Crater Lake NP, Oregon

Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States at a depth of 1,943 feet. People are drawn to the intense blue color that changes as the sun moves across the sky. One can drive or bike around the lake along the road, hike up to see the lake from above, or take a boat ride to Wizard Island. The park road is only open about three months (late June/early July into September). The area has an average snowfall of about 40 feet! You can enjoy the scenery in the winter by cross-country skis and snowshoes.

To take the boat ride around the lake and to Wizard Island, you have to walk down to the lake's edge. It is interesting to hike below the rim into a volcano!

The main campground for the park is a few miles away from the lake. It is in a wooded area. It opens when all the snow melts. We were there over Labor Day weekend and had to break a thin sheet of ice off the tent in the morning. It can be cold! There is a historic lodge right next to the lake. Make reservations months in advance.

There are a few hikes in the area. One is to the Watchman Overlook with views of Wizard Island and the lake. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) also goes through the park. This is a great trail for backpacking.
There are also interesting rock formations called the Pinnacles. They remind me of the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon.
For more National Park information on Crater Lake, go the the NPS website.

Capitol Reef NP, Utah

Welcome to Capitol Reef! This rock formation is prominent in lots of postcards and pictures of the area. It is known as the Castle and you can see it from the visitor's center.

The park has many geology features (a monocline, the Waterpocket Fold) as well as history. Historic Fruita has turn-of-the-20th-century buildings that you can visit via roads and footpaths. Don't forget to stop at the store and buy jams and jellies made from the local fruit orchards. You can pick many of the fruits yourself. Here is the schedule of fruit harvest times.


To experience the geology, there is a 10 mile paved scenic drive as well as some unpaved, dirt road spurs (make sure you have the correct vehicle and that the weather is fair). Along the scenic drive you can get out of the car and do some hiking. Here is Grand Wash (you can see my sister as a little white dot in the lower right hand part of the wash). This perspective shows you how high the canyon walls rise above the wash.

Another hike we recommend is the trail to Hickman Bridge. There is a nature trail that explains plants and animals of the area as you hike the 1 mile to the bridge. Legend has it that Capitol Reef was named for a line of white Navajo Sandstone domes that look like the United States Capitol dome. Here is a picture of what I think is one of those domes.


This is one of the lesser known national parks that I would recommend visiting. It can be a bit hot in July and August for hiking. The campground is nicely shaded and has grass. For more information, here is the official national park site of Capitol Reef.