Crater Lake north entrance closed for fire operations

The north entrance to Crater Lake National Park closed temporarily beginning on Monday to allow for fire line operations related to the Spruce Lake Fire, officials said.

Here’s the rest of the news release Tuesday announcing the move:

The precautionary closure is being put into effect to facilitate fire operations and provide for the safety of firefighters and park visitors. In addition to previous trail closures, the Pacific Crest Trail is also now temporarily closed from the North Entrance Road to the park north boundary, and the Rim Trail has been closed for the second time this summer. West Rim Drive continues to be closed from 9:00 PM Sunday evenings through 4:00 PM Friday afternoons.

Visitors traveling from the north should proceed south on U.S. 97 to Route 422 at Chiloquin, then on to Route 62 to the south entrance of Crater Lake. There are no entrance fees for drivers simply traversing Route 62 through the southern part of the park. Commercial truck traffic remains prohibited on Route 62 within the park.

Visitors should expect increased delays at the Annie Creek entrance station as all park traffic will be routed through this point during the temporary closure of the north entrance.

All other roads within the park and all facilities remain open. Please be aware that smoky conditions may be present throughout the park, and visitors are advised to check the park website for current conditions prior to traveling to the area.

For more information regarding smoke levels, go to http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/. Please visit Crater Lake’s website, www.nps.gov/crla, for updated information or to view real-time conditions from the park’s webcams.