Crater Lake
Crater Lake is the far southern region built around the real lake and Wizard Island, the Militia's headquarters. It opens in the second half of the story and has the most encampment jobs and NERO research sites in the game.
- Type
- Region
Good to know
- It holds 13 encampment jobs, the most of any region.
- It has 5 NERO research sites, the most of any region, plus 9 NERO Intel pieces.
- It contains the Diamond Lake and Wizard Island encampments.
- It has 3 Hordes, 2 infestations, 2 ambush camps and 2 NERO checkpoints.
- It holds 9 Historical Markers, 9 Character collectibles and 3 Tourism collectibles.
- Regional plants are silverweed, bunchberry, bistort and golden chanterelle.
What's here
Wizard Island sits in the middle of the lake and Diamond Lake is a Militia base to the north. The Crater Lake Visitor Center is another landmark. The Spruce Lake checkpoint and ambush camp share one site at a tunnel mouth.
Worth knowing
Jobs here pay Wizard Island or Diamond Lake, and each camp keeps its own credits. Spruce Lake's tunnel Horde comes back over time, which makes it a good spot to farm Swarmer ears.
We Must Fill The ArkColonel Matthew Garret has called the Militia together for a speech. You drive over and listen to what he has planned for Wizard Island.
I Know Things Are StrangeSarah needs yeast for her work at Wizard Island. You head out on a supply run to find some and bring it back to her lab.- Prove It To MeDeacon rides with Captain Kouri of the Deschutes County Militia. It is your first real look at the Militia and its plans for the Freakers.
- Throw Them Into The FurnaceColonel Matthew Garret is giving another speech to his Militia. You drive to the spot and stand in the crowd to hear him out.
You Can't Do This AloneThe final push on Wizard Island. With Lost Lake's fighters behind you, you storm the Militia's stronghold and fight your way into the Ark toward Colonel Garret.- Afraid Of A Little Competition?Afraid Of A Little Competition? is a Wizard Island story mission for Sarah. She needs another supply for her work, this time a bag of silicate, and sends you out into the Crater Lake region to find it.
Driven To ExtinctionCaptain Kouri asks you to help track Vasquez, a Militia soldier who went AWOL. You start at a cabin and follow his trail through snowy woods with Kouri.- For An Outlaw BikerThe final push into the Ark on Wizard Island. You fight through the Militia inside, save Weaver, settle things with Skizzo and head for the Colonel's chamber.
- My Eyes Have Been OpenedColonel Garret calls Wizard Island together for another speech. You stand with the camp and listen to what he has to say.
- You Can't Be ReplacedYou drop in on Doc Jiminez at the Wizard Island infirmary again. It is a short visit on the island to see how he and Wade Taylor are doing.
Don't Give Me OrdersCaptain Kouri wants your help clearing a marauder camp tied to Vasquez, the AWOL Militia soldier you have been tracking. You storm the camp with him and free a hostage.- I Tried To Hit That OnceWeaver needs polystyrene for a new weapon. You collect it from the roadsides around Crater Lake and bring it back to Wizard Island so the two of you can test the result.
- Just Another Acquisition FormSarah wants to go on a supply run, and you are her ride. You drive to her tent on Wizard Island, follow her while she gets ready, then walk with her back to your bike.
- A Target On Their BacksA Target On Their Backs is a Militia story mission. Captain Kouri takes Deacon along on a ride south, deeper into Militia territory, and you follow his lead the whole way.
- Can I Ask You Something?A short ride mission with Sarah. You leave the Militia's territory together and head for Chemult Community College, and the two of you finally talk on the way.
- I've Had Better DaysTaylor, a young Militia soldier at Wizard Island, has gone missing out in the wild. You ride out to find him and bring him home.
- Leave All That By The DoorWeaver wants cinnabar for his work. You ride to the Lost Cabin Mine, find a test kit, and go deep into the mine shaft to collect the ore before bringing it back to Wizard Island.
- He's Not Big On TunesWeaver, the Militia's explosives man on Wizard Island, asks you to fetch his MP3 player. It is a small errand you run to stay on his good side.
