Editorial Travel Photographer Susan Seubert and Crater Lake for Travel Oregon Online Magazine

Today, Travel Oregon launched a story online about Crater Lake and included a gallery of my photographs to illustrate the text.  Crater Lake National Park is the only National Park in the State of Oregon and attracts close to 500,000 people annually.  The lake itself was formed when Mt. Mazama collapsed approximately 7700 years ago.  This lake which formed inside the caldera is fed almost entirely by snow melt and is the deepest lake in the United States, at just under 600 meters deep.  The clarity and blueness of the water are unique and is one of the major draws to the park.  There was no image manipulation to enhance the color in the pictures – it’s truly that blue, particularly when you visit on a sunny day, which, in Oregon, can be a gamble.  I did use a circular polarizing filter to help remove surface glare for some of the images.  The 2.2 mile round trip Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only access to the water where tourists are able to take a boat trip and explore the interior of the volcanic basin.  The historic Crater Lake Lodge, which was recently renovated, sits on the edge of the caldera and offers sweeping views of the lake from it’s porch.  It’s the perfect place to sit and contemplate the volcanism of the region whilst enjoying a local beer, glass of wine or perhaps a cup of coffee.  The rooms are cozy but if you want to stay here, it’s best to make your reservations well in advance.  Since it is only open seasonally, the rooms fill up quickly.  Otherwise, the park offers many hiking trails and the nearby Mazama Village offers some camping options.

Crater Lake as the sun starts to light up the rim of the caldera, the start of a perfect day to explore the lake

The end of the Cleetwood Cove Trail where you can board the tourist boats for a tour on the lake itself.

Fishing is allowed without a permit. For a few dollars more, one can be dropped off at Wizard Island and fish all day.

The clarity of the water and one of the many streams fed by snow melt are seen here, from the point of view of one of the tourist boats on the lake.

The so called “Phantom Ship” geologic formation that sits inside Crater Lake

A tip for photographing Crater Lake – a circular polarizer filter can be instrumental for helping take great images of the lake on a calm day.   I always have a few of these tucked in my kit as they are handy for other situations where water, or other glare, can be a problem.

Please note that all images on this site are copyright protected and may not be used without express permission from Susan Seubert.

Thank you!!!