Finally Visiting Crater Lake: Unexpected Wonders

Traveler Tina

Finally Visiting Crater Lake: Unexpected Wonders

travelertina

10:09:04 September 15, 2023

US,US: The American West

On a road trip long ago, I passed up the chance to visit Crater Lake National Park. I’m pretty sure I dismissed it on the theory that I’ve seen plenty of lakes in my lifetime. But I can now say that I’ve never seen any other lake like this. Here’s what makes Crater Lake special.

Smiling travel blogger taking a selfie at the edge of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, with clear water and steep crater walls in the background

A Lake Unlike Any Other

Crater Lake sits smack in the middle of a caldera (the shell of a collapsed volcano), and you can still see evidence of volcanic debris everywhere you look.

Steep volcanic cliffs meeting the brilliant blue shoreline of Crater Lake National Park, highlighting the rugged caldera rim

What Makes Crater Lake Special: The Deepest Lake in the Country

Secondly, at 1,943 feet deep, Crater Lake is (1) the deepest lake in the United States, (2) the seventh-deepest lake in the world (Lake Baikal in Siberia takes first place), and (3) the deepest volcanic lake in the world. That depth — plus the low algal content — means that the water is blue, blue, blue.

View from the Rim Trail at Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, showing blue water, evergreens, rugged caldera walls, and streaked summer clouds

Crater Lake also has its very own mini-volcano — and it’s called Wizard Island! To top off the great naming project, the tiny crater at the top has been given the moniker “Witches Cauldron.”

Wizard Island surrounded by deep blue water at Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, with rugged caldera cliffs rising in the background.

Crater Lake Lodge

Crater Lake is home to one of the grand historic lodges of the US National Park system. Built in 1915, Crater Lake Lodge boasts multiple fireplaces, a grand sitting area, and rooms with views (albeit small ones) out over the lake.

But the best part is sitting in the rocking chairs on the lodge patio and looking out over the lake during the day …

Traveler relaxing in a wooden chair on the terrace at Crater Lake Lodge, overlooking the deep blue waters of Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

… and then watching the sunset (and finally, after a truly mediocre dinner in the lodge dining room, putting on your woolies to watch the stars in the night sky).

Sunset view of Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, with evergreens in the foreground and pastel clouds reflecting orange and pink hues

Hikes All Around

Lastly, I loved that Crater Lake has hikes all around it (there’s also a boat tour, but it wasn’t running on the day that we visited).

Rocky hiking trail winding uphill with panoramic views of forested ridges and distant mountains at Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

There are endless views in every direction …

Expansive view of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, with Wizard Island rising from the deep blue water and rugged volcanic cliffs in the distance

… and if you hike down to the bottom, you can take a very cold swim!

Evergreen trees on the rocky shore of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, with calm blue water and cliffs beneath rolling clouds

Of course, if you don’t hike, there are plenty of overlooks on the Rim Road around the lake (note that as of fall 2023, part of the road is closed for construction, so you can’t drive all the way round).

Clouds drifting over Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, with a volcanic peak, rugged cliffs, and reflections in the deep blue water seen from the Rim Road

If you’re looking to hike during your visit to Crater Lake, I’ve written about three of the best trails the park has to offer.

No matter how you take in the sights, it’s a magical place.

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