- I Don't Have A PicYou ride with Captain Kouri across the pontoon bridge to Wizard Island, the Militia's fortress in Crater Lake. Kouri asks a few questions on the way.
- A Bunch of CavemenA Bunch of Cavemen is a camp job for Diamond Lake in the Crater Lake region. Marauders have set up a camp in the south, and Diamond Lake wants it gone, so you ride out and clear it.
- A Hell Of A FightA Hell Of A Fight is a rescue job for Diamond Lake in the Crater Lake region. Marauders have grabbed Gomez and taken her to their camp east of Crater Lake, and you go in to get her out.
- You Couldn't Stop ShakingYou and Sarah are at Chemult Community College in Crater Lake and need to get out alive. Fight your way back to the bike with her, clear out the Marauders on campus and grab the centrifuge she needs for her lab.
- Didn't Want To Join Up?A hostage rescue job for the Diamond Lake camp. A young survivor named Ethan Ross has been grabbed by marauders, and you find their area and pull him out.
- Just Doing My JobDiamond Lake wants an Anarchist Marauder camp cleared. You find the camp, kill everyone there, and free their prisoner Mitch Allen before getting out.
- What Kept Me GoingYou and Sarah set out from Wizard Island to ride north over the Thielsen Pass. The goal is the old Cloverdale facility, where she can get the equipment she needs.
- Still BreathingA hostage rescue for Wizard Island. Marauders are holding Melinda Foster at an old radio tower south of Crater Lake. You go to her last known spot, find her and get her out alive.
- How Do I Get Them?A marauder camp clearing job for Wizard Island. This group has dug in on the roof of a gas station with plenty of firepower, and you have to take them off the high ground.
- I Know The LookA short visit at Wizard Island. You go and meet Doc Jiminez, the Militia's camp doctor, and get to know the man who keeps the soldiers patched up.
- Never Give Up HopeWizard Island sends you on a hostage rescue. The drifter Justine Norwood has been taken, and you ride north of Chemult to free her.
- We Will Take Back This WorldColonel Matthew Garret wants you to report in on Wizard Island. You meet him and get his view of the war against the Freakers, plus your next assignment.
- How Far We've FallenColonel Garret calls you in to report on Wizard Island. It is a short meeting mission with the Militia's leader.
Keeping SouvenirsDiamond Lake has a bounty on Anderson, a killer tied to the deserter Vasquez. You track him from Mazama Village and bring back proof that he is dead.- This One's On MeDoc Jiminez has been asking for you, so you head to his infirmary on Wizard Island for another visit. It is a short walk-and-talk mission on the island.
- Evil Surrounds UsColonel Garret is giving another speech at Wizard Island in Crater Lake. Head to the gathering spot and listen to what he has to say to his soldiers.
- I Don't Wanna HangTaylor, a young Militia soldier, has run from Wizard Island, and you ride out to bring him back. The trail leads to a ski lodge held by marauders.
- This Could Be ItSarah Whitaker sends you south on a job for her research. You drive out, find the test subject she needs, knock it out with a tranquilizer and bring it back to her.
- You Don't Want To KnowWizard Island posts a bounty on a soldier named Meyers, who killed two men and ran. You track him into Crater Lake, find the Anarchist camp he is linked to and bring back proof that he is dead.
- Take Back What's MineA bounty job for Wizard Island. You track down Crystal Adkins, a drifter and ex-convict who is good with a knife, deal with the Marauders around her and bring back her jewelry as proof.
You Alone I Have SeenCaptain Kouri wants Weaver's new Napalm Molotov tested on a real horde. You take on the Chemult horde of 300 Freakers, then report back to Kouri.- I've Got A PlanSarah sends you out from Wizard Island to gather samples of water hemlock. The Militia thinks it is for a new weapon, but Deacon has his own plans.
- We Do Not DiscriminateColonel Garret is addressing Wizard Island again. Go to the gathering spot in Crater Lake and listen to his speech with the rest of the camp.
- You Got The Wrong GuyA Drifter killed two men near Wizard Island and fled on a stolen bike. The camp puts a bounty on him, and you have to chase him down in Crater Lake and knock him off his ride.
