Smoke Deterred People From Crater Lake

Above, Crater Lake with Wizard Island in the smoky haze. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I traveled down U.S. 97 from Bend, Oregon to Crater Lake National Park, it looked as though I was driving down a coastline with fog in the air. Except, I wasn't anywhere near the coast and the fog was actually smoke from several fires in the state.

I stayed at the Diamond Lake RV Park, which is about 5 miles from the Crater Lake National Park North Entrance. The smoke at the campground wasn't too bad as it is situated north of the park and most of the fires were south of Crater Lake.

Before going to Crater Lake last month, I was aware that there were fires in and around the park, but I wasn't deterred from visiting. But many people were deterred from visiting as smoke settled inside the lake.

The Mail Tribune has an article on how the fires affected Crater Lake National Park's summer attendance.

They begin with:

Road construction, frequently heavy smoke, a wait-and-see attitude about two upcoming vehicle-free Saturdays and myriad other factors have made Crater Lake National Park’s summer season anything but normal. 

“I’m hoping we can have a good September and October,” said Marsha McCabe, the park’s lead interpreter and spokeswoman, who notes the several variables have affected the number of visitors and services available. 

“It’s been a challenging year for sure,” echoed Andy Stiles, general manager for Xanterra, the park concessionaire that operates the Crater Lake Lodge, lake boat tours, Crater Lake Cafeteria-Gift Shop and other facilities. 

Smoke from forest fires that began in July in and outside the park has been a major concern. At many times the lake hasn’t been visible from Rim Village or Rim Drive, and the lack of visibility, combined with delays created by ongoing road construction, has discouraged many visitors. McCabe recommends people considering park visits first check out the Crater Lake webcam, which is regularly updated, or the website at oregonsmoke.blogspot.com.

Above, The Beast at Diamond Lake RV Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For me, it wasn't too bad a visit. The smoke cleared somewhat in the late afternoon when some winds over the lake kicked up. This was my first visit to Crater Lake National Park since 1971 and I wasn't going to let a fire deter me from visiting.

To read more, go here.