During the Memorial Day holiday in late May we planned a trip to Oregon state and Crater Lake National Park was the highlight of our trip. This park is situated in Southern Oregon on the crest of Cascade Mountain range. The drive up is beautiful; mountains and rugged terrain and all the coniferous trees here just create a very serene ambiance. As we drove via the North Junction up to the lake the snow started out in small patches and then several inches deep. It turned into few foot banks of snow as we drove on Rim drive to Rim Village which has a cafƩ, gift shop, visitor center and Crater Lake lodge.
Rim Visitor Center
We reached the Rim Visitor Center which overlooked the stunning lake and provided a wealth of information about its history. It is hard to believe that such a tranquil beauty of nature has a violent volcanic past. This 1,943 foot deep lake lies inside a caldera, or volcanic basin, and was created when the 12,000 foot high Mount Mazama collapsed 7700 year ago following a large eruption. We spent some time gathering information about the place and also collected few souvenirs. It was also interesting to learn that Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and seventh deepest in the world. Because the lake is filled almost entirely by snowfall, it is one of the clearest lakes in the world. These facts helped me to appreciate the lake and this whole environment we are living in even more.
Wizard island as viewed from the Watchman Overlook viewpoint
We then walked to the Crater lake and the complete glimpse of it immediately took my breath away. The sky and the majestic mountains surrounding reflect upon the very blue water in the lake making it one of the most spectacular places on earth. The East Rim Drive was still closed due to the snow on the roads so we could not do the drive around the other half of the lake. We then drove on the West Rim Drive towards the Discovery Point viewpoint and the Watchman Overlook viewpoint. There were snow-covered mountains all around with serene deep blue Crater Lake in the center; scenic beauty at its best. These spots provide a closer view of the Wizard island. It is great to drive around the crater and see the lake and Wizard Island from different perspectives. The views are amazingly beautiful. We played in the snow and also captured many beautiful pictures.
This was a half day trip. We could not do any hikes as all the trails were covered under snow. Also during summer season there are boat rides in the lake accessible by a trail leading down from the rim. I would definitely plan to come back when there is no snow on the ground. Ā But for my first trip there, I am glad I experienced it the way I did. It was a wonderful spot to bask in the glory of nature. I cannot forget the surreal views and the feelings.
That is so beautiful!
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Thanks! It indeed has unrivaled natural beauty.
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I love this place.Beautiful!
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Thanks Maham! This place is mesmerizing.
Thanks for joining.
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Our goal is to visit all the NP of the USA š In the meantime, we will have to rely on you!
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We would like to do that too one day. I will share more pictures of the National Parks for your reference š
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Reblogged this on Come Travel Along.
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Snow still on Memorial Day? Still, it enhanced the scenery.
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Yes, lots of snow. Even we were not expecting it but were glad to find snow and play around. š
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wow, water, mountains. greenery filled place are so good to visit.
how do you choose and decide upon these places to travel ? you travel alone or with family ?
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Thank you for visiting here. We are always on look out for good travel destinations and then plan a visit. These are visited by my husband and me. Most of the pictures are taken by him and I am learning photography from him. š
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So wonderful. Travel safe and enjoy . i will remember u both if I happen to visit these places
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That is so nice of you. š Best Wishes!!
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Thanks for sharing your experiences and the lovely pictures. The crater lake is so beautiful and serene.
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Thank you Rashmi! We enjoyed the tranquility of this place. š
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One of the reason, I enjoy the blogging world because my life is opened up to new things, places and people. This posts allowed me to travel to a place that I have never been before and likely will never have the opportunity to visit. But, this morning I was able to share a bit of its beauty. Thank you.
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I am glad you enjoyed a part of this world. I agree with you about this blogging world. I get to see so many different places and meet creative people around the world. Thank you for joining in this journey. š
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What an amazing blue
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Indeed it is. š Thank you for your visit.
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Those shots were breathtaking!!! ā¤ I so wish to visit the same place! It was a perfect place to relax š
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Yes! It was a beautiful place to unwind and relax with nature. Thank you for dropping by.
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I’m sure it was…I can totally feel like just by looking at your amazing photos š
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It is beautiful xx
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Thank You Aanchal! š
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Beatiful blog , nice
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Thank you for your visit here š
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