Fun Places | Crater Lake National Park
Hype:
Crater Lake National Park is an American national park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake is the fifth-oldest national park in the United States and the only national park in Oregon. The park encompasses the caldera of Crater Lake, a remnant of a destroyed volcano, Mount Mazama, and the surrounding hills and forests. The lake is 1,949 feet deep at its deepest point, which makes it the deepest lake in the United States, the second-deepest in North America and the ninth-deepest in the world. The impressive average depth of this volcanic lake is due to the nearly symmetrical 4,000-foot-deep caldera formed 7,700 years ago during the violent climactic eruptions and subsequent collapse of Mount Mazama and the relatively moist climate that is typical of the crest of the Cascade Range. The national park encompasses 183,224 acres. Crater Lake has no streams flowing into or out of it. All water that enters the lake is eventually lost from evaporation or subsurface seepage. The lake's water commonly has a striking blue hue, and the lake is refilled entirely from direct precipitation in the form of snow and rain.
Time:
Fees: Entrance Fee
Recommended Ages:
 | 0-3 |
 | 4-11 |
 | 12-19 |
 | 20-49 |
 | 50-69 |
 | 70+ |
Recommended Months to Visit:
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| Feb |
| Mar |
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Links: www.nps.goven.wikipedia.org
Navigate to 42.895344, -122.134508.
Closest City or Region: Klamath County, Oregon
Coordinates: 42.895344, -122.134508
By Jeremy Dye
Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Savannah Dye, Madilyn Dye, Cooper Dye, Greg Dye, Laura Dye, Anthony Dye, Arianne Dye, Miller Dye, Ondylyn Wagner, Jaren Wagner, Killian Wagner,
Merriam Point was our first stop in Crater Lake National Park. We got out and took some pictures, but the air was incredibly smoky from the nearby forest fires, so visibility was at a minimum. While we were standing at the lookout, Miller pulled Anthony's hat off his head and chucked it off the cliff. The side was so steep that the hat rolled out of sight. The upside of the story is that Anthony found a replacement hat that someone else had lost.
By Jeremy Dye
Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Savannah Dye, Madilyn Dye, Cooper Dye, Greg Dye, Laura Dye, Anthony Dye, Arianne Dye, Miller Dye, Ondylyn Wagner, Jaren Wagner, Killian Wagner,
We stopped at Cloudcap Overlook really quick and took a few pictures.
By Jeremy Dye
Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Savannah Dye, Madilyn Dye, Cooper Dye, Greg Dye, Laura Dye, Anthony Dye, Arianne Dye, Miller Dye, Ondylyn Wagner, Jaren Wagner, Killian Wagner,
We made a quick stop at the Phantom Ship Overlook and took some pictures. This was one of the features that popped up in a lot of internet searches, so it was kid of high on my bucket list.
By Jeremy Dye
Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Cooper Dye, Anthony Dye, Arianne Dye, Miller Dye, Ondylyn Wagner, Jaren Wagner,
Start: 4:15
Falls: 4:35
Finish: 5:15
We split into two groups. Mom, Dad, Jaren, Savannah, and Madilyn went to the visitor center to get magnets before they closed, and the rest of us hiked to Plaikni Falls. We took our time and let the kids hike their own speed for a lot of it. At the falls, we took a bunch of pictures and took it easy. On the hike back, Cooper refused to keep up. Near the end of the trail, we just left him behind to see if he would even notice. After about 10 minute he started walking again, but then he stopped to play in the sand. Eventually we went back and carried him the rest of the way.
By Jeremy Dye
Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Savannah Dye, Madilyn Dye, Cooper Dye,
We visited Vidae Falls during our trip to Crater Lake National Park. After we drove off, we realized that there was an upper waterfall not visible from the pullout.
National Park
Road Access is Paved
Access Road is 2WD Accessible
Interpretive Signs
Viewpoint, Overlooks, Vistas
Hiking Trails
Wildflowers and Vegitation
Wildlife and Birding
Picnic Tables
Tent Campsites
RV Sites
Visitor Centers
Museums
Lakes and Reservoirs
Mountains
Geothermal Features
Potable Water
Shopping
Waterfalls
Volcanoes
Fun Places: 
Hiking: