The Discovery of Crater Lake

Above, Wizard Island in Crater Lake is shrouded by smoke from nearby wildfires. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The state of Oregon has only one national park. That park is Crater Lake National Park.

I last visited Crater Lake National Park in 2017 as part of my Great American Eclipse trip.

Central Oregonian has posted a short article on the discovery of Crater Lake National Park. Before it became Crater Lake, it had other names.

The article begins with:

Ancestors of current Native American tribes 7,460 years ago witnessed the volcanic explosion of Mt. Mazama that created Crater Lake. Crater Lake is located within the collapsed caldera. The site has long been a sacred site for the native inhabitants. Early settlers were unaware of the existence of the lake because of the sacred aspects and natives were reluctant to tell about the site.

To read more, go here.