Crater+Lake+National+Park

By.Harmony S.

A 2,000 feet high lake of beauty. This lake has been here for over 7,700 years and still amazes people. It has some of the clearest water in the world.

Location,Size,Distance
Crater Lake is located in Mazama campground,Oregon. It is 183,224.86 acres big. It is 1,841.07 miles away from Oskaloosa Iowa. That is 27 hours and 43 minutes. It would take over a day to get there from Iowa.

Park Hours
Crater Lake is open year round but some roads get closed due to weather conditions like snow. The parks visitor center is open year round from November til March from 10am til 4pm. From March til November it is from 9am til 5pm. If you plan on staying the lodge is open mid-May through mid-October. With only 71 rooms reservations are highly recommended.

Climate
In the winter the temperature varies from 19 degrees to 43 degrees. spring can be from 19 degrees to 50 degrees. Summertime it ranges from 30 degrees to 60 degrees. It's weird but fall is the warmest with temperature of 40 degrees to 80 degrees. The busiest time of year is in the fall probably because the warmer temperatures. Occasional summertime storms and fog may make it hard to see this wonderful lake.

History
It became a park May 22,1902 when Theodore Roosevelt signed the bill to give it status as a national park.Crater Lakes lodge was opened in 1915. There Rim Drive was complete in 1918. Crater Lake is the 5th oldest park. The most snow ever recorded on the ground at the headquarters 21 feet! The interaction of people and Crater Lake can be traced as far back as the eruption.

Facts
In the winter it almost 10-15 feet of snow falls so the hiking trails start to melt in mid-June. The "Old Man" or mountain hemlock log has been floating in the lake upright for more than a hundred years. The average people that go to Crater Lake each year is 482,000. The lake was formed 7,700 years ago when Mount Mazama erupted leaving a caldera. Years of rain and melting snow filled it which is why it is one of the clearest lakes.

Things to See
While wandering around the park you might see black bears,foxes,porcupines,pikas. You would see the "Old Man" in the lake floating with the wind. A frequently seen bird, the Clarks Nutcracker can be found around the rim. The short-horned lizard you might find in Wheeler Creek is one of the several reptiles in Crater Lake.

Thing to Do
You could take a 33 mile bike ride around the lake or a 30 mile skiing trip that will take 3 or 4 days. You may also go swimming. Cyclists on long tours usually stay at one of the two campgrounds. Rangers lead a snowshoe walk every Saturday and Sunday. It's at 1:00pm with a minimum of 20 people age 9 or older. There are also boat tours. These tickets are only sold at Cleetwood Cove Trailhead parking area.

Resources
[|**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_National_Parks_by_state**] [|**http://www.mapquest.com/#f700826900ab1588464e59b2**] [|**http://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm**] [|**http://www.us-parks.com/search-results.html**] [|**http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/crater-lake-national-park-outdoor-pp2-guide-cid8931.html**] [|**http://crater.lake.national-park.com/info.htm#hishttp://crater.lake.national-park.com/info.htm#his**] http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake

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