Imagine you are in a plane flying over the state of Oregon. You look at the topography below and spy an almost perfectly-shaped circle filled with water of the deepest, brightest blue, surrounded by steep rock walls thousands of feet tall. Appearing to float in the water on one end of this circular lake is the mote of a cone-shaped island. Not too far away from that island is a much smaller island shaped like a ghostly ship frozen in stone. What are these geological wonders? Where is this place?

The lake is called Crater Lake, the cone-shaped island is Wizard Island, and the ghostly stone “ship” is aptly named Phantom Ship. You are flying over Crater Lake National Park, a deep-blue “jewel” within the National Park System.

Native Americans witnessed the cataclysmic explosion 7,700 years ago, rendering 12,000-foot-tall (3,657.6 m) Mount Mazama to a collapsed caldera (bowl-shaped depression created by a volcanic eruption) measuring 5-by-6 miles (8-by-10-km). Today, you can drive around the caldera’s rim, take a boat ride out to Wizard Island, swim (brrrr), camp, hike, lodge, and learn in this national park located in south-central Oregon.

Whether you are visiting for the first time, or the fifth time, Crater Lake National Park never fails to inspire awe and amazement of this natural volcanic wonder filled with rain and snow to an average depth of almost 2,000 feet (609.6 m), making it the deepest lake in the United States. No river or stream flows into Crater Lake, thus no large deposits of silt and sediment muddy the water’s color and clarity.

Crater Lake is the Star of the show, but It’s not all about the lake or geology, here in the park. There are 70 species of mammals, including black bear, elk, deer, and bats (12 species); 19 species of reptiles, including skinks, lizards, and snakes; 8 species of amphibians (a lot of frogs), 250 species of birds, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, American dippers, and woodpeckers; more than 700 species of native plants; and over 12 tree species within the park’s confines.

There’s history too, from that of the Native Americans who witnessed the creation of Crater Lake, to gold prospectors, to the cultural landscape and establishment of Crater Lake as a national park (took 17 years).

If you are planning a trip to Crater Lake, the articles below will help you decide where to stay and what to do and see.

Traveler's Note: If you are planning a 2024 visit to this national park, the East Rim Drive is closed from Mount Scott Trailhead to Phantom Ship Overlook due to a major road construction project. Cloudcap Road is open but has a gravel surface as does the road from Skell Head to Mount Scott Trailhead. The gravel sections will close 8/14.

Remember to check the park's website for any alerts or other closures prior to heading out for a visit.

Traveler's Choice For: geology, photography, stargazing, motoring