The Binocular Site
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Crater Lake National Park, located in southern Oregon, sits on the crest of the Cascade Mountain range. The park gets its name from Crater Lake, which was formed by the collapse of a volcano approximately 7,700 years ago. Crater Lake, is 1,943 feet deep at its deepest point, making it the deepest lake in the United States, the second deepest in North America, and the seventh deepest lake in the world. Crater Lake is not supported by any streams. It is filled only by precipitation.
Crater Lake Park was established on May 22, 1902, becoming the sixth National Park in the United States. It covers 183,224 acres, and is Oregon's only National Park.
The best time to visit the park is in late summer. From October to June, the park averages 533 inches (about 44 feet) of snow, making many activities nearly impossible. Still, several hardcore outdoor enthusiasts make day trips and even camp in the park during the winter months. Most of the park's roads are closed well into late spring, when 10 to 15 feet of snow on the ground is typical. The park's Mazama Campground has 200 sites, and is open from mid-June to early October, and offers running water, restrooms, fire rings, and picnic tables. The Lost Creek campground offers 16 tent sites, and is open from mid-July to early October.
Despite the weather being cold most of the year, Crater Lake park boasts over 150 species of birds. Just a few that can be found in the park are the common merganser, American kestrel, California gull, great horned owl, northern flicker, and cordilleran flycatcher.
You can find out more about Crater Lake National Park by visiting the official site here.The state bird of Oregon is the Western Meadowlark and you can find a checklist for birding activities in Oregonhere.
Photo credit to Chalky Lives, used with permission under the creative commons license.
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