One Of The Cleanest, Most Pristine Lakes In The World Is Right Here In Oregon
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Beth
Author
Crater Lake is one of the most visited areas of Oregon, and it’s no mystery why. It’s the main feature of Crater Lake National Park, boasting some of the most pristine water in the country. It turns out this water is also some of the cleanest in the world, too. Learn more about the characteristics and traits of this iconic body of water.
Crater Lake is a caldera lake, meaning its cauldron-like formation happened because of a volcanic crater. When Mount Mazama collapsed, the nearly 2,150-feet deep space was created, only partially filled in by the lake. These measurements make it the deepest in the United States, and the tenth-deepest in the world.
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This gem in south-central Oregon is perhaps most famously known for its perfect blue color. This immaculate clarity is attributed to the fact that its water source is snow and rain, meaning the water is never contaminated by streams or rivers. While one might expect such clear water to have a transparent color, clean water reflects blue wavelengths of light. This is why Crater Lake truly emirates blue.
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Crater Lake is home to two islands, Wizard Island and Phantom Ship. Wizard Island formed when a cinder cone erupted shortly after Crater Lake first began to be filled with water. Phantom Ship is the smaller of the two islands and is home to wildflowers, swallows, and seven trees.
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Another unique characteristic of this site is known as the "Old Man of the Lake." What now stands as a tree stump was once a full-sized tree that has been bobbing up in down in Lake Crater for at least a century. The wood has lasted so long because the cold water acts as a preserving mechanism. Photographed above you’ll see the tree stump, a very endearing part of the lake.
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It doesn’t seem surprising that water with such an intense blue would have a frigid temperature. Crater Lake experiences a subarctic climate, with long and very cold winters. This allows for an unbelievable amount of snowfall — sometimes averaging over 30 feet per year, with snow cover as high as 9 feet.
If you’ve yet to visit Crater Lake, its beauty is arresting. No matter what time of year or day, the intense blue of the water surrounded by Oregon’s natural greens makes for a sight that is truly unforgettable.
Have you visited Crater Lake recently? Be sure to share your experience there!
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