"Winter Panoramic" by National Park Service , public domain
Crater Lake
National Park - Oregon
Crater Lake National Park is in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon. It’s known for its namesake Crater Lake, formed by the now-collapsed volcano, Mount Mazama. Wizard Island is a cinder cone near the western edge of the lake. The Rim Drive, a road surrounding the lake, offers views of the park’s volcanic formations. The park’s numerous trails include Sun Notch, with views of the Phantom Ship, a small island.
Motor Vehicle Travel Map (MVTM) of North Green Diamond Resource Co. Travel Management Area (TMA) in Oregon. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Motor Vehicle Travel Map (MVTM) of Central Green Diamond Resource Co. Travel Management Area (TMA) in Oregon. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of the Eastern part of Tiller Ranger District (RD) in Umpqua National Forest (NF) in Oregon. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of the Eastern part of Diamond Lake Ranger District (RD) in Umpqua National Forest (NF) in Oregon. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of the Western part of Diamond Lake Ranger District (RD) in Umpqua National Forest (NF) in Oregon. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Reflections Visitor Guide
Summer/Fall 2024
Road Closure on
East Rim Drive
Road alert! Part of the East Rim Drive will
be closed this summer for construction.
To facilitate progress, it will be closed to
all traffic, including bicycles and pedestrians. In July, the closure will extend from
Skell Head to the Phantom Ship Overlook
(see map on page 5). The Mount Scott
Trail will also be closed. In August, part
of the road (and the Mount Scott Trail)
should reopen. If all goes well, the entire
road will be open by early October.
The roadwork is part of a 5-year, $56 million effort to stabilize and repair 19 miles
of the East Rim Drive, which was built in
the 1930s. Funding for the project comes
from the Great American Outdoors Act,
passed by Congress in 2020 to address
infrastructure needs on public lands.
Escape to Wizard Island
Plus 10 Other Ways to
Enjoy Your Park
Lidar
Image of
Wizard
Island
Have you ever set foot on a volcano inside a
volcano? Boat tours operate on Crater Lake from
July to mid-September. While most don’t stop
at Wizard Island, about 200 people per day can
purchase a ticket to be “stranded” on the island for
3 hours—to explore, swim, fish, and relax. See page
3 for more information and page 2 to learn about
the steep hiking trail required to take a boat tour.
Wizard Island emerged from Crater Lake around 7,300 years ago in a shower of fiery
cinders that piled into a symmetrical cone. Lava flows then pushed through the loose
cinders, creating “tongues” of blocky lava that comprise the rest of the island. Today,
hikers can cross a lava tongue on the Fumarole Bay Trail or explore the volcano’s vent
(known as the Witches Cauldron) by taking the Summit Trail. See page 4 for trail details.
Visiting Wizard Island is a special experience, but there are many other ways to make
your stay at Crater Lake memorable, meaningful, and fun. Here are 10 suggestions:
Find the Phantom Ship
Climb a Peak
Photograph the Pinnacles
Touch the Water
Anchored near the lake’s south shore is
an island that seems to be sailing away. To
see it, walk to Sun Notch or drive to the
viewpoint named in its honor (see page 5).
East Rim Drive
Welcome
to Crater
Lake!
Summer is upon us
and as The Bard
said, “The game’s
afoot!” Visitors will
see much activity
and change
Craig Ackerman
throughout the
Superintendent
park. A new and
exciting concessioner, ExplorUS, is now
operating facilities at Rim Village and
Mazama Village with renewed focus
on customer service. The Steel Visitor
Information Center has reopened after
a two-year “facelift.” Staff are ready to
answer questions and provide advice on
visiting the park. Lake operations should
be in full swing by July for visitors wanting to take a boat tour or visit Wizard
Island before access to the lake closes
next year to rebuild the trail and marina.
As more visitors discover the beauty and
inspiration of the park, lines become
longer and parking spaces fewer. It is
important that we exercise patience,
respect, and understanding of each other.
Then, the majesty of the park can be the
center of everyone’s attention!
Formed by the same eruption that gave
birth to the lake, these colorful volcanic
spires are tucked away in the park’s
southeast corner (see page 5).
The summits of Watchman Peak, Garfield
Peak, Union Peak, Crater Peak, and Mount
Scott each offer panoramic—and very
different—views of the park (see page 4).
The trail to the lake shore is steep and can
be crowded, but the water at the bottom is
some of the world’s purest. Swim, fish, or
simply dangle your toes (see page 2).
Walk Among Wildflowers
In July and August, flowers line many of
the park’s roads and trails. Take a short
stroll on the Castle Crest Trail to view the
park’s premier display (see page 4).
Take a Trolley Tour
See the park with those who know it best.
Narrated, 2-hour tours depart daily from
Rim Village, stopping at overlooks as they
travel along Rim Drive (see page 3).
Visit the Sinnott Overlook
Savor a Sunset
View the Lodge
See the Milky Way
Perched on a cliff at Rim Village, this
historic overlook features a dramatic view
of the caldera and exhibits that explain
its geologic features (see page 3).
For a glimpse into a bygone era, check out
the history exhibits—and the Great Hall—
of Crater Lake Lodge, renovated in the
1990s but first opened in 1915 (see page 3).
Rotary Plow
at Rim Village
Sunsets in the park can be spectacular—
especially from the top of Watchman Peak
and from roadside pullouts high on the
Rim Drive (see page 2).
Look Inside!
2... Activities, Rules
3... Food & Other Services
4... Hiking Trails
5... Map, Viewpoints
6... Feature Articles
7... FAQs
8... Supporting Your Park
Park Profile
Crater Lake National Park protects the
deepest lake in the United States. Fed by
rain and snow (but no rivers or streams),
the lake is considered to be the cleanest
large body of water i
Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Refections Visitor Guide
Winter/Spring 2021-2022
Rotary Plow
at Rim Village
A Winter
Wonderland
Caution! Heavy Snowfall
Creates Deadly Hazards
But for How Much Longer?
Keeping the Park Open
is “Snow” Easy Task
What were you doing at 4 am this morning? If you were
a member of the Crater Lake roads crew, you might have
been reporting for duty!
Trying to keep Highway 62 and the road to Rim Village
open year-round is no easy task. Each day, the park’s heavy
equipment operators work from 4 am to 8 pm, in two
shifts, clearing snow and sanding roads. During heavy
storms, snow removal can become a 24-hour operation,
with crews working 12 hours at a time. “It can be a
hazardous job,” reports one operator, “especially when it’s
dark and white-out conditions are occurring. On a winding
mountain road, you never know what’s around the next
corner. It could be a tree across the road at windshield
level, a car stuck in the snow, or an avalanche.”
Snow plows were frst used at Crater Lake in 1930. Prior
to that, crews used dynamite and shovels to clear the
roads each spring. Today, the park employs 6 operators
and 2 mechanics who maintain an assortment of push
plows and rotary plows. The rotary plows are equipped
with a fan that can shoot snow 75 feet into the air. To
control where the snow lands, the operator can vary
the angle of output. The amount of snow moved each
winter by the park’s roads crew is astounding. With it,
you could create a ski trail 3 feet wide, 6 inches deep,
and long enough to circle the Earth at the equator!
The most challenging part of the job is “Spring Opening,”
when the crew turns its attention to digging out the
30-mile Rim Drive and 9-mile North Entrance Road. They
begin on the West Rim, departing Rim Village in midApril. Typically, the snow they encounter is 20 to 30 feet
deep. Near Watchman Peak, they meet drifts up to 50
feet thick. Progress is slow, averaging a quarter-mile of
road cleared per day. In a light snow year, they’ll reach
the park’s North Entrance by mid-May. After a severe
winter, it will take until mid-June. The East Rim Drive is
their fnal leg. “If we can get all the way around the lake
by the 4th of July,” says one operator, “we’re happy.”
