Crater Lake National Park

As the summer winds to a close, and snow appears on the horizon, the hospitality company ExplorUS is wrapping up its first full season at Crater Lake National Park. The company took over after the National Park Service kicked out the last vendor.

The entrance has been closed due to the Middle Fork Fire which has burned over 5,000 acres in the northwest corner of the park.

According to the National Park Service, the closure will give firefighters access to prepare wildfire control lines along North Entrance Road.

Marking the 205th birthday of prolific frontier photographer Peter Britt.

The federal agency’s decision comes after ongoing problems with basic health and safety standards.

The Crater Lake newt only exists in the rich, blue waters of the Oregon national park. Its population has been declining in recent years, mostly due to growing numbers of signal crayfish.

With an explosive history that dates back roughly 7,700 years, Crater Lake is a natural wonder.

The clarity of Crater Lake, Oregon's only national park, has remained uncompromised for decades. But other changes are afoot, many of them wrought by a warming climate. Some of these changes have profound implications for the lake’s ecology — and perhaps for its iconic appearance.

Money from the Land and Water Conservation fund has shaped Oregon's cities, towns, and landscapes. Next up? Ambitious trail projects and protected forests.

To circle Crater Lake in the summer is easy. In the winter, it is an entirely different story.