33 mile Rim Drive that travels around Crater Lake’s caldera and features lake views and interpretive signs at the main vista points.
- Good for seven days, admissions fees are $30.00/vehicle, $25.00/motorcycle in the summer and $15.00/motorcycle in the winter, and $15.00/pedestrian or bicycle.
- The national park is open year-round, 24 hours a day but many of the park’s roads, trails, and facilities are closed seasonally.
- During periods of rain and snow, Crater Lake is often hidden by clouds — it is completely invisible about 50% of the time in the winter!
- Summers at Crater Lake are short but typically sunny. July, August, and September are your best bets for warm, dry weather. However, it can snow any day of the year.
- The park’s North Entrance is closed for about seven months each year. It closes at the first snowfall or on November 1, whichever comes first and reopens in early to mid-summer. The park’s South Entrance and West Entrance are open year-round. We visited the park in late July and the roads had only been open for a week!
- Crater Lake National Park has two visitor centers. The Steel Visitor Center at Park Headquarters is open every day except December 25 — 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from mid-April to early November and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm the rest of the year. The Rim Visitor Center at Rim Village is open daily from late May to late September from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
- Dogs on-leash are permitted within the park but only within developed areas and within Mazama Village and Lost Creek Campground. Dogs are not permitted on any trails or in undeveloped areas.
