Crater Lake

We took a day trip to Crater Lake National Park.  It is located in southern Oregon about 120 miles inland from the coast.  It is the 5th oldest national park in the United States and the only one in Oregon. 

Crater Lake is 5 by 6 miles across, with a caldera rim ranging in elevation from 7,000 to 8,000 feet and an average lake depth of 1,148 feet.  The maximum depth is 1,949 feet.  The caldera was created by a massive volcano eruption between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago.  Lava eruptions later created a central platform, which is called "Wizard Island".   After the caldera cooled, it allowed rain and snowmelt to accumulate and eventually formed a lake.



It was hard to get a picture of the entire lake even though we were so high above the lake.  This shot came close.   It doesn't show "Wizard Island"  which is located to the left in this picture.

Below is "Wizard Island".

Usually the water is VERY blue.  However, the day we went it was cloudy so we did not get to see the beautiful water so many had told us about. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A nice lady took our picture.

There are trolleys that will take you around the lake and stop at the viewpoints. 

But on these narrow, steep, curvy roads I felt a lot more comfortable knowing the person that was driving me was in a good state of mind.  :0

 

 

 

Some of the roads may have been wider, but there was nothing to keep you from plunging over the edge!

 

Ken Lamb......you would not have liked this drive!

They gave boat tours of the lake for around $27.00 per person.  However, you have to walk down to the boat from the rim road.  I am sure they probably chose an area that was closest to the bottom, but it was still a 700 foot climb down to the boat and of course, a 700 foot climb back to the top.   You can see the path starting up on the right side of the picture below. 

 

 

I had packed us a picnic lunch and we had quite a surprise when we stopped for lunch.  Our Dorito bag had blown up due to the altitude change.  We just left it alone and when we got back to town later that day, the bag had gone back down.

We  stopped at a waterfall located just a very short distance off the main road on our way to Crater Lake.  Just had to show you all. :)

 Standing right over the top of the falls.