Throughout the mid-1920s development projects at Crater Lake were concentrated on improvements to road, trail, and utility systems and construction of facilities designed to improve visitor services and park operations. In 1923, for instance, Mather reported on improvements that had been made to the park approach roads and the need to bring the park roads up to those standards:
A most gratifying development has been the notable improvement of approach roads to the park. The Crater Lake Highway out of Medford is now nearing completion and by next season will be widened and surfaced to the park gate. The work on the Klamath Highway has been similarly pushed even more energetically. Construction of The Dalles-California Highway is being carried along rapidly, so that within two years it will be a most important approach highway.
The unprecedented travel over our own 57 miles of roads punished them severely, and while they were maintained as something better than passable the time has come when surfacing is imperative. Oregon has spent and is spending tremendous sums to bring visitors safely and comfortably to the park gate, and in simple justice to all concerned the Federal Government must hold up its end. All three entrance roads contain stretches of volcanic dust which rut deeply and dust up miserably but which can be surfaced at comparatively small cost. The improvement of these stretches together with the light graveling of about 25 miles of the park road system is not only an immediate need but an absolute obligation. . . .
In addition to the roadwork a variety of new construction projects were carried out in the park during 1923. Among the most important, according to Superintendent Thomson, were:
A standard combination mess hall and bunk house was erected at Lost Creek, and firewood stored in it at the close of the season for the use of preseason visitors next year. Two new toilets complete with lavatories were erected at the Rim auto camp ground, and two oil-burning water heaters installed in the new comfort station, so that hot shower baths were available all season. A large septic tank was also constructed at this camp ground. Two similar toilets were constructed at Anna Spring auto camp ground. A large barn was constructed at Anna Spring, a highly satisfactory type of building provided with kicking bars and hinged mangers, an arrangement permitting of its conversion in 15 minutes into a warehouse for winter storage of trucks and other large equipment. Two 20,000-gallon water tanks were installed at the Rim auto camp. A 70-foot log boat landing was constructed at Wizard Island. A rustic screen was erected to eliminate clotheslines from the Rim landscape. Over a thousand feet of pipe was laid in various camp grounds. Sixty new signs were painted and distributed. A new bear-proof meat house was constructed at Government Camp. A large latrine was built at Government Camp. [8]
The year 1924 saw the completion of the western and southern entrance roads to the park and improvements to the eastern entrance approach road. Superintendent Thomson reported:
The year saw the completion of the Mile-high Highway between Klamath Falls and a point 6 miles below Ashland on the Pacific Highway. This fine macadam highway, together with the equally well maintained highway between Klamath Falls and our south entrance, was used by a greatly increased proportion of Park visitors.
The McLeod Cascade Gorge section of the Crater Lake Highway out of Medford to our west entrance was completed this year. This road is now completely widened and is surfaced except for the 6-mile stretch between Silver Camp and our west entrance.
The Dalles-California Highway is completed from Klamath Falls to a point beyond intersection with the 4-mile spur connecting with our east road; northward toward Bend, however, it was bad going.
