Make Time To Visit Crater Lake Oregon For Natural Sights!

Crater Lake Oregon is a deep lake that is located in the collapsed center of an inactive volcano. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth 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 high elevation and the moisture dropped from the air as it cools over the Cascade mountain range, Crater Lake receives over 500 inches of snow each year. The snow replaces any water that evaporates from the lake which has no inlets or outlets. These work in concert to keep the lake depth at the same depth below the rim at most of the time.

Crater Lake is 1943 feet deep and is the deepest lake located in the U. S and ranks number seven in depth worldwide.

Summertime visitors to the lake are able to drive around the entire lake rim. In about October, the snows start to fall and North Rim Drive has to be closed. It does not usually open back until mid-June. South rim village is open on most days even through the winter. Visitors may have to walk through tunnels in the snow in order to visit the gift shop or the restaurant. Crater Lake lodge is also located in South Rim Village.

If you want to see Crater Lake closely, then you will need to wait until summer when you can hike down a trail to the lake's surface. From this spot you can also take a boat ride across the lake to Wizard Island.

You will find campgrounds located inside Crater Lake National Park and in several of the surrounding areas. If you plan on camping at Crater Lake, remember that nights can be quite cold even in the summer. Bring lots of warm clothing and sleeping bags. There are also campgrounds at Diamond Lake and Stewart State park that offer relatively easy access to crater lake.

Because of the weather differences at Crater Lake and the surrounding valleys, it is best to call ahead about the weather before making a visit to the park. This is especially true in the Autumn, winter and spring months. Mild days on the valley floors can be severe winter days at the park. You do not want to drive up the mountain to have to turn around before ever reaching the Lake because you do not have chains or other traction devices.

When driving to Crater Lake from Interstate 5, take the Highway 62 exit (Exit 30) off of I-5. Plan to take a couple of hours in each direction. There are several hotels in Medford around exit 30, with the newer hotels near the Airport. The newest hotels in the Medford area are located at exit 27, where a new highway interchange has given rise to several nice new hotels.

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January 01 2010 | cruise | No Comments »