Just Checking InYou want to know how Boozer is doing back at Lost Lake. You ride to the Applegate Peak radio tower, climb it and call him on the radio.- The Anarchist SpyA bounty job for Wizard Island. An Anarchist is riding around the Crater Lake area, and the camp wants him brought in alive. Find him, knock him off his bike and tie him up.
- What It Takes To SurviveYou need O'Brian's help to get Sarah off Wizard Island by air, so you ride out to meet him. He sends you into the Ice Wind Lava Cave to find Cooper, and the job gets much bigger from there.
- Makes No Difference To ThemYou need to reach Boozer by radio from Crater Lake. Ride to the Applegate Peak radio tower, climb it and call him up.
- Shadow Of DeathDeacon tries to get Sarah off Wizard Island. You take out the Militia's RPG, reach Sarah's lab in the Ark and lead her to the top of the volcanic cove.
- Where's My Damn Rings?A post-story errand. You go back into the Ark on Wizard Island to search for your rings, the wedding band and the Mongrels ring that matter so much to Deacon.
Mayday! Mayday!You cross into the Diamond Lake valley in the south and hear gunfire. You go to investigate and find two Militia soldiers pinned down by a Rager bear.
Not From Around HereDeacon rides with Corporal Russell of the Deschutes County Militia. It is your first time riding alongside the Militia after crossing into the Crater Lake region.- We're Fighting A WarYou go with Captain Kouri to the Militia's Diamond Lake encampment to look for any trace of Sarah. You talk to a drifter there and search the camp before meeting Kouri back at your bike.
- A War We Can WinA War We Can Win is the story mission where Deacon arrives at Wizard Island, the Deschutes County Militia's fortress in Crater Lake. Colonel Garret walks you through the base and explains what his Militia is fighting for.
He's Feeding The FreaksA Ripper camp clearing job for Wizard Island. Rippers are still active near Crater Lake, and the Militia camp wants this nest of them wiped out.- I'm Never Giving UpI'm Never Giving Up is the storyline about Deacon staying in the south to be near Sarah. It starts once he reaches the Militia at Wizard Island and follows him running supply jobs and other work to help her however he can.
- BistortBistort is a plant in the Herbology set, entry 13 of 33, and it grows in the Crater Lake region. Its main use is selling at a camp kitchen for credits and Trust.
- Booker-Hicks Logging Camp - "The Wandering Timber Town"A plaque about the Booker-Hicks logging company and its moving timber towns. It stands at the Booker-Hicks Logging Camp in Crater Lake.
- BunchberryBunchberry is a small berry plant in the Herbology set, entry 4 of 33, and it grows in the Crater Lake region. Pick it for stamina cocktails or sell it at a camp kitchen.
- Camp Adair - "The War Games"A plaque about Camp Adair, a World War II Army training base, and its big 1943 war games. It stands near the Cloudcap Overlook in the Crater Lake region.
- Colonel - "Sleepy Tea"A note and a bag of homegrown herbal tea for Colonel Garret, found on Wizard Island in Crater Lake. It is in the Colonel's tent at the top of the hill in the Wizard Island camp.
- Colonel - "The Good Book"Colonel Garret's Bible, kept in his tent on Wizard Island in Crater Lake. Climb to the tent at the top of the hill in the Wizard Island camp.
- Crater Lake - "The Native American Legend"A plaque about the tribal legend of how Crater Lake was made in a battle between two gods. It stands along the rim of Crater Lake.
- Crater Lake - "The Old Man Of The Lake"A plaque about the Old Man of the Lake, a tree trunk that has floated upright in Crater Lake since the 1890s. It stands near the lake rim.
- Crater Lake - "The Volcanic Lake"A plaque about how Crater Lake formed when Mount Mazama erupted and collapsed. It stands at the Crater Lake Visitor Center, along with two Tourism collectibles.
- Crater Lake PostcardsA set of postcards found at the Crater Lake Visitor Center. Grab them along with the preservation poster in the same building.
- Doc Jiminez - "Doctor Arturo"Doc Jiminez's medical diploma in general surgery, found on Wizard Island in Crater Lake. It is in the green tent beside a guard tower in the Wizard Island camp.
