- State: OR
- NPCA Region: Northwest
- Est. Date: 1902
Air Quality Conditions
View the Polluted Parks ReportVisibility
Unsatisfactory
Health
Unsatisfactory
Nature
Unsatisfactory
Climate Change Threats
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.
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Blog Post
Crater Lake: A Volcanic Blue Abyss
This Oregon landmark holds 4.9 trillion gallons of water and ranks among the world’s deepest lakes. Learn how it formed and what scientists have found in its depths.
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Blog Post
A Different Kind of Service
Veterans continue to serve their country — in some cases taking strides to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, gaining new skills and adjusting to civilian life — through innovative programs in…
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…
More about Crater Lake
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Read more about Keep Crater Lake Wild
NPCA at Work Keep Crater Lake Wild A wilderness designation will preserve Crater Lake, its wildlife and its outdoor recreation opportunities forever. It's time to give this iconic park the protection it deserves.
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Read more about One-of-a-Kind Destinations: 11 National Park Curiosities
Blog Post One-of-a-Kind Destinations: 11 National Park Curiosities National parks preserve wondrous landscapes, stories, and artifacts—as well as a whole host of weird and exceptional sights. From wacky-looking rocks to giant monuments of steel, here’s a short list of places to explore that are like nowhere else in the world.
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Read more about The Old Man of the Lake
Magazine Article The Old Man of the Lake How has a giant hemlock managed to float upright in Crater Lake for more than a hundred years?
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Read more about On the Road
Magazine Article On the Road Take a drive through the national parks of Oregon & California and witness a land of extremes.
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