Crater Lake National Park

I booked our stay at Diamond Lake RV Park due to the fact that it was close to the north entrance of Crater Lake and along our eastward bound route towards Colorado.

There were several other places to stay in the vicinity, but I don't know if I would have recommended one over an other. We checked in and found ourselves deep in the Umpqua Forest without internet, WiFi or any cell service. We actually had to drive 75 miles to reach the closest Walmart in order to stock up on a few necessities - like bread and cat food. The only gas station in the area was charging $4.00 a gallon so George put in a search into our GPS and found the next closest gas station to be 56 miles away.

There is a lot to do in this area, but we didn't have enough time to get to it all. In addition to the waterfall hikes and exploring Crater Lake, there is forest hiking, boating, hunting and fishing.

Little Miss parked in site B-6

Seeing Crater Lake National Park was worth the inconvenience of being out of touch with the world. We enjoyed the awe-inspiring views so much that I snapped about 100 photos to help reignite the feeling I felt on first setting eyes upon the great blue lake back in 1972.

Some quick history of Crater Lake: A huge explosion from a volcano, roughly the same size as Mt. Saint Helena and Mt. Shasta, erupted so violently over 7,000 years ago it caused a tremendous crater to form when the sides of the mountain fell in on itself. Over the next few thousand years and climate changes, snow fell and melted along the rim to eventually fill the hole with crystal-clear water. Crater Lake boasts the cleanest water in the world because it is totally sourced from snow melt and rain. The pureness of the water creates that magnificent shade of blue - the bluest of blue you will ever see. 

Rim Drive, the road that encircles the lake, is a 33-mile scenic byway that boasts spectacular views in every direction. Wizard Island is actually the exposed portion of the cinder cone that erupted out of the volcano and landed back down into the crater many years before it filled with water.

Crater Lake's "other" island is called "Phantom Ship," and although it resembles a small sailboat. it's actually as tall as a 16-story building. It's made of erosion-resistant lava and is the oldest exposed rock within the lake.

Recent history, only weeks old, are evident in the two following photos, which depict the damage done by the recent fires that ravaged almost 21,000 acres. Drought conditions fueled the largest fire at the park in recorded history. The fire-risk level was constantly at "extreme" due to the lack of rain.

Remnants - of the once green fir trees.

Although sad, it is wonderful to know that nature will allow this area to rise again, recover and turn green once more.

The breath-taking first glimpse of the lake.

You can't fully comprehend the "blueness" unless you see it in person.

Wizard Island, one of the highlights of Rim Drive.

"Phantom Ship" is just a small dot in the lake, but such a photo op.

There is not enough I can say about the beauty in and around Crater Lake. It is something to behold, and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to witness its wonder, not once, but twice. When I planned our itinerary for this trip, I knew one of the stopovers would be here - so I could share it all with George. 

Deep thought for the day:  What lies within the mind, also lies within the soul. The strong emotions elicited by "awe" are mind-blowing and soulful. ~ vc