For your safety, when you encounter a snow plow in
the park, give it a wide berth. Passing one on the park’s
narrow roads can be hazardous. Wait until an intersection
or until the plow stops and the operator waves you
by. Until then, assume that the operator can’t see you;
visibility inside the plows can be poor. Also, skiers and
pedestrians should be careful to keep away from the
dangerous cascade of snow thrown by the rotary plows.
Thanks to the hard work, long hours, and dedication of
the park’s heavy equipment operators and mechanics,
we can access and enjoy Crater Lake National Park every
month of the year.
Straddling the crest of the Cascade Mountain Range,
Crater Lake National Park is one of the snowiest inhabited
places in America. Storms from the Pacifc Ocean dump
an annual average of 42 feet of snow at Park Headquarters
and more than 50 feet at Rim Village. Since 1931, however,
when rangers began keeping track, totals have been
trending downward. Snowfall at Park Headquarters has
been below average for 9 of the past 10 years.
At frst glance, milder winters might seem
to be good news, since deep snow tends
to make life difcult. Snow forces many
animals, including deer and elk, to leave
the park in order to survive. Snow makes
it hard for park staf to keep roads plowed
and facilities functioning. And, for park
visitors, storms often lead to disappointment, hiding Crater Lake from view.
But consider the benefts that blizzards
bring. A thick blanket of snow provides
protection and warmth for “subnivean”
mammals such as shrews, voles, and
pikas. It serves as a water reservoir for
the park’s old-growth forests, insulating
trees from drought and fre. It provides us
with opportunities to ski, sled, snowshoe,
and marvel at winter’s beauty. And, since
it eventually melts to feed the Rogue,
Umpqua, and Klamath rivers, snow at
Crater Lake is good news for downstream
farmers, ranchers, cities, and wildlife.
Unfortunately, declining snowfall in the
winter is having negative consequences
in the summer. It’s leading to longer and
more severe fre seasons, a rise in insect
epidemics and invasive species, and
hardship for native plants and animals,
as they struggle to survive in a climate to
which they’re not adapted. So, despite the
challenges that long and snowy winters
impose on the park, they are ultimately
a cause for gratitude, delight, and
celebration. Let it snow—please!
Rangers use a giant
ruler—21 feet tall—to
measure snow depth
at Park Headquarters.
They have measured
snow depth, snowfall,
and precipitation at this
location since 1931.
While the amount of
precipitation the park
receives hasn’t changed
much over time, the
type of precipitat
Bicycling
Pedalling Around
Crater Lake
Rules and Safety
Camping
Getting Here by Bicycle
Each year, increasing numbers of cyclists come to Crater Lake National Park to
ride around the lake on the physically demanding, 33-mile Rim Drive. Steep hills
at high elevation may encourage even the most fit riders to pause at many of the
road's thirty overlooks and pull-outs. The payoff, however, is spectacular
scenery, viewed at a pace that few visitors choose to take enough time for.
Cyclists must respect and obey all rules that apply
to automobile traffic, including speed limits.
Bicycle helmets are required. Riders face many
hazards including high speeds on steep downhill
sections, rocks, animals and other road hazards
as well as heavy traffic volumes. Only cyclists
experienced at riding with auto traffic should
consider biking at Crater Lake.
Park roads seldom have shoulders. Cyclists
should use extreme caution, particularly along
narrow areas and blind curves. Wear bright,
highly-visible clothing to help drivers see you.
Cyclists unaccustomed to high altitudes may find
that the elevation makes breathing difficult.
Bicycles are not permitted on park trails. Rim
Drive, during those seasonal periods when the
road is snow free and closed to motorvehicles, is
open to bicyclists. Please call the park visitor
center for current open status. For mountain
biking, the Grayback Drive provides eight miles
of unpaved, one-way road.
Water is available only at Rim Village and the
Steel Visitor Center.
Cyclists on long tours are welcome to stay at
either of the park's two campgrounds. Both
charge a fee for camping; call the park for current
rates.
Mazama Campground, located near Highway 62
at Annie Springs entrance, offers 213 campsites
with showers, laundry and a camp store nearby. It
is generally open from mid-June to early October.
Lost Creek Campground, located three miles off
the East Rim Drive, is more isolated. It has 16
campsites for tents only, cold water faucets and
toilet facilities. Lost Creek is open from mid-July
to mid-September.
All routes into the park have long, steep grades.
Because road conditions are unfavorable to
cyclists most of the year, and because many roads
are closed during the long winter, we recommend
you plan trips only for the summer months of
July, August, and September.
Entrance stations provide maps and information
during summer daytime hours. Fees to enter the
park are $10 by automobile or $5 per bicycle up to
a maximum of $10 per family.
For more information or current road and
weather conditions, please go on-line to
www.nps.gov/crla or call (541)594-3100.
The Rim Drive
The most popular bicycle route at Crater Lake is
the 33-mile Rim Drive. This road provides
spectacular views of Crater Lake and the
surrounding area throughout its length. The road
is narrow with long, steep grades. Most cyclists
start from the Park Headquarters area and ride
around the lake clockwise. This direction puts
one of the steepest and longest grades at the
beginning of the trip.
Altitude, climb, and distance estimates are listed
below, assuming a clockwise trip.
Waypoints and Distances
Map
Point
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
Point
Name
Park HQ
Rim Village
Discovery Point
Watchman Trailhead
North Junction
Cleetwood Cove
Wineglass
Skell Head
Cloudcap
Kerr Notch
Dutton Ridge
Vidae Falls
Park HQ
Total
Mileage
0.0mi
3.0
4.1
6.8
9.1
13.7
16.5
17.9
20.9
24.4
27.0
30.0
33.0
Climb
(feet}
0
650
50
400
200
450
350
400
600
0
650
0
150
Distance
(from last}
0.0mi
3.0
1.1
2.7
2.3
4.6
2.8
1.4
2.6
3.5
2.6
3.0
3.0
Elevation
(feet}
6450
7100
7100
7350
7050
6850
6700
7100
7700
6700
7350
6600
6450
Maps
l
, ---=::,
I
To Klamath Falls
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA '"
Revised 7/12
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Fishing
The Shores of
Crater Lake
If you’re willing to work for your fishing opportunity,
then try fishing at Crater Lake where the 1.1 mile
long Cleetwood Trail drops almost 700 feet down
to the shoreline. All waters within Crater Lake
National Park are open to fishing unless otherwise
indicated below. No fishing license is required
within the boundaries of Crater Lake National Park.
The fishing season runs from May 20 through
October 31 generally. However, there are some
special cicumstances so make sure to read the
Lake Regulations below.
There are also some opportunities to be had in
the streams of Crater Lake National Park but
state and federal regulations apply, so keep
reading.
Fishing is only allowed from ½ hour before
sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. In all waters of the
park, only artificial lures and flies may be used.
No organic bait of any kind can be used;
including live or dead fish, power bait, and fish
eggs or roe.
Crater Lake
Regulations
Limits
There are no restrictions to size, number or
species taken.
Season
The lake can be fished year-round except when
seasonal limitations prevent safe access. The
only access to the lake is by the Cleetwood
Trail located on the north side of Crater Lake.
This trail is moderately strenuous, dropping
nearly 700 feet down from the Rim Drive to the
shoreline in just over a mile. Hiking back up can
take, on average, 30 to 45 minutes.
Where
Cleetwood Cove provides about ¼ mile of rocky
shoreline for angling. Wizard Island is also
open while boat tours are running. Fishing is
not allowed within 200 feet of the boat docks.
