Great Western Road Trip: Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Crater Lake in Oregon is without a doubt one of the most serenely beautiful places on earth. Nestled high up in Oregon's mountains, it's a great place to spend a weekend and enjoy the outdoors.

Crater Lake was formed by a massive volcano eruption over 7,000 years ago. It then collapsed and formed a giant caldera six miles long, five miles wide and almost 2,000 feet deep, making it the deepest lake in the United States. Since it's set in a mountain-top, no creeks or rivers run into it and it is filled exclusively by rainfall and melted snow. This also makes it one of the clearest lakes in the world, since it avoids pollutants and most sedimentary run-off. The clear water of the lake perfectly reflects the blue sky, but its depth makes the lake appear an even richer blue than the sky itself.

In the western arc of Crater Lake is peaked island known as Wizard Island. After Crater Lake's caldera collapsed, magma rose to the surface at this point and built up the volcanic cone that is Wizard Island. Though there have been no major eruptions since Crater Lake was formed, it is still a volcanic hotspot and could erupt any time.

Crater Lake National Park has all the wildlife you'd expect from its altitude and climate - deer, ground squirrels, a few rare bears, etc. However, Crater Lake itself has no naturally occurring fish species since there are no creeks or streams that run into it. In the early 1900s, it was stocked with fish and several species have repopulated and continue today.

Crater Lake can also be very chilly. We arrived in late June and snowfall had only stopped a couple weeks before we arrived. Clumps of snow were still easily seen throughout the park and campgrounds and the entire eastern half of the Rim Drive around Crater Lake was still closed because of the snow and ice. Make sure you bring warm clothes for the morning and evening! During the daytime, you'll want to wear layers because the middle of the day is very pleasant weather for a t-shirt.

Crater Lake National Park charges a $10 per vehicle entrance fee. There are two lodges and two drive-in campsites (though only one is accessible before the snow clears). Crater Lake National Park also has many backcountry campsites for those interested in spending several days backpacking throughout the park. There are a couple of restaurants and a handy convenience/grocery store at the year-round campsite.

Crater Lake National Park is a very beautiful, forest-covered hilly area with many creeks running through it. The trees are almost exclusively lodgepole pines, so they can get monotonous after a while, but of course the real highlight is Crater Lake! There is a road circling the entire rim, though the eastern half is usually closed due to snow for most of the year. The western half has plenty of lookouts and will give you great, easy access to spectacular views of the lake.

Most of Crater Lake National Park is a protected wilderness area, but the only way to enjoy most of is through backcountry hiking and camping. There are several trails off the main roads, but only a few nearby the lake itself. Probably the best one is the Garfield Peak trail which begins just behind the Crater Lake Lodge. It can be a bit of strenuous climb and is several miles round-trip, but the periodic views of the lake from the rim-side trail and the panorama from the top are unparalleled. Many of the trails in the park also give you spectacular views of the surrounding Oregon scenery.

If you want to get down and touch the water of Crater Lake itself, there is only one option: Cleetwood Trail. It's a 700 foot descent (equivalent to about 65 flights of stairs) right up to the shore of Crater Lake. However, the trailhead is located on the north-eastern side of the Rim Drive so it can only be easily accessed during the few months that the eastern half of the Rim Drive is open. But, you can always hike a few miles along the closed road to reach Cleetwood Trail during the "winter" months.

Crater Lake's water is near-freezing almost year-round, mainly because the water is deposited primarily from melting snow. Boat tours of the lake are available for anyone who get access Cleetwood Trail. For a 2-hour ride around the lake, it's $25 per person and for a trip to Wizard Island (including the chance to walk around on it), it's $30 a person.

Overall, Crater Lake National Park is just an incredibly beautiful and serene place. Hiking its rim and viewing the immaculate lake, breathing the crisp and clean mountain air, and relaxing in the splendor of it all is an experience that everyone deserves. It certainly beats the hustle, bustle, and crowded pollution of city life.