If Crater Lake National Park is not at the top of your list of places to visit then it should be; put this one on your bucket list! It is absolutely stunning! Pictures of this magnificent lake are amazing but don’t come close to doing it justice.
We didn’t really know what to expect prior to our Crater Lake arrival but we were simply blown away by the beautiful views that greeted us! You have simply never before encountered anything in nature quite as blue as Crater Lake. Yes, it really is as blue as it appears in pictures. Simply amazing!
Crater Lake is in the Cascade Mountain Range in Central Oregon and is about 7,700 years old. A violent eruption of a volcano triggered the collapse of the tall mountain peak and formed this beautiful lake.
Fed by rain and snowmelt Crater Lake is the deepest freshwater lake in the United States at a depth of 1,943 feet.
There are no streams in or out of the lake making it perhaps the most pristine water on earth. Evaporation is the only method for water to escape and the average precipitation is able to replace the water in this lake approximately once every 250 years.
Snow remains on the ground very late in the year and returns just as early in late summer. We visited in May and it was still a winter wonderland. Snow was still quite deep on the ground and covered some of the roads that lead north, deeper into the park; most of which remain closed until late July.
Summer brings additional activities to Crater Lake. Swimming is allowed in designated areas and there is even a tour boat you can take around the lake. Boat Tours are only June – Sept depending on the weather.
Be sure to look for “The Old Man of the Lake” an ancient log that has been floating vertically for at least 75 years, by one account. This log sticks out of the water about 4 feet and is buoyant enough that an adult can stand on top of it without sinking.
All-in-all Crater Lake is simply stunning and should be at the top of your list of places to visit. We are already looking forward to visiting again in warmer months to take advantage of these water activities. Not to mention, imagine how breathtaking a sunset photo of Crater Lake would be!
Check out our Photo Gallery for many more amazing photos of Crater Lake National Park.