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Oregon is a state of contrasts. In the east is the stark Oregon high desert, with elevations of several thousand feet. In the west is the Oregon coast. A major dividing line between the two extremes is the Cascade Mountains that raise an average of 5,000 to 7,000 feet, and which effectively block much of the moisture coming in from the Pacific Ocean, enabling the existence of the desert. It is fitting that Oregon's only national park is located in the Cascade Mountains.

Crater Lake National Park was formed many thousands of years ago, when Mount Mazama erupted, sending enormous amounts of ash, lava, and other debris into the atmosphere and surrounding land. When the magma pocket under the mountain became depleted, the weight of the top of Mount Mazama caused it to cave in to the vacated magma pocket, creating a huge depression.

Being high in the Cascade Mountains where the mountain received copious quantities of precipitation, mostly in the form of heavy snowfall, a lake gradually formed. Today, that lake dominates the park. At nearly 2,000 feet deep, it is one of the world's deepest, and is the deepest fresh water lake in North America. The depth and purity of the water combine to give the lake a breath-taking dark blue color when seen from above.

Compared to many other national parks in the Western US, Crater Lake is a relatively small park of not much more than 920 square miles (about 2,331 sq km). However, what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in beauty. Wildlife is abundant, and visitors can occasionally catch glimpses of black bears, squirrels, badgers, porcupines, foxes, North American Elk, deer, and several less often seen animals.

This national park is home to many beautiful plants, including towering Ponderosa and sugar pines, Douglas and Shasta fir, hemlocks, huckleberries, alpine lupines, wild chives and onions, columbine, honeysuckle, pussy willow, and so many other plants that a book could be well filled just describing them all.

Less commercial than many national parks, Crater Lake offers nature trails, spectacular views of the lake, a great pumice plain that is over 600 feet deep in places, streams, waterfalls, and enough adventure to keep the intrepid traveler occupied for some time. In more than one location, water and wind have combined to produce spectacular spires of rock known as pinnacles.

Of special interest to many, is the 1/8 mile nature trail through the Castle Crest Flower Gardens, where wildflowers grow in abundance.

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