Note
Please pack out your catch. Cleaning fish in the
lake is prohibited.
Boating
Private boats or flotation devices are not
allowed on Crater Lake.
Stream
Regulations
Closures
Fishing is prohibited in Sun Creek and Lost
Creek within the boundaries of Crater Lake
National Park.
Sun and Lost Creeks are protected habitat for
the native Bull Trout which is listed under the
Endangered Species Act. The park is engaged
sustainable population of bull trout. Allowing
fishing would jeopardize this species due to
take, injury and mortality caused by catching,
snagging, injuring while releasing, or keeping
bull trout. There are no less restrictive
measures that would provide adequate
protection to bull trout.
Regulations
State regulations are enforced for stream
fishing in Crater Lake National Park.
in a long-term project to eradicate non-native
fish species from these creeks and restore
Fish in Crater
Lake
In 1888, William G. Steel, considered the founder
of Crater Lake National Park, made the first
recorded attempts to stock Crater Lake. National
Park Service researchers believe that before that
time, Crater Lake contained no fish. William
Steel’s motive for stocking the lake was probably
to improve the lake’s recreational value.
Around the turn of the century, a regular stocking
programs was begun. Stocking continued
through the early part of the century until creel
censuses showed that the fish were naturally
reproducing. Six species were introduced to
Crater Lake during this time. The last recorded
stockings were silver salmon in 1937 and
rainbow trout in 1941.
Later investigations revealed that the naturally
reproducing silver salmon were actually kokanee
salmon. Since kokanee were not intentionally
introduced, researchers believe that one of the
plantings of silver salmon fingerlings was actually
Fish in Park
Streams
kokanee. Of the six species introduced, two
remain:
Kokanee Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) are a
dwarf, landlocked form of sockeye salmon.
Kokanee are the most abundant species in the
lake, estimated to have a population well in the
hundreds of thousands. An average kokanee is
about 8 inches long, but some grow to as long as
18 inches.
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are
less abundant than the kokanee, but are typically
larger. The largest documented rainbow trout
from Crater Lake was a 6 ½ pound, 26 inches
long specimen caught by the park research
team. Most rainbows average 10 to 14 inches.
Rainbow trout and kokanee salmon populations
are stable in the lake. Researchers believe that
this stability is due to each fish species eating
different foods. Kokanee feed on zooplankton
and rainbows feed on aquatic insects.
Although the lake is by far the park’s largest body
of water, fish also inhabit many of the small
streams within the park. These streams are
generally not accessible because of the steep
canyons in which they are found.
According to stocking records, two species,
eastern brook and rainbow trout, were planted in
park streams. However, a total of four species
have been identified:
Eastern Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) have
been found in almost every park stream.
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were
originally planted in large numbers throughout the
park. Today, it appears that their numbers are
few and scat
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Checklist of
Birds
Crater ake National Park is comprised of 183,224
acres of mountains, peaks, evergreen forests, and
lake. Elevations range from 4000 feet along the
borders of the park to 8,929 feet at Mount Scott.
These elevations offer diverse habitats, including
ponderosa pine forest in the southern end of the
park; mixed pine, fir, and hemlock forest in the
5,000 to 7,500-foot range; and sub-albine environments including whitebark pine above 7,000 feet.
Such a diversity of habitats presents the birder with
many opportunities to observe bird life.
Sp
L ns
_____ Common
oon
Su
F
Abundan e:
C Common - likely to see
C ocally Common - likely in proper habitat
U Uncommon - possible to see in proper habitat
R Rare - unlikely to see even in proper habitat
Season:
Sp Spring
Su Summer
F Fall
W Winter
W
R
R
R
-
Grebes
_____ Eared Grebe
_____ Pied-billed Grebe
-
R
R
R
R
-
Pelicans
_____ American White Pelican
R
R
-
-
_____ Rough-legged Hawk
_____ Ferruginous Hawk
Sp
R
-
Su
R
R
F
R
R
W
-
Falc
_____
_____
_____
_____
U
U
R
C
R
U
R
U
R
U
R
U
R
U
C
U
C
U
C
U
C
ns
American Kestrel
Merlin
Prairie Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
C rm rants
_____ Double-crested Cormorant
U
U
-
-
Gr use
_____ Ruffed Grouse
_____ Blue Grouse
Her ns
_____ Great Blue Heron
U
U
U
U
Quail
_____ Mountain Quail
R
R
R
-
Geese, Ducks, and Mergansers
_____ White-fronted Goose
_____ Canada Goose
_____ Wood Duck
_____ Mallard
_____ Gadwall
_____ American Wigeon
_____ Northern Pintail
_____ Northern Shoveler
_____ Blue-winged Teal
_____ Cinnamon Teal
_____ Canvasback
_____ Redhead
_____ Ring-necked Duck
_____ esser Scaup
_____ Barrow’s Goldeneye
_____ Common Goldeneye
_____ Bufflehead
_____ Common Merganser
_____ Hooded Merganser
_____ Ruddy Duck
U
U
R
R
R
C
-
R
U
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
C
R
R
U
U
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
-
-
C ts
_____ American Coot
R
R
R
-
Pl vers
_____ Killdeer
R
R
R
R
Sandpipers
_____ Spotted Sandpiper
-
C
C
-
Gulls
_____ Ring-billed Gull
_____ California Gull
-
R
C
C
-
Pige ns and D ves
_____ Band-tailed Pigeon
_____ Mourning Dove
R
U
R
U
R
U
-
Vultures
_____ Turkey Vulture
U
U
U
-
Ospreys, Eagles, and Hawks
_____ Osprey
_____ Northern Harrier
_____ Golden Eagle
_____ Bald Eagle
_____ Sharp-shinned Hawk
_____ Cooper’s Hawk
_____ Northern Goshawk
_____ Red-tailed Hawk
_____ Swainson’s Hawk
R
U
U
U
-
U
R
U
U
U
U
U
C
U
R
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
R
R
-
Owls
_____ ong-eared Owl
_____ Great Horned Owl
_____ Barred Owl
_____ Great Gray Owl
_____ Spotted Owl
_____ Western Screech-Owl
_____ Flammulated Owl
_____ Northern Pygmy-Owl
_____ Northern Saw-whet Owl
R
C
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
C
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
C
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
C
R
R
R
R
R
R
Nighthawks
_____ Common Nighthawk
_____ Common Poorwill
-
C
R
C
R
-
Swifts
_____ Vaux’s Swift
_____ White-throated Swift
-
C
R
C
R
-
Checklist of
Birds
(continued)
Sp
Hummingbirds
_____ Calliope Hummingbird
_____ Rufous Hummingbird
Kingfishers
_____ Belted Kingfisher
W dpeckers
_____ White-headed Woodpecker
_____ ewis’s Woodpecker
_____ Northern Flicker
_____ Williamson’s Sapsucker
_____ Red-breasted Sapsucker
_____ Red-naped Sapsucker
_____ Downy Woodpecker
_____ Hairy Woodpecker
_____ Three-toed Woodpecker
_____ Black-backed Woodpecker
_____ Pileated Woodpecker
Su
F
W
_____ Rock Wren
R
-
U
U
R
U
U
R
R
R
C
R
U
U
R
C
U
U
R
C
U
R
R
R
C
R
U
U
-
U
U
R
U
U
R
R
C
R
U
U
-
-
U
C
R
U
-
Flycatchers
_____ Olive-sided Flycatcher
_____ Western Wood-Pewee
_____ Willow Flycatcher
_____ Hammond’s Flycatcher
_____ Gray Flycatcher
_____ Dusky Flycatcher
_____ Pacific-slope Flycatcher
_____ Cordilleran Flycatcher
C
U
-
C
U
R
U
R
U
U
C
U
U
-
-
Vire s
_____ Cassin’s Vireo
_____ Warbling Vireo
-
U
U
U
-
Jays and Cr ws
_____ Steller’s Jay
_____ Gray Jay
_____ Clark’s Nutcracker
_____ American Crow
_____ Common Raven
U
C
C
C
C
C
C
R
C
U
C
C
C
U
C
C
C
Larks
_____ Horned
-
-
-
ark
C
Swall ws
_____ Tree Swallow
_____ Violet-green Swallow
_____ Rough-winged Swallow
_____ Barn Swallow
U
-
R
U
R
R
-
-
Chickadees
_____ Black-capped Chickadee
_____ Mountain Chickadee
_____ Chestnut-backed Chickadee
R
C
R
R
C
R
R
C
R
R
C
R
Bushtits
_____ Bushtit
-
R
-
-
Creepers
_____ Brown Creeper
C
C
C
C
Nuthatchers
_____ White-breasted Nuthatch
_____ Red-breasted Nuthatch
_____ Pygmy Nuthatch
U
C
-
U
C
R
U
C
-
U
C
-
Wrens
_____ House Wren
_____ Winter Wren
_____ Bewick’s Wren
R
C
-
R
C
R
C
-
C
-
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA
Dippers
_____ American Dipper
Kinglets
_____ Golden-crowned Kinglet
_____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Sp
R
Su
C
C
C
U
U
F W
C -
C
C
C
U
U
U
R
-
Bluebirds, S litaires, and Thrushes
_____ Western Bluebird
U
_____ Mountain Bluebird
U
_____ Townsend’s Solitaire
U
_____ Swainson’s Thrush
_____ Hermit Thrush
R
_____ Varied Thrush
C
_____ American Robin
U
C
C
U
C
C
U
C
C
C
U
R
C
U
R
R
Pipits
_____ American Pipi
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Checklist of
Mammals
A- Abundant
LC - Locally Common
R - Rare
C - Common
U - Uncommon
P - Present, but not often seen
* - federally listed threatened species
+ - federally listed species of concern
Help us out! To further park research, please
report any sightings of animals listed as other than
abundant or common to a park visitor center.
