Next stop – another of our National Park beauties – Crater Lake, the deepest, cleanest lake in the US with an intense blue color!  The lake rests inside a caldera formed almost 8,000 years ago when the 12,000 foot tall Mt. Mazama volcano collapsed following a major eruption.  The eruption may have been the largest in North America in the past 640,000 years.  Later eruptions formed Wizard Island, a cinder cone near the bottom of the lake in the picture below.

 

 

The lake is fed only by rain and snow – not by rivers or streams.  This, perhaps, is what accounts for the clarity of the water.

 

This NP, established in 1902, can be enjoyed in a number of ways.  One can take boat tours, visit Wizard Island, hike or bike the area or drive the Rim Drive – a 33 mile road that encircles Crater Lake.  This drive is one of America’s most scenic byways, with spectacular views in all directions – as well as into the lake.

 

One of the 7 ‘must see stops’ on the Rim Drive is Pumice Castle Overlook.  Here one sees the colorful feature of orange pumice rock that has been eroded into the shape of a medieval castle.

 

 

Crater Lake’s “other island” is nestled against the shore and resembles a small sailboat – thus its name – Phantom Ship.  The island looks quite small from the overlook, but it is as tall as a 16 story building!  It’s made of erosion-resistant lava, 400,000 years old – the oldest exposed rock within the caldera.

 

 

Next stop – The Pinnacles.  Colorful spires, 100 feet tall are being eroded from the canyon wall.  The Pinnacles are “fossil fumaroles” where volcanic gases rose up through a layer of volcanic ash, cementing the ash into solid rock.  Great views of The Pinnacles can be seen from various angles from a short 1 mile hike – –

 

 

In our adventures around Crater Lake we discovered that the Pacific Crest Trail wanders through the NP and can be accessed at several different spots within the Park.  So, of course, we had to hike the trail.  Ok – maybe just a short portion of it;-)

 

 

 

Our time here was short – BUT, with absolutely beautiful weather.  So – we did get in one good hike – the Annie Creek trail, which took us from the rim of the canyon to its floor and along Annie Creek.  The creek is named for the first woman to view Crater Lake and to descend the caldera walls to touch its blue water on October 9, 1865 – Annie Gaines of Ft. Klamath.

 

 

 

 

At the end of our hike, our day continued with ice cream (a reward for making it back out of the canyon) and more sights just outside the NP.  The Rogue River runs just to the west of the NP and has created its own Gorge with its waterfalls and rapids.

 

 

All in all, we had a couple of wonderful days exploring this beautiful NP;-)  Get out and see one for yourself – you will love it!!

 

E & G with more beautiful days and beautiful sights;-)