What a beautiful national park!…read more Came here on a day where the weather changed between partly cloudy/sunny and snowy/rainy. The snowy surroundings created a nice contrast against the very deep blue color of the lake. In the early morning, it was very peaceful. There were not many people around, likely because of weather. The Steel Visitor Center's film was excellent to get a sense of the geology and history of the park. The lodge also offered an excellent meal with a partial view of the lake. Because of the snow, we were not able to go on the Rim Drive or hike the trails. I would imagine all the views would have been beautiful. The Cleetwood Cove trail down to the lake is closed for 3 summers, through 2028. If weather is of any question, the NPS website has up-to-date information about the weather, including webcams of several spots in the park.

Wow had now expectations for this "giant lake" but it absolutely blew me away, this Volcanic crater…read moreluck is simply stunning! Could win a "Miss National Parks" pageant title IMO! Surprisingly not busy for memorial day weekend although we started early on a sunday morning and a lot of the park was still closed for the season, there was snow! My 3 year old was very pleased. We purchased the annual national park pass at the front gate, sad to hear that the national park staff keeps being reduced and scary to know that there's only *one* emergency ranger on staff currently so please follow the rules folks! Lot's of cute shops for goodies and campgrounds along the way. We stayed an hour away but the drive felt fast and scenic. A nice breath of fresh air. The large parking lot seemed to fill up fast to see the lake, but super close so very accessible. A few hikes were open but honestly just sitting and admiring the lake does the trick. Would love to come back and visit when more of the park is open!

I purchased my tickets online and we were scheduled for the 0900 shuttle to Wizard Island. We…read morearrived at 0800 with plenty of time to check in at the top before we descended the Cleetwood Cove trail. This was a breathtaking hike down even with a bit of smoke. Once at the bottom, you check in again and wait for your shuttle to take off. Staff are neutral and not overly friendly. There are restrooms, but they were not the cleanest. It appears the old stone doc took some damage and there are construction fences throughout the area where you wait to board. To get on the boat you show your ticket number and pick any seat you would like. I recommend sitting closest to the captain so that you can get out first. They go over a brief safety announcement before taking off. The boat ride was smooth due to minimal wind and we even went past the "old man of the lake"- a log that floats completely upright and has for ~450 years. Once on Wizard island you were given three hours to explore. There are two hikes- Fumarole bay and the Summit. The Summit is the most popular of the two. I completed both and even enjoyed a little swim in fumarole bay. We were unfortunately called back in early to evacuate the island due to poor air quality from smoke. They explained that they would blow a horn three times in a row for us to hear and that we would need to rush back to the boat... and if we didn't make it in time that they would have to send out a rescue boat later which would be costly. We were in Fumarole Bay at the time the horn was blown and could barely hear it. By the time everyone was back at the boat we were only leaving the island 15 minutes earlier than we were set to originally. It felt like an unnecessarily stressful way to end the day, to just leave 15 minutes earlier. I understand there are protocols they have to follow- but perhaps make something so that people can more easily hear on the farther parts of the island. The ride back was uneventful. On return to Cleetwood cove there were many people at the bottom fishing, sunbathing, and swimming. The hike back out took about 30 minutes and there are plenty of spots to rest along the way.

Really great, but challenging experience (at least as a family of 3 with a 5 year old). Tickets can…read morebe hard to get, but we got lucky checking first thing in the morning and snagged 3 for late morning. The hike down is a bit long and easy to trip if walking fast - beware. The boat trip itself is great - fast and smooth, over the bluest water you will ever see. Hiking to Fumarole Bay involves many loose volcanic rocks - they are sharp, be careful. Views are amazing and unique. And the hike back up - bring plenty of water, it is definitely a slog but with a view that gets better and better. Despite the trials of the hiking involved, this is amazing and 5 stars all the way, a unique experience anywhere in the world.