After consulting with the supervisors of the national forests surrounding Crater Lake National Park, Steel and the forestry officials agreed to support jointly a revision and extension of the park boundaries in 1915. The revised park boundaries, which soon encountered opposition, read:
Commencing at the western extremity of the south boundary of the Crater Lake National Park, thence west approximately three-quarters of a mile to the boundary between Klamath and Jackson Counties, thence north along said county line to a point on the boundary between Douglas and Jackson Counties, thence east to a point due north of the present western line of the park, thence north to a point 2 miles north of the sixth standard parallel, thence east to a point on the east boundary of the Umpqua National Forest, thence southerly along the said eastern boundary of the Umpqua National Forest to the present north line of the Crater Lake National Park. [4]
In view of the foregoing examination of park management issues and development projects in Crater Lake National Park during 1913-16, the question arises as to the type, details, and quality of experience that a park visitor had during those years. [5] During these years the tourist season generally extended from June 15 to September 30.
In a general park information circular for 1913 the visitor accommodations and means by which the park could be reached were described. According to the brochure the park was accessible from
Klamath Falls, Chiloquin, Medford, and Ashland on the Southern Pacific Railroad. According to present advices, Klamath Falls is the only point from which regular transportation service will be available. Tourists will proceed by bus from Klamath Falls to Upper Klamath Lake, thence by launch to Harriman Lodge, thence by automobile to Crater Lake. Between Klamath Falls and Harriman Lodge the service will be rendered by the Klamath Development Co. (address, Klamath Falls, Oreg.); between Harriman Lodge and Crater Lake the service will be performed by the Crater Lake Co. (address, Crater Lake, Oreg.).
Visitor accommodations provided by the Crater Lake Company included:
At Crater Lake Lodge on the rim of the lake guests are furnished with comfortable beds in floored tents. Meals are served in a frame building pending the completion of the lodge.
At Camp Arant, 5 miles below the rim of Crater Lake, the Crater Lake Co. maintains a camp for the accommodation of guests, a general store for the sale of provisions and campers’ supplies, and a livery barn.
Free camping privileges in designated areas were open to the public subject to park regulations. [6]
Arrangements were made to improve transportation to the park during the 1913-16 period. Prior to these years the Crater Lake Company had maintained a line of automobile stages from Medford on the main line of the Southern Pacific, a distance of 85 miles from the park. In 1914 similar service was begun from Chiloquin on the northerly extension of the Southern Pacific (known as the Crater Lake or Natron cut-off) from Klamath Falls. That same year was the first time in the history of the park that one could purchase a ticket from Portland to California towns, or vice versa, and travel via Crater Lake at an additional expense of only $13 for automobile fare between Medford or Chiloquin.
