We’ve all seen pictures of Crater Lake; well, most of us have. In fact, I was looking at them just that morning, while trying to find out where the general store was located. But after driving through the north entrance and through the snow-covered forest, we spotted what looked like a dirt hill with several groups of people standing at the top of it. Being the ever curious explorers we are, we parked on the side of the road and walked up the hill. When we got to the top I let out an involuntary gasp. My brother said he wished he could have filmed it because he’s never seen me do that before and it perfectly captured his reaction as well.
The gasp. I was so startled by the beauty I was suddenly beholding. No picture, no matter how amazing, could ever prepare you for it. The water of the lake was so blue; bluer than the sky. It was so blue that it almost seemed like it wasn’t there. The snow covered mountains were perfectly reflected in the still water and the sight literally took my breath away. We spent quite a while there trying to get a perfect picture.
I read on the website that Crater Lake is filled entirely with rain and melted snow. It is said to be the purest body of water on earth. The deep blue color is due to the purity and the depth, which is over 1,900 feet at its deepest.
As we went further into the park, stopping to take pictures at each lookout, we became a little jaded. If you see something over and over again from different angles, it begins to seem slightly mundane. Perhaps it is just an overloading of the senses. But thinking back I can remember the physical and emotional reactions I felt when I saw it for the first time.
[Just as a note – I did not edit these photos in any way, other than to decrease their size. The photos, taken from my cell phone and point and shoot camera are reflecting what Crater Lake Actually looked like.]
Crater Lake only takes up about 10% of the park and the park is beautiful as well. It is a tourist-packed zoo, however. It was just opening for the season when we went, and the campgrounds and hiking trails were still closed due to snow. Based on the amount of traffic on the Rim road and around the shops and cafe, I can confidently say that summer will be worse than Disneyland. The website suggests going before 9am or after 4pm to avoid the crowds.
Despite the crowds, I recommend you go to Crater Lake at least once. If you camp along highway 138 as we did, it is a very short drive to the north entrance. Along with being crowded, the campsites in the park didn’t look like they had much shade or privacy. I would prefer taking a day trip and finding a quieter campground where I could escape the crowds at the end of the day.
Some Links that may be of interest:
- National Park Service
- Directions
- Crater Lake Hospitality
- Researching the Riddle of Crater Lake’s Secret Garden
- Geology and History Summary for Mount Mazama and Crater Lake
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Being from Canada I have not ever visited Crater Lake, but after going thru your blog, I feel like I have gained a good sense of the basics. Very much eye candy.. Can’t even immagine it ever becoming mundane! LOL Thanks Alice, you knocked this one out of the park!
Thank you Beverly! Perhaps mundane was a poor word choice. We sat on a rock wall and stared at the lake while we ate our lunch, talking about the reflection of those crazy geometrical designs,and we stopped at the first place to take more pictures on our way out. We were still in awe…I suppose sensory overload was a better description. 🙂
Mesmerising views.
Thanks Nirupam!
It is so beautiful. You got great photos. I love your description of how you gasped when you saw it.
Thanks Lilly! I’ve honestly never had that happen to me before. Just a short, sharp, involuntary breath. I think it was the most the most unexpectedly beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
The pictures, your very thorough description…..my goosebumps! How very lucky are we to have such opportunities as these! Love this one Alice!!!
Thanks Leona! I agree we are very lucky.
Crater lake seems to be one pretty amazing looking, mysterious place! Once again, thank you for posting your pictures 😀
Thank you Black Knight! It is truly a special place. If you ever visit I will take you there.
Crater lake looks absolutely stunning! It’s so placid now that it’s hard to imagine the immense forces required to make such a thing. Thank you for sharing!
True! But 7,700 years is a long time! The water was so still we thought it might be ice.