When the center of a volcano cools it collapses and forms a basin that holds water. In Oregon, that resulted in the formation of Crater Lake Oregon, on of the most beautiful places anywhere to visit.
Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon, just north of the California border and one hundred miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The lake is inside a caldera, a volcanic basin. That basin was created over 7700 years ago after the last eruption of Mt. Mazama.
Due to its elevation and the moisture that is brought in each year from the Pacific Ocean, Crater lake gets over 500 inches of snow every year. The snow feeds the lake that has no outlets or inlets. Seepage and evaporation keep the lake from becoming any deeper, although it is located several hundred feet below the rim of the basin.
Crater Lake is 1943 feet deep and is the deepest lake located in the U. S and ranks number seven in depth worldwide.
Although it is possible to drive around the entire rim of the lake during the summer, once the snow starts, usually in October, North Rim Drive gets closed for the winter season and sometimes does not open again until mid June. Most of the time it is possible to reach South Rim village as the roads are plowed during the winter. If there is snow falling, it may be difficult to make the drive even to the Village where the gift shop and Crater Lake Lodge are located.
When North Rim drive is open, it is possible to take a 45 minute steep hike to the lake surface. There is a boat ramp at the end of the hike that will allow visitors to ride a boat on the lake to Wizard Island. This will give you a unique view of Crater Lake.
During the summer there are several campgrounds that are located in the Crater Lake National Park. If you plan to camp here, remember that the nights can be very cold, so be sure that you bring plenty of warm clothing and sleeping bags. If the campgrounds at the park are full, there are several private campgrounds that are located at lower elevations. In addition, Stewart State park offers camping.
It is always best to call ahead before planning a visit to the National Park. Weather in the valley floors may be in the 90s but at the Lake, there may still be snow on the ground in the summer. During the winter, even a mild day at the valley floor level can be a severe winter day near the lake. Many families have started the drive from one of the valleys to the lake and had to turn back because they did not have chains or other traction devices to make the climb to Crater Lake.
When driving to Crater Lake by way of Interstate 5 you will want to take the Highway 62 exit (Number 30) off of I-5. You will find several options for lodging in the Medford Area, with the newest hotels being located near the airport on Biddle Road and along the new highway interchange (Number 27) where several nice new hotels are located. There are a few older lodges along highway 62 along the route to Crater Lake. - 31515
Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon, just north of the California border and one hundred miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The lake is inside a caldera, a volcanic basin. That basin was created over 7700 years ago after the last eruption of Mt. Mazama.
Due to its elevation and the moisture that is brought in each year from the Pacific Ocean, Crater lake gets over 500 inches of snow every year. The snow feeds the lake that has no outlets or inlets. Seepage and evaporation keep the lake from becoming any deeper, although it is located several hundred feet below the rim of the basin.
Crater Lake is 1943 feet deep and is the deepest lake located in the U. S and ranks number seven in depth worldwide.
Although it is possible to drive around the entire rim of the lake during the summer, once the snow starts, usually in October, North Rim Drive gets closed for the winter season and sometimes does not open again until mid June. Most of the time it is possible to reach South Rim village as the roads are plowed during the winter. If there is snow falling, it may be difficult to make the drive even to the Village where the gift shop and Crater Lake Lodge are located.
When North Rim drive is open, it is possible to take a 45 minute steep hike to the lake surface. There is a boat ramp at the end of the hike that will allow visitors to ride a boat on the lake to Wizard Island. This will give you a unique view of Crater Lake.
During the summer there are several campgrounds that are located in the Crater Lake National Park. If you plan to camp here, remember that the nights can be very cold, so be sure that you bring plenty of warm clothing and sleeping bags. If the campgrounds at the park are full, there are several private campgrounds that are located at lower elevations. In addition, Stewart State park offers camping.
It is always best to call ahead before planning a visit to the National Park. Weather in the valley floors may be in the 90s but at the Lake, there may still be snow on the ground in the summer. During the winter, even a mild day at the valley floor level can be a severe winter day near the lake. Many families have started the drive from one of the valleys to the lake and had to turn back because they did not have chains or other traction devices to make the climb to Crater Lake.
When driving to Crater Lake by way of Interstate 5 you will want to take the Highway 62 exit (Number 30) off of I-5. You will find several options for lodging in the Medford Area, with the newest hotels being located near the airport on Biddle Road and along the new highway interchange (Number 27) where several nice new hotels are located. There are a few older lodges along highway 62 along the route to Crater Lake. - 31515