Please report all bear sightings.
S
W
Opossums
Virginia Opossum
U
P
Shrews and Moles
Marsh Shrew
Pacific Shrew
Water Shrew
Fog Shrew
Trowbridge’s Shrew
Vagrant Shrew
Shrew-mole
Broad-footed Mole
U
U
C
R
U
C
C
U
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Bats
California Myotis
Long-eared Myotis +
Little Brown Myotis
Long-legged Myotis +
Yuma Myotis +
Hoary Bat
Silver-haired Bat
Big brown Bat
Pallid Bat
R
U
C
U
R
C
R
C
R
-
Pikas, Rabbits, and Hares
American Pika
Snowshoe Hare
White-tailed Jackrabbit
C
C
U
P
U
U
U
C
R
U
A
C
LC
LC
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
A
R
A
C
U
P
R
P
P
P
Rodents
Mountain Beaver
Yellow-pine Chipmunk
Least Chipmunk
Siskiyou Chipmunk
Townsend’s Chipmunk
Yellow-bellied Marmot
California Ground Squirrel
Belding’s Ground Squirrel
Golden-mantled
Ground Squirrel
Western Gray Squirrel
Douglas’ Squirrel
Northern Flying Squirrel
Botta’s Pocket Gopher
S
C
R
R
A
LC
U
C
U
LC
LC
U
U
U
LC
R
LC
LC
C
W
P
P
R
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
R
P
P
P
Carnivores
Coyote
Red Fox
Common Gray Fox
Black Bear
Ringtail
Common Raccoon
Marten
Fisher +
Ermine
Long-tailed Weasel
Mink
Wolverine +
American Badger
Western Spotted Skunk
Striped Skunk
Northern River Otter
Mountain lion
Lynx *
Bobcat
C
C
U
C
R
R
C
R
R
C
R
R
C
U
LC
R
R
R
R
C
R
R
P
R
P
LC
P
P
P
R
R
P
R
R
R
R
R
R
Deer, Elk, and Pronghorn
Elk
Mule Deer
Pronghorn
C
C
R
R
R
-
Western Pocket Gopher
Great Basin Pocket Mouse
American Beaver
Deer Mouse
Bushy-tailed Woodrat
Dusky-footed Woodrat
Western Red-backed Vole
Heather Vole
Red Tree Vole
Long-tailed Vole
Montane Vole
Creeping Vole
Water Vole
Townsend’s Vole
Common Muskrat
Western Jumping Mouse
Pacific Jumping Mouse
Common Porcupine
Please don’t
feed the
animals!
More than fifty mammals make their home at
Crater Lake National Park, ranging in size from the
little brown bat to the Roosevelt elk. While most
visitors to the park hope to see a bear or an elk,
you’re more likely to encounter birds, chipmunks,
and ground squirrels. These animals live in a harsh
volcanic landscape that is buried by snow eight
months of the year. Be a gracious guest during your
visit—enjoy watching the wild animals, but do not
feed them! No matter how much they may beg or
plead for your food, feeding animals is not permit
ted. Here’s why:
It’s bad for the animals
Animals that learn to depend on human handouts
lose their instinctive abilities to find food for them
selves. Even a single potato chip is bad for wild
animals—potato chips do not naturally occur in
their diet. Neither do cheese curls, candy, sand
wiches, or even peanuts or raisins. Animals quickly
come to recognize humans as a source of food, and
may forget their natural food seeking skills. When
winter comes, the easy food supply they’ve come to
depend on disappears. They may now starve be
cause they have lost their self-sufficiency.
Wild animals that are fed by humans are soon no
longer “wild.” They lose their natural fear of hu
mans and become vulnerable to other animals that
would harm them. Increased territorial behavior
and fighting may occur when many animals are
crowded into small areas competing for the same
food.
Every creature plays an important role in natural
ecological cycles. Disrupting these cycles may have
dramatic consequences.
be collecting pine seeds to eat now and to store in
winter caches. These caches are also an important
food source for larger animals, such as bears. Many
of the stored seeds may germinate. They have, in
effect, been “planted.” Research indicates that
small mammals or birds plant most of the
whitebark pines which cling to the rim of the
caldera. When these animals rely on us for food
and stop gathering pine seeds, whitebark pines
cease to be planted. Whitebark pine roots, in turn,
play a role in stabilizing the rim of the caldera. The
chain has been broken.
It’s bad for the
ecosystem
Wild animals seem to face difficult challenges for
survival. It’s natural to want to “help out.” However,
this is the life for which they are designed and
adapted. Even with good intentions, we may easily
disrupt natural processes. Consider the following
example:
Feeding birds and squirrels is a common practice.
However, without our snacks, these animals would
Crater Lake National Park receives half a million
visitors per year. If each person feeds just one
animal just one treat, that still equals half a million
instances of feeding every year!
It’s dangerous for you
All of the animals in the park are wild. Wild animals
do, indeed, often bite the hand that feeds them.
Wild animals—and the ticks, fleas, and lice they
carry—may
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Reptiles and Amphibians
Crater Lake National
Park’s Most Tenacious
Residents
Moist west winds from the Pacific Ocean rise over the remaining slopes of ancient Mt.
Mazama, dispersing a deep and long-lasting blanket of snow. It is surprising that animals whose lives are so directly affected by cold temperatures exist under these conditions. Mother Nature has given these creatures an even greater tenacity to carry on the
struggle for life, and long winters and short summers have become their lifestyle.
