Crater Lake National Park: One of the World's Most Beautiful Places

When it comes to natural beauty, the state of Oregon is about as close to heaven as we lowly mortals can get. And, even with so many beautiful sights to choose from, Crater Lake is by far the greatest of them all.

For those of you that have never visited the Crater Lake National Park, I have a single word for you: GO!

The view is so spectacular that I find it difficult to find adjectives that come anywhere near close to describing the sight of the deep, blue body of water surrounded by mountain peaks.

Crater Lake was created when Mount Mazama erupted more than 7000 years ago. According to park rangers, the ancient eruption made the contemporary Mt. St. Helens eruption look like a hiccup in comparison. The enormous crater that was left behind eventually filled with water to create "Crater Lake." The sapphire colored lake is incredibly deep. In fact, it is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest lakes in the world (some reports claim it's #9, others #7).

"Wizard Island," which is located inside Crater Lake, is one of the park's most popular features. The island was formed by smaller volcanic eruptions within the large crater left by the initial eruption. According to some of the text panels at the park, there are actually two similar formations within the lake, but the other two are both under water.

A third landmark worthy of mention is a rock formation that has been nicknamed the "Ghost Ship." When seen from a distance (especially on a foggy morning) it's shape resembles an old wooden sailing ship.

In addition to the beautiful scenery, the park offers camping (complete with a small convenience store and gas station), a lodge (with a gorgeous fireplace and sitting area worth checking out!), and several gifts shops. There are also several hiking trails. For my fellow pet owners, dogs are allowed in some parts of the park, but they must be on leashes.

This paved road is only open part of the year due to annual snow fall. The Rim Road is approximately 30 miles long and travels the rim of the entire crater. There are numerous view points so don't forget to bring your camera!

Has this hub peaked your interest? Want to see the park for yourself? Excellent!

Crater Lake National Park is located in southern Oregon. I'm terrible at giving directions, so I'll simply direct you to the National Park Service web page: http://www.nps.gov/crla/.

There is a small feel to enter the park ($5 per car if I remember right).

Due to its high altitude, Crater Lake receives a lot of annual snow fall. As a result, the rim road is closed during the winter. I even encountered snow at the lodge in July during one visit!

I realize that many of you reading this article are too far away to visit the Crater Lake National Park in person. I've attached numerous photographs from my visits for your benefit. However, as nice as the photographs are, they really don't give the lake justice. It's one of those places that you have to visit in person to truly appreciate!