Crater Lake National Park

Imagine a blue mountain lake that contains two islands encircled by two thousand foot-high sheer, rocky cliffs covered with trees. Crater Lake is a deep, pure lake of immeasurable beauty, that also serves as a living outdoor laboratory and classroom.

At the crest of the Cascade Mountains, in Southern Oregon Crater Lake is 100 miles/160 km fom the Pacific Ocean. Born in the caldera or volcanic basin, that is the result of Mount Mazama's 12,000ft/3,660m collapsed 7,700 years ago.

Crater Lake maintains its ranking as the seventh deepest lake in the world, with winter snow, that averages 533in/1,354cm yearly. With no inlets or outlets, the lake measures 1,943ft/592m the deepest in the United States. Evaporation and seepage prevent the lake from becoming any deeper.

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When to Visit Crater Lake

Crater Lake's location high in the Cascade mountains (about 6,000 feet above sea level) means that snow is often visible year-round. The lake is often enveloped in heavy snow during the fall, winter, and spring, forcing the closure of roads and trails. In fact, the lake averages 533 inches of snow a year. Consequently, the best time to visit Crater Lake is in the summer months, when all facilities, roads, and trails are open.

Facts:

Established: 1902

Location: Southern Oregon, 60 miles northwest of Klamath Falls, OR

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