Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Crater Lake National Park is certainly one of the most stunning scenes on earth. The giant cliffs reach over 600 metres high surrounding the brilliant blue lake which reaches depths of nearly 600 metres. This lake is huge! The mesmerising crater was created by a collapsed volcano that erupted more than 7,700 years ago. Crater lake is filled with fresh water, with no inflow or outflow streams, the water comes only from the snow or rainfall.

Where is Crater Lake?

You will find Crater Lake in the southwestern part of Oregon, in the Cascade Mountains. Crater Lake is four hours driving from Sacramento and six and a half hours from San Francisco.

What to do at Crater Lake?

Skiers flock here to test their skills on the three-day loop around the rim of the lake, but the slopes aren’t just fit for the pro’s. Take a ranger-led snowshoe trek beneath the sunny snow, or wrap up in front of a roaring fire with some hot chocolate in the park lodge. As the ski season ends and the park warms up it will reveal the clearest lake in the world. With clear water and even clearer skies, you may be in for a night under the starry skies as you road trip through Oregon!

When to visit Crater Lake?

To see the Lake in its glistening glory and to ensure the park roads are open, we would recommend visiting during the warmer months of July – September. If skiing is what you’re looking to do, then Crater Lake is dreamy in winter. It is one of the snowiest places in America and winters here can last a while. So, for the slopes, we would advise visiting between October – May. On average, a whopping 44 feet of snow falls on the National park each year!

Did you know… Crater Lake is currently the 10th deepest lake in the world and is the deepest in the USA!