Crater Lake National Park, OR

Crater Lake National Park, OR ( 1) 

Crater Lake was one of the National Parks we visited in the Klamath Region Circle of Parks of Northern California and Southern Oregon. From Mt. Shasta, CA, where we stayed after our adventures at Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic, the drive to Crater Lake was approximately 2 hrs and 40 minutes. Though the drive seemed long, but it was very enjoyable for us, taking pictures of Northern California's and Southern Oregon's countryside, where everything was all so green and white (from snow) graced by cows, some horses and some field of wildflowers. When we finally arrived at Crater Lake and taking in our first glimpse, we were filled with awe at this crater on top of the mountain.

Crater Lake National Park, OR ( 2) 

Another beauty that sparkles right before us, the wonders of the work of volcanism that we have been experiencing since Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is once again, another unique and beautiful masterpiece from nature. Very inspiring.  

Crater Lake National Park, OR ( 3) 

It was so amazing to gaze at the deep blue color of this lake, surrounded by rugged and colored cliffs showing its volcanic past.

Exposed Colored and Rugged Cliffs of Crater Lake

The lake also has two picturesque island, with the Wizard Island shown in the first picture above and the picture below. 

Wizard Island, Crater Lake National Park, OR

Wizard Island is a cinder cone volcano named for its resemblance to a sorcerer's pointed hat. It erupted out of the lake around 7300 years ago and features a 90 ft deep crater in its rocky summit. 

Crater Lake National Park, OR ( 4) 

Notice from the picture above that only the one close to the shore has an emerald color and the water's color change right away from light green to deep blue just a few feet from the lake. The lake is so blue in color because of its depth, where the water absorbs all color and reflects only blue. 

One of the interesting features of Crater Lake National Park are the Pinnacles, however, since the East Rim was still closed and we could not access that part, I took this picture below from Watchman Overlook where somehow I saw some volcanic spires that looked like some of the pinnacles.

Volcanic Spires at Watchman Overlook

Rugged Cliffs with some Volcanic Spires from Watchman Overlook

Actually, the Watchman Overlook is the best stop to take a picture of the Wizard Island. Both my Wizard Island pictures above where taken from the same spot where I took the pictures of the volcanic spires.

And here are some more pictures I took during our rim drive at Crater Lake, but not featuring Crater Lake, but what is seen at the other side of the lake.

Rim Drive, Crater Lake National Park, OR

( to the left of this picture is the lake, and to the right are the mountains and meadows )

The Other Side of Crater Lake ( 1)

The Other Side of Crater Lake (2 )

In my next post, I will feature our hike down to the lake shore, and let me end this post with a quote from Crater Lake National Park's website:

Crater Lake - Like No Place Else on Earth

" Crater Lake has inspired people for hundreds of years. No place else on earth combines a deep, pure lake, so blue in color; sheer surrounding cliffs, almost two thousand feet high; two picturesque islands; and a violent volcanic past. It is a place of immeasurable beauty, and an outstanding outdoor laboratory and classroom.

Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon on the crest of the Cascade Mountain range, 100 miles (160 km) east of the Pacific Ocean. It lies inside a caldera, or volcanic basin, created when the 12,000 foot (3,660 meter) high Mount Mazama collapsed 7,700 years ago following a large eruption.

Generous amounts of winter snow, averaging 533 inches (1,354 cm) per year, supply the lake with water. There are no inlets or outlets to the lake. Crater Lake, at 1,943 feet (592 meters) deep, is the seventh deepest lake in the world and the deepest in the United States. Evaporation and seepage prevent the lake from becoming any deeper"
- http://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm

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