Dave's PhotoJournal for June 22nd, Part 2 of 2

Drove through Crater Lake National Park. Most of the road was still closed due to snow, so we just stopped at a few viewpoints, and kept going. (Besides, it was COLD and windy there.) I need to go back when it's a little later in the summer, so I can hike around and such.

After the park, headed west on 62 towards Medford. Stopped at a couple points of interest along the way. The first one, I don't remember the name of, but it was a point when the Rogue River went through a really skinny section, probably created by cooling lava. The second one was called the natural bridge, it was where the Rogue River went through a lava tube, and thus disappeared underground for a couple hundred feet. Apparently, native Americans used the resulting bridge, and were happy.

Stopped for the night in Joseph H Stewart State Park, about 30 miles east of Medford. We drove to one of the small towns between the park and Medford to get dinner at Subway, then came back. The State Park is located on a bluff overlooking Lost Creek Reservoir, which was nice.

Shortly after the entrance to Crater Lake National Park, you drive through these lava flats.

Then the road climbs up the mountains surrounding the lake. There was still a good bit of snow up there.

More snow on the road approaching Crater Lake.

Crater Lake and Wizard Island. Crater Lake was formed when a volcano (Mt. Mazama) blew itself up.

Julie and I at Crater Lake.

There are no streams going into or out of the lake. It's filled entirely with rainfall and snowmelt. It's extremely deep. The water level is fairly constant year to year, because the water coming in from rain and snow is basically equal to the amount of water leaving through evaporation and seepage.

The water is amazingly blue. That's one of the things that's appealing about it.

Wizard Island is actually basically a new volcanic peak. There's another one next to it that's 300 feet under the surface.

Looking at the close edge of the lake.

The lake from another viewpoint.

I can't think of anything else that all of the literature and such said about it.

Somewhat closeup of part of the edge of the chasm. That slope, on the top left, is part of the former Mt. Mazama. So the mountain used to continue up, like volcanic peaks do, toward the summit.

The same view, zoomed out a bit.

Some of the surrounding terrain.

A deer along the side of the road.

The deer acknowledging my presence.

One last view of the lake.

Julie and I next to the Rogue River.

That point of interest where the Rogue River goes into the really skinny chasm thing.

Zoomed in a bit.

A waterfall along the Rogue River.

Zoomed in a bit.

The Rogue River.

The Natural Bridge. The water disappears underground below and to the left of the frame, and you can see the river after it pops back up in the background.

The Lost Creek Reservoir from a small trail near our campsite in Joseph H Stewart State Park.

Looking toward the shore of the Lost Creek Reservoir.

Julie sitting next to me, looking over the lake.

Me enjoying watching the sun set over the lake.

A bit closer to sunset..

Twilight over the reservoir.

More of the same.

The car parked at our campsite.

The rest of our campsite, seen from the picnic table, which is right next to where we set up the tent.

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