The drive down to Crater Lake is mostly highway until the end you break away into a heavily forested area with long tunnels of road stretched out before you. This should have been the first sign that where we were going was magical. The trees grew taller and thicker the closer we came, and the temperature began to drop to that in between cool and cold stage. We drove into the state park and the anticipation to see IT was palpable. The road was never ending and winding into the sky. Finally, we broke over a hill and there IT was. You really cannot describe this place in words. Maybe other worldly is the best way to say how the Lake seems. We pulled over and stood there in awe..speechless. I think I may have giggled a little in a hysterical way. It is soooo enormous and BLUE. Pictures will never do it justice, being there standing on the edge didn’t. We tore ourselves away long enough to find our way to the campground and set up for the night. It was already later in the day so we settled in and dreamed of the trip around the lake the next day.
In the morning, after a very chilly night(48 degrees when we woke), we made some hot tea and breakfast. Then we set out on the journey. It took all day to drive around the lake…stopping along the way at all the overlooks and points of interest. We took lots of photos but again..they won’t really be right. It was a magical day and we did not want to leave the rim, but we wanted to get back to camp in time for a fire. We had a nice evening, a fire and better sleep. Tomorrow is the drive to the Redwood National Park on the California coast.
Blakes On The Road 