Crater Lake, Oregon

Oregon is home to America's deepest lake. Crater Lake, at 1,943 feet deep, is the consequence of a volcanic explosion around 8,000 years ago that created a crater that rain and snowmelt eventually filled into a lake.

Crater Lake is the cleanest lake in the United States and the world since it is not fed by any streams or rivers. It's also the clearest, with visibility of up to 100 feet and sunlight reaching 400 feet down. As a result, scuba divers come to Crater Lake to explore the lava structures and moss-covered underwater fields. Fishing is another popular activity on Crater Lake, but fishermen, divers, and visitors who wish to see the lake from the beach must descend 700 vertical feet via the Cleetwood Cove Trail. Only boat cruises departing from Wizard Island, one of Crater Lake's two islands, allow access.