US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 61139893).
The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Crater Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:
Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Crater Lake.
Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Look for hotels in and around Bigfork, MT.
Search hotels near Bigfork, MT on Klook
Hotel links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability are set by Klook. Affiliate disclosure.
Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.
Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Bigfork, MT on Klook.
Browse things to do near Bigfork, MT on Klook
Activity links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.
Boat rentals in Bigfork, MT on GetMyBoat
Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.
The red circle marks Crater Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Montana: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official FWP pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.
Stocked by the state: Westslope cutthroat trout (2016, 2019, 2022; 6,271 fish in all, fry included)
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Fish Stocking Records from the FWP Fisheries Information System (releases into Crater Lake since 2015). Look up details in FishMT stocking reports. These are stocking records, not a full fish survey; other species also live here.
Gear picks based on the fish listed for Crater Lake above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 61139893), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
We found 15 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Crater Lake. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
RVs welcome · Dogs allowed
Dogs allowed
All campgrounds & RV parks in Montana
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (48.1171, -113.9000). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Crater Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in MT (America/Denver), and accurate to within a few minutes.
Crater Lake covers about 24 acres in Bigfork, Montana (Flathead County).
Montana FWP fish survey and stocking records lists Westslope cutthroat trout.
Yes. We list 15 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.
Crater Lake touches Bigfork in Flathead County, Montana.
Know Crater Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Montana lakes & ponds · All waters in Bigfork