Between lingering winter weather and sudden cloud cover, you’re never guaranteed a good sunset at Crater Lake National Park. But when it’s good, it’s ridiculously good.

Earlier this week was one of those good days, with wispy clouds hanging over Crater Lake, reflecting the colorful light of the setting sun. The air was warm and still, as people hung around the park at dusk, soaking it all in.

There’s just something inherently magical about golden light on the rim of the caldera, about red-tinted clouds reflected in the perfect, cerulean waters. And with roads and trails leading all around the massive lake, there are dozens of different vantage points to see what is easily one of the very best sunset spots in Oregon.

Most people will watch the sunset from some point on Rim Drive, the road that circumnavigates the lake. The paved trail at Rim Village, running from the gift shop to the Crater Lake Lodge, is probably the most popular place to watch sunset, with several good viewpoints including a terrific look from the rocking chairs behind the lodge. From here, you can get a view of the eastern rim of the caldera, painted with the last light of day.

Many people opt to go out The Watchman, a short peak on the south side of the rim, with good viewpoints both at the top and bottom. From here, you can get a great view of Wizard Island (though it quickly falls into shadow) and a look across the lake to Mount Scott. You can also turn around to catch the sun setting into the hills to the west.

Later in the summer, when Rim Drive is plowed and opened for the season, visitors can find a number of other good viewpoints, adding other geographical features into the view like Phantom Ship, Pumice Castle and Sun Notch, as well Mount Thielsen in the distance.

Catching a good sunset at Crater Lake requires a little bit of luck, but there’s not a lot of skill to it. Just make sure you’re somewhere with a view of the lake as the sun begins to go down, and you’ll be treated to an unforgettable experience.

--Jamie Hale covers travel and the outdoors and co-hosts the Peak Northwest podcast. Reach him at 503-294-4077, jhale@oregonian.com or @HaleJamesB.

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