Crater Lake National Park

THE BLUEST LAKE EVER!

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I kept on thinking ,” Is it really this blue or something went wrong with my eyes!” Just like me you might think you’ve seen this blue before, but chances are you’ve never seen such a mesmerizing hue of the cerulean shade until you lay your eyes on Crater Lake.

Flowers in Crater!

The lake really looks like a huge painting, like you can touch it but there won’t be water. This doesn’t feel real!

Where is Crater Lake

Crater Lake is in southern Oregon, and the closest cities are Klamath Falls and Medford. It’s a great stop for those doing a road trip between California and Oregon, and about 90 minutes from Bend.

FACTS:

• Established on May 22, 1902. One and only National Park in Oregon.
• Mount Mazama, a 12,000-foot-tall volcano, erupted and collapsed approximately 7,700 years ago, forming Crater Lake.
• It’s the deepest lake (1,943 feet) in the United States
• Holds 4.9 trillion gallons of water

HISTORY:

Crater Lake National Park is in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon. It’s known for its namesake Crater Lake, formed by the now-collapsed volcano, Mount Mazama.

Mount Mazama was an important symbol to the native Makalak people who lived in the surrounding areas. Makalak legend explains that the fall of the mountain was caused by a brutal battle between the spirit of the sky and the spirit of the mountain. The destructive eruption signaled the end of the battle, but many natives mourned the loss of the sacred volcano. As you explore Crater Lake, take time to remember its sacred history.

The Crater Lake Rim Drive

The best way to explore the lake if you have only a day for the park is by hopping in the car and doing the Crater Lake rim drive, which is considered one of the most scenic byways in America. The 33-mile loop only takes about one hour, though you’ll want to manage few more hours for that insta-worthy pictures. But honestly time will slip by and you won’t have any idea.

The road is usually open from July to mid-October, we were there in early July and most of the roads were still close due to snow, campgrounds was online reservations only and other restrictions due to COVID-19. So don’t forget to check official site of the national park www.nps.com for the recent news and updates.

Here are few popular stops:

• Discovery Point: This is where gold prospector John Hillman stumbled across the ‘Deep Blue Lake’ in 1853.

• Watchman Overlook: One of the most popular viewpoints at Crater Lake, with a phenomenal view of Wizard Island.

• Cloudcap Overlook: With bragging rights as the highest paved road in Oregon, this part of the highway is nearly 8,000 feet high and has fantastic panoramic views.

Best things to do at Crater Lake:

• Do a Rim Drive and stop at the overlooks

• Do a couple of hikes and enjoy the closer views of the lake

• Don’t forget to eat your lunch by the side of rim facing the view of the lifetime

• and there are other activities like biking, boat tours and star gazing worth including on your Crater Lake itinerary if time allows. In colder months you can go snowshoeing or winter camping, while summer means swimming and fishing.

Campgrounds near Crater Lake:

• Mazama campground 
• Lost Creek campground
• Thielsen View campground

• Diamond Lake campground: This is the campground we spent our night after Crater Lake. Located only a 10 minute drive from the entrance to Crater Lake National Park in the Umpqua National Forest, there are nearly 238 sites here with amenities including flush toilets, fire pits and drinking water (no RV hookups).