How to Get a Crater Lake Permit
Eleven groups a night sleep at Crater Lake, directly under the most photographed peaks in Colorado — and every one of them is in an assigned campsite.
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Groups Per Day
$10 per person, per night from May 1 to October 31 (children 16 and under free), plus a $6 non-refundable reservation fee
Permit Cost
1-7 nights
Duration
moderate
Difficulty
About Crater Lake
Crater Lake is one of nine Overnight Permit Zones in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, and one of only three where USFS assigns you a specific campsite rather than a zone to camp anywhere within. The zone quota is 11 groups per night. The site inventory is published: ten campsites of 1-4 people, and campsite #7, which takes 5-10. Group size is limited to the maximum allowable at the campsite you booked, and if you reserve multiple campsites the total group is capped at 10 people. Fees are $10 per person per night from May 1 to October 31, children 16 and under free, plus a $6 non-refundable reservation fee. USFS says 95% of the recreation fee goes back into stewardship of this wilderness. Permits are limited to two per person per calendar year, the maximum stay is seven nights, and you have to reserve a spot for every night of the trip in whichever zone you will be camping.
Crater Lake is the first water on the Maroon Lake trail and the closest designated-campsite zone to the Maroon Bells themselves. That proximity is the whole story: it is the shortest walk to a legal camp under the Bells, and USFS caps it at eleven groups a night to keep the shoreline from being loved flat.
The Experience
You arrive with the day-trippers and then they leave. By evening the Bells are lit and the shuttle buses have stopped running and there are ten other tents in the whole basin, all of them in spots the Forest Service picked.
This is a designated-campsite zone, which changes how you plan. In the Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake zones the permit holder and group are required to camp in their reserved campsite — not just somewhere in the zone. You book the site, and that is where you sleep.
USFS lists ten campsites for 1-4 people plus campsite #7, which takes 5-10. The overall group ceiling is 10 whether you get there on one site or several. If you are starting at the Maroon Scenic Area you also need a separate parking or bus reservation, which arrives as a link in the confirmation email — there are a limited number of parking spaces and you may end up on the bus.
What to Expect
Eleven groups a night in the zone, in assigned campsites
Campsites sized 1-4 people, with one 5-10 person site (#7)
No campfires at any designated site in this zone
No toilets anywhere in the wilderness
A separate parking or bus reservation if you start from the Maroon Scenic Area
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Permit Requirements
Ten of the eleven Crater Lake campsites take 1-4 people; campsite #7 is the only one sized for 5-10
Group size is limited to the maximum number of persons allowable at the campsite, with total group size limited to 10 if multiple campsites are reserved
You must camp in your reserved campsite in the Crater Lake zone — this is one of the three zones where campsites are assigned, not chosen
Permits are limited to two per person per calendar year, and two permits cannot overlap the same night
Maximum length of stay per permit is seven nights
Food, trash and any scented item must be stored in an IGBC-approved bear-resistant container. USFS states that visitors without one will be ticketed and required to leave
There are no toilets in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. WAG bags are highly recommended but not required and must be packed out; otherwise dig a cat hole six to eight inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails
Campfires are prohibited at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake, and anywhere above 10,800 feet including Snowmass Lake
Dogs must be on leash everywhere in the wilderness except the Conundrum Hot Springs Zone, where they are prohibited entirely
Permits are only available through Recreation.gov — ranger stations will not issue them
The permit must be printed and carried with photo ID, and can be printed as early as 14 days before your date
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •An IGBC-approved bear canister or Ursack — this is enforced, not encouraged
- •A stove. Campfires are banned at every designated site in this zone
- •A WAG bag or a trowel, because there are no toilets anywhere in this wilderness
- •A printed permit and photo ID
- •Water treatment
Recommended Gear
- •Trekking poles
- •A tarp for the afternoon storms
- •Warm layers — this is high country and the nights bite even in August
Hazards & Safety
Altitude. This is Colorado high country and the campsites sit well above most people's baseline
Afternoon thunderstorms, which arrive on schedule in July and August and have nowhere to hide from
Snow on the passes and at the campsites from early October to late June, with avalanche hazard and difficult route finding
Black bears — the reason USFS writes the canister rule as a ticketable offence
Trailheads that may be inaccessible to vehicles outside the July-to-September window
Best Time to Visit
USFS names July through September as the best time to visit, and says outright that from early October to late June the campsites, trails and mountain passes are snow-covered and trailheads may be inaccessible. Inside that window, September brings the aspens and slightly better availability than midsummer.
Pro Tips
Reserve a spot in the zone for every night of the trip — the permit is per zone per night, not per trip
Permits are capped at two per person per calendar year, so do not burn one on a date you are unsure about
Permits cannot be booked into a future release window: a trip that spans a month boundary has to wait for the later month to open
If you are starting from the Maroon Scenic Area you also need a separate parking or bus reservation — the confirmation email links to it, and parking spaces are limited
Once the permit is printed it cannot be changed or cancelled, so print it late
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Crater Lake permit?
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Crater Lake permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Crater Lake?
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USFS names July through September as the best time to visit, and says outright that from early October to late June the campsites, trails and mountain passes are snow-covered and trailheads may be inaccessible. Inside that window, September brings the aspens and slightly better availability than midsummer.
How difficult is Crater Lake?
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Anyone who wants a night under the Maroon Bells without a multi-day itinerary. This is the shortest legal approach to a camp in the basin.
What gear do I need for Crater Lake?
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Essential gear includes: An IGBC-approved bear canister or Ursack — this is enforced, not encouraged, A stove. Campfires are banned at every designated site in this zone, A WAG bag or a trowel, because there are no toilets anywhere in this wilderness, A printed permit and photo ID, Water treatment.
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