Mount Mazama Was Once Much Taller

Aerial view of Crater Lake inside Mount Mazama's caldera.

Mount Mazama is a volcano in Oregon's Cascade Range.

Wizard Island is a volcanic cinder cone inside Crater Lake.

Collapse formed the caldera now filled by Crater Lake's water.

Crater Lake is 1,943 feet deep, the deepest in the USA.

Originally, Mazama's summit stood nearly 4,000 feet higher than today.

Snow-covered trees surround Crater Lake in volcanic caldera.

Crater Lake National Park covers about 250 square miles.

Crater Lake is the deepest freshwater lake in the U.S.

Mazama formed from overlapping shield volcanoes and small cones.

Crater Lake fills the caldera of Mount Mazama volcano.

Crater Lake's water comes from rain and snow, not rivers or streams.

Mazama remains dormant but smaller eruptions may still happen someday.

Crater Lake fills the caldera formed by Mount Mazama.