- Fishing At Diamond Lake VillageA sign about fishing rules at Diamond Lake Village in Crater Lake. It is in the Diamond Lake area, where the Militia keeps an outpost.
- Golden ChanterelleGolden Chanterelle is a yellow mushroom in the Herbology set, entry 26 of 33, and it grows in the Crater Lake region. Its main use is selling at a camp kitchen for credits and Trust.
- Kouri - "To Have And to Hold"A photo of Captain Kouri's wife, Karie, tied to the Diamond Lake outpost in Crater Lake. It unlocks on its own through the story.
- Kouri - "To Protect and Serve"A letter to Captain Kouri from his wife Karie, found at the Diamond Lake outpost in Crater Lake. It is inside the green tent in the Diamond Lake camp.
- Lost Cabin Mine - "The Goldmine"A plaque about the legend of the Lost Cabin Mine, a rumored gold strike from the Gold Rush era. It stands at the Lost Cabin Mine in Crater Lake.
- Mazama Falls - "The Silent Falls"A plaque about the superstitions around Mazama Falls in the Crater Lake region. It stands near the falls.
- Mazama Village - "The New Deal Projects"A plaque about the 1930s New Deal work crews who rebuilt national parks. It stands in Mazama Village in the Crater Lake region.
- Preserving The Beauty of Crater Lake PosterAn information poster about protecting Crater Lake, found at the Crater Lake Visitor Center. Crater Lake Postcards are in the same building.
- Sarah's Lab NotesSarah's Lab Notes are six personal research notes written by Sarah Whitaker. They are rewards for main story missions in Crater Lake, so you get them just by playing on.
- SilverweedSilverweed is an herb in the Herbology set, entry 21 of 33, and it grows in the Crater Lake region. Its main use is selling at a camp kitchen for credits and Trust.
- Taylor - "Delivery Boy"A letter to Wade Taylor from a dealer, found in your shared bunk room on Wizard Island in Crater Lake. It sits on two long boxes beside a table with an open box.
- Taylor - "Flying High"A box of rolling papers from Wade Taylor's things, found on Wizard Island in Crater Lake. It is on a wooden board on boxes between the bunk beds in the room you share.
- The Phantom Ship - "The Ghost On The Water"A plaque about the Phantom Ship, a rock island in Crater Lake that looks like a ghost ship in fog. It stands near the viewpoint for the island.
- Weaver - "Chemical Reactions"Lieutenant Weaver's research notes on Freakers, tied to his lab on Wizard Island in Crater Lake. They unlock on their own through the story.
- Weaver - "Look to the Stars"A letter to Lieutenant Weaver from a chemistry professor, tied to his work on Wizard Island in Crater Lake. It unlocks on its own through the story.
- BleacherBleachers are pale, shirtless Swarmers with about 50% more health and a harder hit. They are a newer mutation you meet later, and the same tactics as Swarmers work if you bring a few extra rounds.
- BreakerBreakers are hulking male Freakers that soak up huge damage and can knock you flat with one swing. Treat each one as a mini-boss: stay at range, lead with explosives and finish with headshots.
- Deschutes County MilitiaThe Deschutes County Militia is Colonel Garret's army in the south and the best-trained human force you meet. For much of the second half you work for them at Diamond Lake and Wizard Island. Their soldiers are also the toughest humans in the game to kill.
- Cascade Lakes Railway Ambush CampCascade Lakes Railway Ambush Camp is a Crater Lake camp on the rail line east of Diamond Lake. It pays 4,000 XP and Wizard Island Trust, and its loot is heavy on crafting parts.
- Crater Lake NERO Research Site 1The first of five NERO research sites in Crater Lake, inside a mine you first enter during a Crater Lake story mission. If the way in is shut, push the story forward and come back.
- Crater Lake NERO Research Site 2The second of five NERO research sites in Crater Lake, on top of a mountain. Plan a route up before you ride, then collect the NERO Injector and intel at the summit.
