Crater Lake and its 4 new Junior Rangers

Our day began with beautiful weather, contrary to the weather forecasts, which led to a beautiful visit to Crater Lake.  We drove an hour and a half from our hotel to Crater Lake National Park.  Luckily, there weren't many twists and turns until we reached the park property.  Upon our arrival, the view was breathtaking.  

Crater Lake is a caldera that was formed when a volcano, Mount Mazama, had a massive eruption and collapsed around 7,700 years ago.  Rain and snow have filled the resulting crater over thousands of years, forming the lake.  It is 1,943 feet deep, which makes it the deepest lake in the US.  It is also one of the clearest lakes in the world with clarity of around 122 feet below the water surface.  

Here is a picture of Hadley with Wizard Island in the distance.  It is an island within the lake, formed from a subsequent volcanic eruption.  

The kids humored me with a group picture, but Jack insisted on wearing my sunglasses.

The only way to reach the actual lake shore is to take a very steep and strenuous hike to the bottom of the cliffs.  We opted out when we read that the hike back up from the bottom was the equivalent of climbing 66 flights of stairs.  Again, it is added to the "next time" list.  

The kids completed a booklet to become Junior Rangers of Crater Lake National Park.  It was full of fun and informational activities.  They were sworn in by an official Park Ranger.  

Here are the 4 newest Junior Rangers with their badges.

The entire ride back to the hotel, we promised the kids we would take them to the pool after dinner for an extra long swim.  As luck would have it, the storms decided to roll in at the same time, so the indoor pool was closed for the evening.  Oh, well.  They have plenty of time to swim when we return to Lexington.