Reptiles
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals with dry,
scale-covered skin. They have claws, if legs are
present. Legs, eyelids, and ears are lacking in
snakes but are usually present in lizards. Lizards
feed on insects, spiders, and other small creatures;
garter snakes feed on fish, toads, frogs, tadpoles,
worms, and salamanders. Reptiles breed on land,
laying eggs or giving birth to young. These four
species of reptile are most common in the park:
Northern Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus
graciosus): This species lives on the ground and is
infrequently observed in the park. Most observations have been made in open dry areas such as
Cleetwood Cove, Wineglass, The Pinnacles, and in
the panhandle of the park. Its tail will break off
easily if a predator grabs hold of it, allowing the
lizard to escape. A new tail will grow back to replace the missing one. The length at maturity is 5
inches. It is gray or brown with blotches or crossbars and light dorsolateral stripes, usually with
orange on the neck and sides. The belly has blue
patches and the throat is a white-speckled blue,
although females may lack the blue altogether. The
Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is
also found in the park.
Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglassii):
This infrequently-seen ground-dwelling lizard has
been observed in Bear, Sand, and Wheeler Creek
drainages. It prefers soft soil in well-exposed sunny
areas. It is live-bearing, producing 24 or more
young in one litter. It is blue-gray, 4 inches long,
with very small horns on the back of its head. It
may squirt a small stream of blood from a sinus at
the base of its eyes when frightened. Ants are a
favorite food.
Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea):
This secretive lizard is occasionally seen in dense
vegetation or rocky areas with sunny exposures.
Specimens from the park represent the intergradation of two subspecies: E.c. principis, the northern
alligator lizard, and E.c. shastensis, the Shasta alligator lizard. The tail will break off easily if pulled. The
color is greenish, heavily blotched or barred with a
dusky shading. The adult is 10 inches in length.
Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis):
This snake has been observed along the lake shore,
on Wizard Island, and near other water courses
and bog areas of the park. It is black, brownish, or
gray with red blotches, with a yellow streak running
down its back and on each side. A completely black
phase is found within the caldera of Crater Lake
and may have evolved as a result of protective
coloration against black volcanic rocks. It grows to
3 feet in length.
Other Species: Also found within the park, but less
common, are the Western Pond Turtle (Clemmys
marmorata); Southern Aligator Lizard (Elgaria
multicarinata); Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus);
Rubber Boa (Charina bottae); Western Skink
(Eumeces skiltonianus); Northwestern Garter Snake
(Thamnophis ordinoides); Western Terrestrial Garter
Snake (Thamnophis elegans); and Racer (Coluber
constrictor).
Amphibians
Amphibians are cold-blooded animals with soft,
moist skin, devoid of scales or claws. They are
usually associated with water or moist areas. Most
amphibians return to water to lay eggs. They feed
upon insects, worms, spiders, and other small
creatures. These eight species are most common in
the park:
Northwestern Salamander (Ambystoma gracile):
This salamander has been found in the northwest
corner of the park. It is rarely seen except during
its breeding season when it travels to ponds, lakes,
and streams. The eggs are laid in large jelly-like
masses, and the larva usually transforms into an
adult the first year but may not do so in cold climates until the second year. Its color is entirely
brown or black. It grows to 6 inches in length.
There are large glands on the head and along the
top of the tail which secrete a sticky white poison,
helping to protect it from predators.
Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma
macrodactylum): This species is found throughout
the park, including the shores of Crater Lake. It is
common in the spring under rocks and logs. It
breeds in ponds, lakes, and quiet streams, sometimes when the water is still covered with ice. The
eggs are laid singly in water. The larva may not
transform until the second year. It is dusky or black
and usually has a broken yellow stripe down its
back with white specks on its sides. It grows to 6
inches in
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Trees
Crater Lake National Park was established in 1902,
before commercial logging reached the High Cascades. Because of this, Crater Lake National Park's
forests are almost entirely old growth forest ecosystems. However, the short growing season and
low-nutrient volcanic soils do not sustain extremely
large trees. Few trees get over 150 feet (46 meters)
in height, and most have diameters under 4 feet (1.2
meters).
Forest Zones
Park forests are composed mostly of conifers,
although a few hardwood species can be found.
There are four major forest zones at Crater Lake
National Park, each named after its dominant tree
species.
referred to as “dog’s hair forest” because of the
dense, scraggly stands of thin lodgepoles, this zone
covers vast areas.
Starting in the park’s lower elevations (about 4,500
feet or 1,370 meters), ponderosa pine forest is the
first zone seen by visitors who enter on Highway 62
from the south or west entrances.
Pines
Lodgepole pine
Hemlocks
Mountain hemlock
Mountain hemlocks become dominant at about
6,000 feet (1,830 meters). This zone has the final tall
trees in the park and has limited underbrush.
The ponderosa zone gives way to lodgepole pine
forest at about 5,000 feet (1,520 meters). Sometimes
The next zone is almost purely whitebark pines and
extends from about 7,500 feet (2,290 meters) to the
top of Mt. Scott, the highest point in the park
(8,929 feet or 2,721 meters). The whitebark pine
zone is more an open woodland than a forest.
Pines (genus Pinus) comprise the largest genus in
the family Pinaceae. An easy way to identify a pine
is by the needles, which grow in characteristic
“bundles.” The number of needles per bundle
often helps determine a pine’s species.
out the lodgepole pine zone. Although the western
white is more common, its bundles of five needles
make it easy to confuse with the sugar pine; smaller
cones on the western white is the most noticeable
difference between the two.
Whitebark pine (P. albicaulus) is found at higher
elevations in the park, particularly on rocky crests.
Tolerating the most severe of conditions, whitebark
pines are often gnarled and twisted, sometimes
appearing more as thick shrubs than trees. An
almost pure stand of these trees is found around
Cloudcap pullout on East Rim Drive.
Sugar pine (P. lambertiana) is interspersed among
ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine and Douglas-fir
stands in lower park elevations. It is a relatively
uncommon tree and has very large cones that
average over a foot long, which can make this an
easy tree to identify. Sugar pines are the tallest of all
pines, and sometimes exceed 200 feet (60 meters).
Lodgepole pine (P. contorta) grows in dense
stands of very thin trees in the park’s middle elevations. However, lodgepoles mingle in other forest
zones throughout the park. Lodgepole pine is the
park’s only pine with bundles of two needles.
Ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa) is a droughttolerant tree with striking orange bark when mature. Even before maturity, its long needles growing
in bundles of three distinguish it from other local
species. Southern Cascade ponderosas also have a
strong vanilla-like aroma in their bark that is usually associated with their close relative, the Jeffrey
pine (P. jeffreyi, not found in the park).
Western white pine (P. monticola) is fairly common at middle elevations, found scattered through-
Hemlocks (genus Tsuga), also in the family
Pinaceae, are typically characterized by their tops,
or leaders. The leader of a hemlock droops down,
often aiming back down at the ground. There are
two hemlock species in Crater Lake National Park.
Mountain hemlock (T. mertensiana) is easily
observable around the park headquarters area and
ranges up to some of the park’s higher altitudes.
With thin branches and small needles, this tree is
well-adapted to the heavy snows it is subjected to.
Western hemlock (T. hetero-phylla) is more
common in the state of Oregon than the mountain
hemlock. However, at Crater Lake it is only found
in the far southwestern corner of the park, which
has an altitude just on the upper edge of its range.
Western hemlocks have much smaller cones than
the mountain hemlocks.
Firs
Firs (genus Abies) are represented by five separate
species at Crater Lake, although one species, the
Pacific silver fir (A. amabilis), has only one known
specimen inside park boundaries. Members of the
pine family (Pinaceae), firs have stemless needles
that leave small circular indentations when pulled
from the branch. Whole fir cones are rarely found
around the tree because they fall apart after maturing.
