Visiting Crater Lake National Park

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

03 Jan 2007 12:15 PM

Have you ever heard someone refer to a person's eye color as the "bluest blue you've ever seen?" Whenever I hear someone say that I think of Crater Lake, because to me, the water there IS the bluest blue I have ever laid my eyes on.

Crater Lake is the centerpiece of Crater Lake National Park, which is located in southern Oregon at the crest of the Cascade Mountain range, about 100 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The lake was formed when a 12,000-foot-tall volcanic peak lost such a massive amount of its underground magma during an eruption that it collapsed, caving in on itself to form a colossal pit more than 7,000 years ago.

The lake is well known for its intense cobalt blue color, but what is so amazing to me is that many people don't realize (or at least momentarily forget) that they are inside a volcano during their visit. On average, the volcano walls stand 1,000 feet above the lake's surface. That may sound like a lot, but you must realize the lake is almost 2,000 feet deep.

As for the reason why the lake has such an intense blue color I'll leave that to the experts. Scientists' say understanding the cause of the color requires comprehending a complicated physics formula. I'm not that great when it comes to science, but the way I understand it is that Crater Lake's water is so pure and molecules of water scatter blue wavelengths of light in all directions, and then those scattered particles (some of them) come up to the surface and meet your eye.

The lake itself is breathtaking to say the least, but the park has more to offer than just its namesake. I love visiting the park's waterfalls, which are fed by melting snow trickling down through the rocks. In addition, a trip to Crater Lake is not complete without taking in the park's 20-mile circle of cliffs, fringed with hemlock, fir, and pine. Or you could spend the day taking a leisurely boat tour of the lake or traversing some of the park's various trails including Mt. Scott, which rises nearly 9,000 above sea level. Whatever you chose I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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Yosemite (133) 03 Jan 2007 01:09 PM

Wow--I want to go!

Michele Cheplic (37339) 06 Jan 2007 12:36 AM

Thanks for the comment Yosemite--it's worth the trip!

Julie Gentry (5915) 15 Jan 2007 12:37 AM

Loved Crater Lake. We stayed at the Joseph Stewart recreation area, and took just the day trip up to the Lake. The kids had a blast getting their Jr. Ranger badges.