Crater Lake sits in a rugged portion of the Cascade Range and is famous for its deep, jewel-blue water. An impressive 20-mile ring of cliffs encloses the basin and adds to its magnificence.

About a four-hour drive from Portland, Oregon, the lake is surrounded by wilderness areas with meadows of seasonal wildflowers and old-growth forests abundant with conifers like pine, hemlock and fir. Visitors can tour the 33-mile Ring Road for beautiful views and take boat rides to explore Wizard Island, a cinder cone that rises 763 feet from the surface of the water.

Beauty and Depth

Measuring nearly 2,000 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest body of fresh water in the U.S. and the ninth-deepest lake in the world.

Updates on Crater Lake

My Park Story

Greetings from Crater Lake National Park

I had the best day of my life at Crater Lake National Park. The massive amount of snow led to the closure of the Rim Drive. We decided to bike the road. 10ft high snow piles lined the pavement. It was so quiet, the air so clean. We brushed our…

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