Shasta red fir (A. magnifica shastensis), a variation of the Sierran species (A. magnifica), is an
abundant tree throughout the mountain hemlock
zone. A deep reddish-brown bark gives this tree its
common name. Its short needles (most less than
one inch or 2.5 cm long) curve to point straight up
from
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Introduction to Crater Lake
Crater Lake Is Like No
Place Else On Earth
Crater Lake has inspired its visitors for hundreds of years. No place else on earth
combines such a deep, pure lake with sheer surrounding cliffs and a violent volcanic
past. Few places on earth are so beautiful, so pristine, or—for these very reasons—so
interesting to scientists.
An Introduction to
Crater Lake
Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon on the
crest of the Cascade Mountain range, 100 miles
(160 km) east of the Pacific Ocean. It lies inside a
caldera, or volcanic basin, created when the 12,000
foot (3,660 meter) high Mount Mazama collapsed
7,700 years ago following a large eruption.
Generous amounts of winter snow, averaging 528
inches (1,341 cm) per year, supply the lake with
water. There are no inlets or outlets to the lake.
Crater Lake, at 1,943 feet (592 meters) deep, is the
seventh deepest lake in the world and the deepest
in the United States. Evaporation and seepage
prevent the lake from becoming any deeper.
The lake averages more than five miles (8 km) in
diameter, and is surrounded by steep rock walls
that rise up to 2000 feet (600 meters) above the
lake's surface.
Physical Characteristics
Color:
The color of Crater Lake is the product of its great
depth, the purity and clarity of its water, and the
way solar radiation interacts with water. Water
molecules absorb the longer wavelengths of light
better (reds, oranges, yellows, and greens). This
energy slowly heats the lake throughout the summer. Shorter wavelengths (blues) are more easily
Following the collapse of Mount Mazama, lava
poured into the caldera even as the lake began to
rise. Today, a small volcanic island, Wizard Island,
appears on the west side of the lake. This cinder
cone rises 767 feet (234 meters) above the lake and
is surrounded by black volcanic lava blocks. A
small crater, 300 feet (90 meters) across and 90 feet
(27 meters) deep, rests on the summit. The crater is
filled by snow during the winter months, but remains dry during the summer.
The lake level fluctuates slightly from year to year.
The highest level was reached in 1975 when the
water level rose to 6,179.34 feet (1,883.47 meters)
above sea level. The lowest level was recorded in
1942 when it dropped to 6,163.20 feet (1,878.55
meters). For such a deep lake, the maximum observed variation of 16 feet (5 meters) is minor (less
than 1 percent).
scattered than absorbed. In the deep lake, some of
the scattered blue light is redirected back up to the
surface where we can see it. Around the edges
where the water is less deep, some of the unabsorbed green sunlight is reflected back up. The
color of the lake can vary from day to day depending on wind, cloud cover, and the angle of the sun.
Physical Characteristics
(continued)
Why Is the Lake So Blue?
Light Penetration:
Sunlight is able to penetrate the waters of Crater
Lake to great depths. Researchers often use a
reflector called a Secchi disk to determine lake
clarity. Readings deeper than 100 feet (30 meters) in
most lakes are rare, but they can typically reach 120
feet (37 meters) at Crater Lake. A reading of 142
feet (43.3 meters) was recorded in 1997.
beneath the surface remains near 38°F (3°C) all
year long. During the hottest time of the summer,
the top water layers warm and become less dense
than colder water below. This condition of thermal
stratification usually continues into September.
Temperature:
Surface temperatures of the lake water vary between 32°F (0°C) and 66°F (19°C). Summer temperatures typically range between 50°F (10°C) and
60°F (16°C). Water more than 260 feet (80 meters)
The lake rarely freezes in winter because of the
large amount of heat stored in the lake during the
summer, windy surface conditions, and relatively
mild air temperatures. The most significant complete freezing event in recent history occurred
between January and April in 1949. The lake was
mostly covered with ice twice in 1985, in January
and again in December.
1)
3)
2)
Most of the annual input comes directly from
precipitation.
No stream or creek flows into the lake carrying
dissolved minerals or dust.
4)
Seepage removes minerals already dissolved in
the lake.
Volcanic rocks below the water line are relatively insoluble in cold lake water.
Water Circulation
The upper 600 feet (180 meters) of lake water
appears to be well mixed based upon the degree of
oxygen saturation. Studies indicate that some
surface water mixes annually to the lake bottom
but a total turnover of lake water is incomplete. As
many as six years may be necessary to totally
exchange lake water at the bottom with oxygenrich surface water.
Hydrothermal Springs
Lake researchers have discovered two areas on the
lake bottom affected by hydrothermal spring water.
Mineral-rich water, at a slightly elevated tempera-
ture, pools in some locations and leaves iron deposits in
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
National Park Service Historic Photo Collection
The National Park System
A Dual Purpose:
Preservation and
Enjoyment
“...to promote and regulate the use of the... national parks... which purpose is to conserve
the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide
for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them
unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”
- National Park Service Organic Act, 16 U.S.C.1.
Establishment of the
National Park System
On March 1, 1872, Congress established
Yellowstone National Park in the Territories of
Montana and Wyoming “as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the
people” and placed it “under exclusive control of
the Secretary of the Interior.” The founding of
Yellowstone National Park began a worldwide
national park movement. Today more than 100
nations contain some 1,200 national parks or
equivalent preserves.
In the years following the establishment of
Yellowstone, the United States authorized additional national parks and monuments, most of them
carved from the federal lands of the West. These,
also, were administered by the Department of the
Interior, while other monuments and natural and
historical areas were administered as separate units
by the War Department and the Forest Service of
the Department of Agriculture. No single agency
provided unified management of the varied federal
parklands.
An Executive Order in 1933 transferred 63 national
monuments and military sites from the Forest
Service and the War Department to the National
Park Service. This action was a major step in the
development of today’s truly national system of
parks—a system that includes areas of historical as
well as scenic and scientific importance.
On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson
signed the act creating the National Park Service, a
new federal bureau in the Department of the
Interior responsible for protecting the 40 national
parks and monuments then in existence and those
yet to be established. This “Organic Act” states that
“the Service thus established shall promote and
regulate the use of Federal areas known as national
parks, monuments and reservations… by such
means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said parks, monuments and
reservations, which purpose is to conserve the
scenery and the natural and historic objects and
the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such
Establishment of the
National Park System
(continued)
means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”
protection in accordance with various acts of
Congress.
The National Park Service still strives to meet those
original goals, while filling many other roles as well:
guardian of our diverse cultural and recreational
resources; environmental advocate; world leader in
the parks and preservation community; and pioneer in the drive to protect America’s open space.
Additions to the National Park System are now
generally made through acts of Congress, and
national parks can be created only through such
acts. But the President has authority, under the
Antiquities Act of 1906, to proclaim national monuments on lands already under federal jurisdiction.
The Secretary of the Interior is usually asked by
Congress for recommendations on proposed
additions to the System. The Secretary is counseled
by the National Park System Advisory Board,
composed of private citizens, which advises on
possible additions to the System and policies for its
management.
Today, the National Park System of the United
States comprises 378 areas covering more than 83
million acres in 49 States, the District of Columbia,
American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and
the Virgin Islands. These areas are of such national
significance as to justify special recognition and
America’s First National
Parks
Park
Date est.
State
Size (acres)*
1.
Yellowstone
1872
Wyoming
2,219,791
2.
Mackinac Island
1875
Given back to the state of Michigan in 1895.
Michigan
3.
Sequoia
1890
California
402,482
4.
Yosemite
1890
California
761,236
5.
