Frequently Asked Questions

There are check in booths located at North Junction and Park HQ. We ask that each rider check in before beginning the ride.
Even though the event is free, we ask that each participant register so we can ask for enough snacks, water and supplies to be donated. Pre-registering also helps Park Staff and Event Organizers better anticipate crowd size, which in turn helps us secure and place volunteers in the appropriate locations for parking, ride support, etc.
Yes, Ride the Rim allows electric bikes with a bike assist because you must use a pedaling action to receive the bike assist. Ride the Rim does not allow anything that is considered ‘self-propelled’, which does include some bikes with a bike assists. We do not allow anything that has internal combustion, a motorized vehicle, high speed electric engines and noise generating motor vehicles. If your bike also has a throttle, we ask that your throttle be disabled before starting your ride. For more information on classifications on bike assists, click here. Individuals with disabilities may use an e-bike for the Ride the Rim event without pedaling if they have an impairment which prevents them from pedaling.
What can riders expect? Anything and everything. In the past we’ve had sunny, windless days and snow, sleet, and hail on others. The point is, come ready for anything and check the weather before you come. You can check the weather using the National Weather Service.
Yes, although this event is made possible through a partnership with Crater Lake National Park and local tourism organizations, such as Discover Klamath Visitor and Convention Bureau, as well as the Friends of Crater Lake, a non-profit service organization. Collectively, these groups provide the funds, organizational skills, staffing, volunteers, and materials to make this event possible. Your donations help fund the event as it grows over time.
Yes, both riders should register individually.
Yes! Crater Lake National Park offers many hiking trails as well as two Visitor Centers: Rim Village and Steele Visitor Center. There are also many nearby attractions families can visit as well that are outside the park, such as: Train Mountain, Collier State Park & Logging Museum, Fort Klamath Museum, Two Rivers Art Gallery, and the Crater Lake ZipLine, to name a few attractions within about 30 minutes of the Park. For a complete list of attractions, please visit Klamath County’s Official Tourism Agency.
No. Ride the Rim provides only snacks and water at its rest stops. Once you finish the ride you will find food and beverage options at Crater Lake Lodge, the Rim Village Café, Mazama Village, or Annie Creek Restaurant.
While participants can technically begin the ride at any time, please keep in mind that the official Ride the Rim route does not open until 8:00 AM. This means rest stops will not be set up until this time. The best window to start is is no later than 10:00 AM. We strongly discourage beginning the ride after 12:00 PM because you may not have completed the course prior to our rest stops coming down at 4:00 PM, after which time there will be absolutely no support on the course and many vehicles attempt to quickly get around the rim while there is still daylight causing unsafe scenarios. Additionally, experience has shown temperatures drop rapidly after 5:00 PM.
While Crater Lake National Park is a family friendly environment, Ride the Rim strongly encourages families to research the difficulty of this ride and make the best determination whether children should ride with the family. Pull-behind carts and child bike seats may be a safer option for children. While not a long ride, this is a challenging ride best suited to intermediate level riders or greater.
We provide a communication notebook at each rest stop should you get separated from your group. Please plan to leave your name and time you arrived/departed from a rest stop to give your group an idea of where you might be. If you end the ride and plan to leave the last rest stop for any reason, we highly recommend that you leave a note for your party telling them where they can find you. You will not be able to communicate via cell phones because cell phone coverage is very spotty in the park.
Cell phone service is spotty in Crater Lake National Park because of its remoteness, however 911 will still work in case of an emergency. Each rest stop will be equipped with radios for emergencies only.
Yes, helmets are required any time you are riding your bike or on skates.
Yes! You can donate to help support the event on the Donate Page. There will also be donation boxes present; one at North Junction and another at Park HQ if you wish to make a contribution in cash. Thank you in advance.
Because parking is limited, we recommend carpooling as much as possible.
No. We do not provide a SAG wagon. As this is technically an unsupported ride, it is important you are self-supportive with water and appropriate gear in the event of mechanical difficulty. Should you not be able to continue while on the route, have a plan in place with whomever you came with to reach you once the road is open to vehicles.
Yes! There is no charge to place your bikes in the bike corrals.
We recommend riding in a clockwise direction, because our course is multi-directional offering an opportunity for out-and-back rides. Check out the elevation chart to plan your route.
The distance around Crater Lake on Rim Drive is 33 miles, and consists of sections on East Rim Drive (25 Miles) and West Rim Drive (8 miles). The “Vehicle Free” portion of the ride is East Rim Drive (25 Miles) . The terrain has steep inclines and declines with about 3,500 feet of net elevation gain.
Ride length will vary by how many stops are made, quality of equipment, and by how conditioned you are. Most people will take between 3-5 hours to complete the ride.
There are 5 evenly-spaced rest stops on the 25 mile vehicle free route. At each stop you will find snacks, water, restrooms, bike pumps, waste receptacles, basic first aid kits, basic bike repair tools, and enthusiastic volunteers providing support. WE DO ask that riders come prepared with refillable water bottles and enough snacks to meet their needs for the day should the snacks and water provided not meet your expectations or liking. All snacks are donated to the event and we do not have control whether we have enough for every single rider at each stop or will have snacks to accommodate those with allergies.
We ask that people with special food considerations come prepared to manage their own fueling needs throughout the day. Ride the Rim organizers don’t provide special foods (e.g. Gluten Free, Sugar Free, etc.) as we run entirely off donations to the event.
Crater Lake National Park is a pet friendly park in designated areas. Dogs must be on leashes at all times measuring 6 feet in length. Only one pet per person is allowed. Solid waste must be picked up immediately and disposed of properly. Please check Crater Lake’s website for further information.
Ride the Rim branded merchandise is not available at the event, but is available for purchase on the event's official swag site. This is because the National Parks have established vendor agreements with sole rights to sell national park branded merchandise on park property.