Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

   We are staying at Broken Arrow, an Umpqua National Forest Service campground just 4 miles north of the north entrance to Crater Lake National Park. Decided not to stay in the national park, since non-hookup sites are $27/night, and the campground is not that close to the rim, anyway.  Here they charge $11, and there are nice bathrooms and showers. It is a nicely wooded campground, but it is mosquito time, so there is no going outside without the Off!

We visited Crater Lake for the first time yesterday, and we both agree it is much more impressive than we would have thought. After all, it is just a lake, and how many of those have we seen? Well, none like this. It is truly breathtaking the first time you lay eyes on it, and every time thereafter.

We hiked along the rim yesterday, and today  drove the east rim and hiked to Garfield Peak, a 3.4 mile round trip hike up to the peak. The views were spectacular from everywhere. Here are some pictures from the hikes and drive. Need I say more?

 

The lodge and Rim Village.

These are the “pinnacles”, which we saw along the east rim drive. They are volcanic fumaroles, which vented the gases from the volcanic activity here over 7000 years ago.

There was still snow on part of the Garfield trail near the top.

And this guy was slowly melting away as we sat and soaked up the views at the peak.