Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

It's no secret that Crater Lake is beautiful. Dubbed one of the '7 Wonders of Oregon', and the only full-fledged national park in the state, Crater Lake is one of the most spectacular sights in the Pacific Northwest.

There are a lot of ways you can see Crater Lake – by bike, boat, bus, trolley – but perhaps the most popular and practical way is by taking a leisurely car trip along Rim Drive, the road that rings the lake. As you do, you can stop at some two dozen viewpoints, some connected to hiking trails and other attractions.



All, of course, offer incredible views.

Last week I spent the day stopping at almost every single viewpoint, getting photos of Crater Lake from all angles. It was a great way to spend a sunny summer day, the warm sun shining on the dazzlingly blue-hued lake, puffy clouds passing overhead, chipmunks scurrying around the rocks.

If you want to get out there, you still have some time. In fact, this Saturday, Sept. 22, there will be free admission to Crater Lake and all national parks, in honor of National Public Lands Day. The park is open year-round, but next month Rim Drive will start to close as snow begins to fall. Last year, East Rim Drive closed on Oct. 13, and West Rim Drive closed on Nov. 1.



Whether you can make it or not, here's the view of beautiful Crater Lake from 17 viewpoints, starting at North Junction and running clockwise around the lake. If you'd like to get an idea of where these specific viewpoint are, refer to the park map at the bottom of the post, which I used as I traveled.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

MERRIAM POINT

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

STEEL BAY

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

PUMICE POINT

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

CLEETWOOD COVE

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

PALISADE POINT

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

GROTTO COVE

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

SKELL HEAD

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

CLOUDCAP OVERLOOK

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

PUMICE CASTLE

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

SENTINEL ROCK

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

PHANTOM SHIP OVERLOOK

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

SUN NOTCH

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

CRATER LAKE LODGE

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

DISCOVERY POINT

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

LIGHTNING SPRING

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

THE WATCHMAN

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

DEVILS BACKBONE

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National Park Service

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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