Crater Lake National Park is a United States national park located in southern Oregon, in the United States. The centerpiece of the park is Crater Lake, the deepest lake in North America known for its deep blue color. Crater Lake was formed from the collapse of Mount Mazama, a volcano in southern Oregon that once stood about 11,000 feet tall. A series of destructive eruptions around 5000 BC caused the mountain's peak to collapse into its lava chamber, resulting in a caldera nearly six miles wide. Over time, snowmelt and rain collected in the crater to form the lake.

The first known white man to reach the lake was prospector John Hillman, who found the lake in 1853. Largely through the efforts of naturalist William Gladstone Steel, the United States declared Crater Lake a national park in 1902.

Get in

By plane
The nearest major airport to Crater Lake National Park is Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, located three miles north of Medford and 80 miles south of the park.

By car
From the north:
 • From Eugene, Portland, and points north on I-5: Follow Interstate 5 south to Roseburg, then take Oregon 138 east to the park's north entrance.
 • From Bend and Central Oregon: Follow U.S. 97 south to Oregon 138 west to the park's north entrance.
The north entrance is typically closed for the winter season (mid-October to mid-June).
From the south:
 • From Medford and points south on I-5: Follow Interstate 5 north to Medford, then take Oregon 62 north and east to the park's west entrance (open year round).
 • From Klamath Falls: Follow U.S. 97 north to route 62 north and west to the park's south entrance (open year round).