Crater Lake National Park

Illustration: Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States.

 Even on a bright, cloudless day, the sky seems pale in comparison to the intense blue of Crater Lake. The color of the water deepens from turquoise to indigo with the changing light. A circle of mountains-snowcapped much of the year-is reflected in the lake's still waters. This is a scene of great beauty and serenity. Yet this serenity was born of unimaginable violence.

Some 6,800 years ago, a massive eruption tore apart one of the largest volcanic peaks of what is now the Cascade Mountain range in Oregon. The eruption of the volcano, named Mount Mazama by the Native Americans, spewed debris for nearly a thousand miles around. When the smoke and dust cleared, the top of the 12,000-foot mountain was gone. In it's place was a giant crater nearly six miles wide. Over the centuries, snow and rain filled the hole to create the deepest lake (1,192 feet) in the U.S.

Today, this natural wonder crowns a 250-square -mile national park. The lake is best viewed from the many turnabouts on rim Drive, a 33-mile road that encircles it. The volcanic soil in the park has given birth to a rich forest of hemlock and fir trees that is home to a lages population of deer, elk, bear, and foxes.

DID YOU KNOW....According to Indian legend, the eruption of Mount Mazama was the climax of the war between Skell, the god of the sky, and Llao, the god of the underworld.

If you would like to know more about Crater Lake National Park, check out this great website

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