General Grant
1890
California
461,901
Originally a small park, General Grant was incorporated into Kings Canyon in 1940.
6.
Mount Rainier
1899
Washington
235,613
7.
Crater Lake
1902
Oregon
183,224
8.
Wind Cave
1903
South Dakota
28,295
9.
Sully's Hill
1904
Converted to a game preserve in 1931.
North Dakota
10.
Mesa Verde
Colorado
52,122
11.
Platt
1906
Now part of Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
Oklahoma
9,889
12.
Glacier
1910
Montana
1,013,572
13.
Rocky Mountain
1915
Colorado
265,727
14.
Hawaii Volcanoes
1916
Hawaii
209,695
15.
Lassen Volcanic
1916
California
106,372
1906
* All acreages listed are the parks' current size. Most were much smaller when they we
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
The Crater Lake Lodge
“A Project Finally
Complete”
Crater Lake Lodge was built to encourage tourism to Crater Lake National Park and
southwestern Oregon. It opened to guests during the summer of 1915. Its clientele has
included people from all over the world. Most guests have had fond remembrances of
their stays, even though the lodge was often in an unfinished state. Throughout its
history the lodge lacked expected hotel standards for comfort, privacy, and service, and
suffered from neglect.
Before construction of the lodge began in 1909,
William G. Steel and other supporters of a hotel
had a difficult time finding a developer that would
commit to the project. It was not an easy undertaking to build and operate a major lodging facility on
the edge of the caldera overlooking Crater Lake.
The harsh climate with severe winter weather for
more than eight months of the year was daunting.
At the time, the area was not very accessible. A trip
to the park was an arduous journey over many
miles of unpaved and poorly constructed roads.
park. These and other obstacles combined to cause
long delays, driving up the cost of the lodge.
Steel finally convinced Alfred Parkhurst, a Portland
developer, to take on the project. However,
Parkhurst had no experience constructing buildings that needed to withstand the weight of 15 foot
snow depths that accumulate during Crater Lake’s
long winters. Unlike at Portland, construction work
was limited to a short three month summer season.
Labor and materials had to be brought great distances into the remote and largely undeveloped
Although business profits lagged due to high operational costs, Crater Lake Lodge drew large crowds.
Early 20th century visitors probably accepted the
substandard accommodations because of the
rigorous trip needed to reach the park. Though the
lodge lacked amenities and atmosphere, visitors
were compensated by the magnificent views of
Crater Lake and the surrounding peaks of the
Cascade Range.
Spiraling costs forced Parkhurst to find savings
elsewhere in the project. When the lodge opened in
the summer of 1915, the furnishings seemed
spartan. Exterior walls were clad in tar paper.
Interior walls of the guest rooms were finished with
thin cardboard-like “beaver board.” There were no
private bathrooms, and a small generator provided
electricity.
When it was enlarged and upgraded from 1922
through 1924, the number of guest rooms more
than doubled. Plumbing was expanded, and as a
result most of the rooms in the new annex and
annex wing had private bathrooms. However, a
lack of investment capital plagued the expansion.
Many guest rooms were left unfinished. The lodge
suffered with the decline in visitation and business
during the early 1930s, the worst years of the Great
Depression. Little was spent to keep up the facility.
It was not until the mid 1930s that guest rooms on
the second and third floors of the annexes were
finished. The lodge was situated in a barren and
very dusty environment. Cars had destroyed most
of the surrounding vegetation.
One of the great improvements made during the
1930s was the development of a landscape for Rim
Village which included plantings around Crater
Lake Lodge. In contrast to the privately funded
hotel, this publicly funded project was accomplished by the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The new landscape included hundreds of indigenous trees and shrubs,
and helped to blend the structure into its surroundings. As part of the project, new paved parking areas and walkways were built adjacent to the
lodge. This significantly reduced the blowing dust
and erosion problems around the building and gave
the area a more “natural” appearance.
Both the park and Crater Lake Lodge were closed
for most of World War II. After the war, park visitation increased dramatically, as did business at the
lodge. However, age and many years of neglect
took a heavy toll on the building.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the National Park
Service continually prodded, with mixed results,
the lodge’s owners to upgrade utilities and fire
prevention measures. After fifty years of severe
winters on the caldera’s edge, the lodge’s inadequate structural system was showing signs of
advanced deterioration. Cables stretched between
the north and south walls to try to keep them from
bowing. Floors and ceilings were sagging, and
cracks appeared in the masonry. Only small
amounts of money were invested in piecemeal
fashion to keep the lodge open every summer. This
Band-Aid approach left utility systems and lifesafety measures lagging behind contemporary
codes and standards.
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA
The National Park Service acquired ownership of
Crater Lake Lodge in 1967, but the building continued to deteriorate. Despite being listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, the National
Park Service felt that it was too expensive to fix
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Cleetwood survey expedition, 1886
History
Crater Lake Has Inspired
People for Many
Generations
Crater Lake has long attracted the wonder and admiration of people all over the world.
Its depth of 1,943 feet (592 meters) makes it the deepest lake in the United States, and the
seventh deepest in the world. Its fresh water is some of the clearest found anywhere in
the world. The interaction of people with this place is traceable at least as far back as the
eruption of Mount Mazama. European contact is fairly recent, starting in 1853.
Original Visitors
A Native American connection with this area has
been traced back to before the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Mazama. Archaeologists have found
sandals and other artifacts buried under layers of
ash, dust, and pumice from this eruption approximately 7,700 years ago. To date, there is little evidence indicating that Mount Mazama was a permanent home to people. However, it was used as a
temporary camping site.
Accounts of the eruption can be found in stories
told by the Klamath Indians, who are the descendants of the Makalak people. The Makalaks lived
in an area southeast of the present park. Because
information was passed down orally, there are
many different versions. The Umpqua people have
a similar story, featuring different spirits. The
Makalak legend told in the park film, The Crater
Lake Story, is as follows:
The spirit of the mountain was called Chief of the
Below World (Llao). The spirit of the sky was called
Chief of the Above World (Skell). Sometimes Llao
came up from his home inside the earth and stood
on top of Mount Mazama, one of the highest
mountains in the region. During one of these visits,
he saw the Makalak chief’s beautiful daughter and
fell in love with her. He promised her eternal life if
she would return with him to his lodge below the
mountain. When she refused, he became angry and
declared that he would destroy her people with
fire. In his rage, he rushed up through the opening
of his mountain and stood on top of it and began to
hurl fire down upon them.
The mighty Skell took pity on the people and stood
atop Mount Shasta to defend them. From their
mountaintops, the two chiefs waged a furious
battle. They hurled red hot rocks as large as hills.
They made the earth tremble and caused great
landslides of fire. The people fled in terror to the
waters of Klamath Lake.
Prehistoric sandals
found at Fort Rock, Oregon
A Legendary Look at
Formation
Two holy men offered to sacrifice themselves by
jumping into the pit of fire on top of Llao’s mountain. Skell was moved by their bravery and drove
Llao back into Mount Mazama. When the sun rose
next, the great mountain was gone. It had fallen in
on Llao. All that remained was a large hole. Rain
fell in torrents, filling the hole with water. This is
now called Crater Lake.
Honoring the Past,
Preserving for the
Future
Pioneers
Naming a Natural
Wonder
A National Park
Early settlers and explorers did not hear about
Crater ake from the native inhabitants because
this place is sacred to most Native Americans of
Oregon and northern California. Makalaks (now
Klamath Indians) held the belief that this place was
so holy that looking upon it would lead to death.
There are no stories relating to the crystal blue lake
that formed after the eruption, indicating that these
people became silent on the issue of Mount
Mazama, the mountain that was no longer.
