Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake National Park was made a federally protected area as early as 1902 and is thus one of the oldest National Parks in the US. The lake lies where once stood a mountain of over 12,000 feet (3657 meters) - Mount Mazama. The mountain was filled with a magma chamber, which exploded as recently as 7,700 years ago. The resulting crater gradually filled with water from rain and snow and in time formed the beautiful lake of today.

No stream flows into the lake and no stream escapes it. The lack of agricultural or biological sediments means that the water is incredibly clear and unpolluted. Crater Lake actually holds the world record for clarity, at 140-sumfin' feet. It is also an incredible blue, as you will see from the pictures. To top it off, it is the deepest lake in the US.

I am skeptical of Crater Lake.


The lake in all its otherworldly beauty.


The water is so incredibly clear.


The crater's volcanic origins are visible to this day. A lot of the surrounding rocks are black lava.


This is Wizard Island. One can book boat trips out there and explore all day.


Albie with a biker we met named Henry Harley Wasserman (https://www.facebook.com/henry.wasserman.5). He'd been on the road since March and the bike was his only home now; he's posting pictures and little stories from all the places he's been. Henry is living the dream I want to live when I retire. Buy a bike or an RV and live out the rest of my days on the American road.


The crater road also offers some stunning vistas over southern Oregon.










There was also a lovely waterfall along the way.


And a butterfly.


Art-farty B&W of a tree.