Crater Lake National Park guide · 1 min read
Mount Mazama's Collapse and the Deepest Lake
About 7,700 years ago, Mount Mazama, a volcano in southern Oregon, erupted violently. Its summit gave way and sank into the chamber that had supplied its lava.
The collapse left behind a caldera nearly six miles wide. Native Americans witnessed the eruption and the collapse that followed.
Over many years, rain and snowmelt gathered in the caldera and filled the basin to form the lake. Crater Lake now sits inside that bowl, with steep volcanic cliffs rising along its edges. Wizard Island rises from the water, a cone built by smaller eruptions that came later inside the caldera.
At 1,949 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. The lake is fed by rain and snow, and scientists have remarked on how pure its water is. Depth and purity together give the water its deep blue color.
The park centers on the lake and covers about 183,000 acres in southern Oregon. It is the only national park in Oregon. A scenic drive follows the caldera rim, and hiking trails lead to panoramic overlooks. The rim drive and several overlook hikes can fill a single day.
