Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake National Park protects the deepest, clearest and bluest lake in America, created after the eruption and collapse of Mount Mazama thousands of years ago.
Few lakes on Planet Earth are so clear, so perfectly still and so round as Oregon’s Crater Lake, the namesake of Crater Lake National Park.
The deepest lake in the United States and quite possibly home to the most pristine waters in the world, this jewel of a lake—as tranquil as it may be now—is the result of an astoundingly violent volcanic explosion.
Crater Lake was created 7,700 years ago by the eruption of Mount Mazama. The mountain’s top exploded, after which the mountain itself collapsed, leaving behind a huge caldera.
The caldera eventually, slowly, filled up with rainwater and snow, which became Crater Lake. Just because this lake is fed solely by ice, snow and rain—there are no springs—it has some of the cleanest water in the world.
Crater Lake National Park was established in 1902, making it the fifth-oldest of America’s national parks, protecting this extraordinary volcano lake and the surrounding landscape.
This Crater Lake National Park information page contains affiliate links. You can read more about our Terms of Use / Disclosure here.
Highlights of Crater Lake National Park
The obvious centerpiece of the national park is Crater Lake itself. A magnificently blue, still and round lake, it’s encircled by the Rim Drive, which passes by most highlights in the park.
In addition to the lake, though, there are also old-growth forests, pumice plains and wonderful waterfalls. The following are the main attractions in Crater Lake National Park (don’t miss those in bold!).
- Crater Lake Lodge
- Rim Drive
- Discovery Point Trail
- Garfield Peak Trail
- The Pinnacles
- Plaikni Falls
- Vidae Falls
- Cloudcap Overlook
- Watchman Peak Trail
- Boat ride to Wizard Island
Accommodation Near Crater Lake National Park
The park has a large and a small campground, as well as the historic Crater Lake Lodge. Besides that, there is very little accommodation around the park. The nearest towns are quite a drive away, but are feasible base camps for a day trip to Crater Lake.
Booking.com
Useful Info
Location: Southern Oregon
Nearest Towns: Klamath Falls and Medford
Area: 286.3 square miles (183,224 acres)
Annual Visitors (2022): 527,259
Features: Deepest lake in the United States, volcanic island, volcanic rock formations, old-growth forests, pumice plains, waterfalls
Top Attractions: Crater Lake, Wizard Island, the Rim Drive, Crater Lake Lodge, The Pinnacles, Garfield Peak, Watchman Peak, Plaikni Falls
Popular Activities: Hiking, cycling, stargazing, scenic drives and boat tours
Suggested Stay: 2 days
Campground(s):
- Mazama Campground (214 sites)
- Lost Creek Campground (16 sites)
More Information: National Park Service
Nearby National Parks:
- Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
- Olympic National Park, Washington
- Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
- Redwood National Park, California
Crater Lake National Park Blog Posts
