Crater Lake National Park Archives - Explore! Crater Lake National Park Archives - Explore!

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Places to explore in Crater Lake National Park.

Winter at Crater Lake

Winter at Crater Lake

  Winter at Crater Lake National Park is a quiet time.    It begins with the first large snowfall in October or early November and continues into May or June.  Tourists are few and generally spend a few minutes enjoying the lake, visitor center and  gift shop before moving on.  Craig Ackerman, Park Superintendent,   told us […]

Mt. Scott Crater Lake National Park

Mt. Scott Crater Lake National Park

Mt. Scott, is the tallest peak in Crater Lake National Park and the tenth tallest peak in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. Yet, it is not as difficult to climb as you might think.

Phantom Ship

Phantom Ship

Rising from the waters of Oregon’s Crater Lake is what early explorers described as a ship – a mysterious ship – a Phantom Ship.  This rock formation seems to float upon the deep blue waters of the lake, truly evoking the image of a ship. The Phantom Ship began to form  400,000 years ago from an early volcano […]

Crater Lake Wildflowers

Crater Lake Wildflowers

The growing season at Crater Lake is very short.  The typical snow-free season is July to mid-October and frost can occur any time.  Certain wildflowers have adapted to these conditions and put on a great display at the park. Castle Crest Wildflower Garden Castle Crest Wildflower Garden is located just south of park headquarters on […]

Annie Creek Trail

Annie Creek Trail

Crater Lake National Park . . . Annie Creek, in Crater Lake National Park, arises from Annie Springs, near Mazama Village at the south entry station to the Park. It flows southeasterly until it exits the park and extends into the farmland of the Upper Klamath Basin and ultimately adds its waters to the Klamath […]

Llaos Hallway

Llaos Hallway

Crater Lake National Park . . . Sometimes earth-laughter rings like silver bells Where brooks run crisping over glinting stone; But here the earth, remembering ancient hells, Grins at the joke she shares with death alone. Llaos Hallway by Ernest G. Moll Finding Llaos Hallway . . . Llaos Hallway provides an outstanding adventure for […]

Sun Creek Waterfalls

Sun Creek Waterfalls

Exploring . . . I was moved to explore the waterfalls on Sun Creek, in Crater Lake National Park, by the words of John Eliot Allen, a Ranger-Naturalist at the Park in 1935.  He said one waterfall “drops over a mossy ledge for perhaps twenty feet, the angular blocky face of the rock breaking into […]

Rustic Architecture of Crater Lake

Rustic Architecture of Crater Lake

After Crater Lake National Park was designated in 1902, better access was needed. In 1904 construction of a new road was begun to replace an “almost impassable” wagon trail to the rim. The new road passed through Munson Valley on its way to what is now Rim Village. It was completed in 1905. It wasn’t […]

Vidae Falls – Crater Lake National Park

Vidae Falls – Crater Lake National Park

Vidae Falls . . . Vidae Falls is the best known and most viewed waterfall at Crater Lake National Park.  It’s 100 foot drop is quite spectacular and it’s easy to find; just above the East Rim Drive about 3 miles east of Park Headquarters.  A large turn-out is provided.  Some folks glance at the […]

Crater Lake: A Crown Jewel

Crater Lake: A Crown Jewel

Crater Lake . . . Crater Lake was formed in the largest known eruption of a Cascade Range volcano, Mount Mazama. The peak of Mount Mazama is estimated to have been about 12,000 feet in elevation before the massive explosion 6,865 years ago (based upon carbon dating).  That explosion moved 50 cubic kilometers of material […]

Plaikni Falls – Crater Lake National Park

Plaikni Falls – Crater Lake National Park

New Plaikni Falls Trail . . . The news is that, as  of this moment, the new Plaikni Falls Trail in Crater Lake National Park is well underway.  A Park Service crew, shown above, is cutting and setting curbs, leveling and backfilling with gravel from a nearby quarry.  This ’causeway’ type of construction will have […]

Stuart Falls – Crater Lake National Park

Stuart Falls – Crater Lake National Park

Where is Stuart Falls? Let’s start this story with a confession . . .   Stuart Falls is not in Crater Lake National Park. It’s actually in the Sky Lakes Wilderness on the Rogue River National Forest. The title, however, highlights Crater Lake National Park because the journey is mostly within the park. It starts […]

Waterfalls of Crater Lake National Park

Waterfalls of Crater Lake National Park

The major point of interest at Crater Lake National Park is, of course, Crater Lake. Waterfalls rarely come to mind, but there are several that offer unique glimpses into the slopes of ancient Mount Mazama. In 1935, John Eliot Allen a Ranger-Naturalist at the park described a few of the waterfalls as follows: Vidae Falls […]

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