On our recent trip down the Oregon coast to the California redwoods and back, we stopped at Crater Lake in central Oregon, arriving there at sunset one evening and leaving before noon the next day. Before leaving we drove nearly all the way around the crater.

Crater Lake is a National Park that features an old volcanic crater now filled with water. The old volcanic cone, now gone, is known as Mount Mazama, and the crater, with its cinder island, Wizard Island, is six miles across and the lake nearly 2000 feet deep.

It was snow melt time in the park, which is at around 7000 feet in elevation, and the mosquitoes were ferocious. We could hardly get out of the car for pictures and when we did had to spend some time killing the insects that made it into the car during our hasty exits and returns.

There is a drive that follows the rim nearly all the way around the crater and we drove most of it before leaving for home. We would like to go back some time when the mosquitoes are not so bad and see the park again and even do some hiking there.

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