Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is an amazing place. It is located in Southern Oregon, and, not surprisingly, its main feature is a volcanic crater lake. About 8000 years ago, the volcano once known as Mount Mazama erupted and blew about 3000 feet off its top. Over the next 750 years, the crater it left behind filled in with a beautiful lake.
The park is only open during the summer, as heavy snow makes it impossible to access during the winter periods. There is a park headquarters, which shows movies and has a museum, as well as couple of places to get food and souvenirs. Beyond that, there are a number of hiking trails, a few campgrounds, and then the Rim Drive, which is a road that circles the lake and provides for spectacular views from all angles.
There is only one access point to the lake, where you can take a short hiking trail down the side of the crater. From here, you can take a boat ride, or just go swimming. The water is quite cold, however, so be prepared! There is one big rock that is quite a bit of fun to jump off of, as well! I'm also told that Scuba Diving is an option, but only for those who come with all of their gear (and are willing to hike there air canister and gear to the bottom).
