National Parks are almost always on our list of places to visit, and this little beauty in Oregon was no exception. Crater Lake National Park is about a five hour drive from Portland, OR.
We drove for a couple of hours towards the park from Bend, and were greeted by this sign.
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| Crater Lake National Park Entrance |
I had heard about this wonderful place and about the blue waters of the crater, but it is surreal when you get to actually see it. It is almost impossible to get the entire expanse of Crater Lake in one shot, so here is a panoramic view.
The Crater in Crater Lake is formed by the eruption of Mount Mazama, and this area is part of the volcanic legacy of Oregon.
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| Crater Lake National Park Panoramic view |
The day we chose to visit, was a dedicated day, out of two in a year, for cyclists. Scores of biking enthusiasts filled the park, and parts of the park were closed for them. A part of the rim drive was off limits for regular visitors that day. So we hung out near the lodge, had lunch there, and checked out a few hiking trails and the informative Visitor Center.
'Volcano within a volcano'- said a sign nearby. If you zoom in on the picture, you can read about it.
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| Crater Lake National Park- Wizard Island |
Even as crater lake was collecting water as the volcano cooled down, another series of eruptions occurred within the crater. Many of them are submerged under water today, but one such site with it's cone visible above the water level eventually came to be known as Wizard Island, with the crater of the top getting the name 'Witch's Cauldron'.
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| Crater Lake National Park- Wizard Island |
There's something very calming about the tranquil blue waters of Crater Lake, even if it was formed after a series of explosive events. One feels so insignificant by the sheer magnitude of change this area has witnessed over a period of time. A nice film at the visitor center sums it all up in a nutshell, and you leave not just in awe of our planet, but also how deceptive it all seems when you observe it today.
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| Crater Lake National Park |
A 'prescribed burn' on the east side of the park sent smoke billowing into the sky, with acrid fumes filling the air on the way to the National Park from Bend. I am not sure why these burns have to happen, and there was nobody at the park who could give me a good answer to that question. You can see the cloud of smoke on the other side of the rim in the picture below.
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| Crater Lake National Park - Another view |
As we drove on rim road, there was a pullout to see the Phantom ship. Phantom ship is a small island that has a very apt name given to it. It does look like a ship, and is eerie looking especially on foggy and misty days. It is formed by geothermal activity, and is a short drive away from Wizard Island.
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| Crater Lake National Park - Phantom Ship |
Off the southeastern rim of the park, is a short trail- the Pinnacles Trail. Erosion of Volcanic pumice form spires/pinnacles in grey or brown hues in the Pinnacles Valley. Green conifers surround the spires in the valley.
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| Crater Lake National Park - Pinnacles |
These reminded me of the Tent Rocks of New Mexico, that I had written about
earlier. It was a wonderful hour spent hiking on this trail.
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| Crater Lake National Park - Pinnacles |
Finally, a hat tip to Stephen Tyng Mather, who laid the foundation for, and was the first director of the National Park Service. It is because of visionaries like him that we get to enjoy these varied stunningly beautiful areas throughout the country.