In the spring of 1853, eleven miners from Yreka,
California stopped for supplies at Isaac Skeeter’s
mercantile store in Jacksonville, Oregon (approximately 90 miles southwest of Crater ake). They
began bragging that they knew how to find the
legendary “ ost Cabin” gold mine. Skeeters quickly
gathered up ten other Oregonians and set out,
using the information overheard in his store. The
trip was financed by John Wesley Hillman, a 21 year
old who had recently returned home from a successful trip to the California goldfields.
On June 12, three members from this party came
upon a large body of water sitting in a huge depression. Hillman exclaimed that it was the bluest water
he had ever seen. Skeeters suggested the name
“Deep Blue ake.”
In 1862, another party of Oregon prospectors
explored this area of the Cascade Range, including
Crater ake. The leader, Chauncy Nye, later wrote
a short article for the Jacksonville Oregon Sentinel.
His article stated, “The waters were of a deeply
blue color causing us to name it Blue L ke.” This is
the first published description of the lake.
neyed to see the now-legendary lake. One of the
participants, Sergeant Orsen Stearns, was so awestruck by what he saw that he climbed down into
the caldera and became the first non-Native American to reach the shore of Crater ake. Captain F.B.
Sprague soon joined him and suggested the name
“L ke M jesty.”
In the 1850s, hostilities between settlers and Native
Americans developed in the ar
Crater Lake
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Crater Lake National Park
Painting by Paul C. Rockwood
Geology
Crater Lake National
Park remains part of a
restless landscape
The calm beauty of Crater Lake obscures the violent forces that formed it. Crater Lake
lies inside the collapsed remnants of an ancient volcano known as Mount Mazama. Its
greatest eruption, about 7,700 years ago, was the largest to occur in North America for
more than half a million years. Though the mountain has now been dormant for five
thousand years, geologists do expect it to reawaken someday.
Formation of the
Cascade Range
Mount Mazama is part of a chain of volcanoes that
extends along the crest of the Cascade Range from
Lassen Peak in California to Mount Garibaldi in
British Columbia. Two other peaks (Mount Rainier
and Lassen) are also part of national parks.
These volcanoes are the visible evidence of what
geologists call “plate tectonics.” The earth's surface,
seemingly solid, is actually broken up into many
huge plates, all floating on top of the Earth's molten
interior. As these plates slowly drift, the continents
and adjacent sea floor either move apart or push
into one another. Continental crust is thicker than
oceanic crust and tends to be less yielding.
A Cataclysmic Eruption
Mount Mazama began to grow half a million years
ago. The oldest rocks visible today, 420,000 years
old, form Mount Scott on the east side of Crater
Lake. Over time, lava flowed from many volcanic
vents, overlapping and building an irregularlyshaped mountain. By 8,000 years ago, Mount
Mazama may have stood as much as 12,000 feet
(3,660 meters) tall.
Mount Mazama’s most violent eruption occurred
about 7,700 years ago. A column of hot gas and
volcanic rock was ejected high into the air. This
magma fell to the earth as fragments of frothy white
When a plate carrying oceanic crust pushed into
what is now the northwestern United States, it was
forced under the less-yielding continental plate.
Tremendous pressures were exerted on the oceanic plate, causing it to deform and even melt. This
melted rock is called magma. It is lighter and more
fluid than the surrounding rock and tends to rise.
Volcanic eruptions eventually bring the magma
back onto the surface of the earth where it is then
called lava. This process, over a period of millions
of years, formed the Cascade Range. The High
Cascade volcanoes we see today, including Mount
Mazama, are the most recent results of this process.
pumice and volcanic ash. Layers of ash from this
eruption may still be found in the soil as far away as
Alberta, Canada, more than 1,000 miles away.
Explosions on the northeast side of the mountain
produced fast-moving flows of hot ash. In all, 12
cubic miles (50 cubic kilometers) of material
poured out of the volcano, draining the magma
chamber beneath it. As the underlying support for
the mountain was lost, the walls of the volcano
began to collapse inward. The top of a mountain
that was built over hundreds of thousands of years
probably “disappeared” in a few days.
Sequence of events. Mount Mazama grew for almost half a million years. 7,700 years ago, it erupted violently, then collapsed into itself. Since
then, rain and snow have filled Crater Lake, and other eruptions have created features including Wizard Island.
Recent Activity
What Will Happen Next?
After the collapse of Mount Mazama, minor eruptions continued inside the newly formed caldera (a
word that comes from the Spanish word for
“kettle” or “boiler” and is used by geologists to
describe large basin-shaped volcanic depressions).
These recent flows created Wizard Island, which
projects 764 feet (233 meters) above the lake’s
surface, and Merriam Cone, which is submerged.
About 5,000 years ago, a small eruption formed a
lava dome, just east of Wizard Island, which is also
under the surface of the water.
"Crater Lake partially fills a 1,200-meter [4,000foot] deep caldera, a depression formed by collapse
of ancestral Mount Mazama during the violent
eruption of 50 cubic kilometers of magma, or
molten rock, about 7,700 years ago... By comparison, Mount St. Helens in 1980 erupted about half a
cubic kilometer of new magma. Geological history
shows that catastrophic events of this kind can
repeat. Are volcanic eruptions likely again at Crater
Lake? One of the approaches U.S. Geological
Survey scientists are using to answer this important
question is to unravel the geologic history of the
Crater Lake caldera floor."
On the other hand, there is every reason to expect
some kind of future volcanic activity in the place
where it has been occurring for almost half a million years. Should there be an eruption within the
caldera, it would likely happen underwater, increasing the possibility of enhanced explosive power due
to the interaction of magma and hot rock with
water.
- Dr. Hans Nelson and Dr. Charles R. Bacon,
U.S. Geological Survey
The foremost threat from young calderas is that of
renewed
The World's Deepest Lakes
At 1,943 feet (592 meters), Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest
in the world. The depths were first explored thoroughly in 1886 by a party from the U.S. Geological
Survey. Their primitive sounding device consisted of a lead pipe attached to piano wire. After
lowering it into the water at 168 locations around the lake, they concluded the deepest part to be 1,996
feet (608 meters). This was only 53 feet (16 meters), or less than 3%, off the official depth
measurement recorded with multibeam sidescan sonar in 2000.
1.
2.
3.
Name
Baikal
Tanganyika
Caspian Sea
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
16.
Vostok
O'Higgins-San Martin
Malawi
Issyk-Kul
Great Slave Lake
Crater Lake
Matano
General Carrera
Hornindalsvatnet
Tahoe
Location
Russia
Tanzania, Burundi, Congo, Zambia
Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan
Antarctica
Chile, Argentina
Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi
Kyrgyzstan
Canada
U.S.A.
Indonesia
Argentina, Chile
Norway
U.S.A.
Depth
5,369 ft (1,637 m)
4,826 ft (1,471 m)
3,362 ft (1,025 m)
at least 2,950 ft (900 m)
2,742 ft (836 m)
2,316 ft (706 m)
2,192 ft (668 m)
2,015 ft (614 m)
1,943 ft (592 m)
1,936 ft (590 m)
1,923 ft (586 m)
1,686 ft (514 m)
1,644 ft (501 m)
How Deep is Crater Lake?
-
~
Tour Boat. 48 feet long (15 m)
Statue of Liberty, 305 feet (93 m)
New York City, New York
Washington Monument, 555 feet
(169 m)
Washington D.C.
Eiffel Tower, 985 feet (300 m)
Paris, France
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest in the
world. Imagine stacking the Eiffel Tower, Washington Monument, and Statue of
Liberty on top of each other, then lowering them into Crater Lake at its deepest
point. There would still be 100 feet (30 meters) of water covering Lady Liberty's
torch!