- Crater Lake NERO Research Site 3The third of five NERO research sites in Crater Lake, at the mouth of a cave. Grab the NERO Injector and intel without going deep into the cave behind it.
- Crater Lake NERO Research Site 4The fourth of five NERO research sites in Crater Lake, inside a house you also visit in the story mission This Could Be It. You can loot it during the mission or come back in free roam.
- Crater Lake NERO Research Site 5The fifth of five NERO research sites in Crater Lake, on an island. Reaching it takes one of the longest bike jumps in the game. Max out speed and Nitrous at Diamond Lake before you try it.
- Crater Lake Visitor CenterThe Crater Lake Visitor Center is the park building on the caldera rim in Crater Lake. It is a quick collectible stop with a historical marker, the Crater Lake Postcards and a park preservation poster.
- Diamond LakeDiamond Lake is a Deschutes County Militia forward base in the north of Crater Lake and one of the five main encampments. It is the paymaster for Highway 97, so most southern Hordes, checkpoints and infestations earn Trust here.
- McLeod Ridge HordeMcLeod Ridge Horde is a 150-Swarmer Horde in Crater Lake, one of the Horde Killer targets. It opens after You Alone I Have Seen. Clear it for 4,000 XP and 1,100 Trust at Wizard Island.
- Mt. Bailey HordeMt. Bailey Horde is a 275-Swarmer Horde in Crater Lake, one of the Horde Killer targets. It opens after A War We Can Win. Clear it for 4,000 XP and 1,100 Trust at Wizard Island.
- Rimview Ranch HordeRimview Ranch Horde is a 150-Swarmer Horde in Crater Lake, one of the Horde Killer targets. It opens after Rimview Ranch Infestation. Clear it for 4,000 XP and 1,100 Trust at Wizard Island.
- Rimview Ranch InfestationThe Rimview Ranch Infestation is a 3-nest Crater Lake job near a ranch and bed and breakfast. It pays Wizard Island, and clearing it makes the Rimview Ranch Horde show up in the region.
- Spruce Lake Ambush CampSpruce Lake Ambush Camp sits on a NERO checkpoint at the mouth of a barricaded tunnel in Crater Lake. A small Horde inside the tunnel wakes at any noise, but it also makes this a good place to farm ears.
- Spruce Lake NERO CheckpointThe Spruce Lake NERO Checkpoint shares its site with the Spruce Lake Ambush Camp at a barricaded tunnel in Crater Lake. It pays 3,500 Wizard Island credits and has one of the biggest loot piles of any checkpoint. A respawning Horde sleeps in the tunnel.
- Tumblebug River InfestationThe Tumblebug River Infestation is a 3-nest Crater Lake job on the back roads to Crater Lake. It pays Wizard Island and sits next to the Cascade Lakes Railway Ambush Camp and the Volcanic Legacy checkpoint.
- Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway NERO CheckpointThe Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway NERO Checkpoint is a Crater Lake checkpoint the Militia overran. It pays 3,500 Wizard Island credits, and its log calls it the last checkpoint holding the Highway 97 corridor.
- Wizard IslandWizard Island sits in the middle of Crater Lake and is the Deschutes County Militia's main base. You work for Colonel Garret here, with Dee's gun shop and Caleb Tomlinson's garage as the draw.
Related places
- Landmark
Chemult
Chemult is the only real town on Highway 97, with a motel, truck stop, cafe and a rail station. Come for loot in its many shops and for the Chemult Station Horde nesting in a derailed NERO body train.
- Landmark
Chemult Community College
Chemult Community College is a walled campus near Chemult and the biggest site on Highway 97. It stays sealed until the story mission So Many Of Them, then holds a NERO checkpoint, an infestation and a Horde.
- Region
Highway 97
Highway 97 is the southern stretch of US highway running through Chemult and past Chemult Community College. It has more Hordes than any other region, including the 300-strong Lobert Draw Ridge Horde, so bring your best gear.
- Landmark
Red Cross Plane Crash
A wrecked Red Cross supply plane on the Ripper side of the Lost Lake border. In Playing All Night, Deacon sneaks into Ripper land to find antibiotics for Boozer here and has to kill a Breaker to get them.