Crater Lake, Oregon, USA

Roughly 7,700 years ago, Mount Mazama erupted, eventually collapsing in on itself and forming the basin that would become Crater Lake in what is now southern Oregon. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, with unusually clear water that plunges nearly 2,000 feet.

Today, the lake is the centerpiece of Crater Lake National Park. Several natural features of the lake contribute to the park’s appeal, including Wizard Island in the center of this photo. It’s actually the tip of the spent cinder cone that developed after the eruption.

Another odd rock formation is known as “the Phantom Ship” thanks to its eerie appearance, which resembles a ghost ship, especially in the frequently foggy conditions of the lake. And perhaps most legendary is the “Old Man of the Lake,” a 30-foot hemlock tree stump that floats around the lake. Most of the Old Man’s trunk is submerged, while just four feet of bleached, weathered stump bobs above the water’s surface, sometimes traveling great distances across the lake.